Northwest Airlines slips to last in customer satisfaction

[jenny@nw]

=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/BUSINESS05/70619043]Northwest Airlines slips to last in customer satisfaction
June 19, 2007
By KATHERINE YUNG

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Northwest Airlines scored the worst in customer satisfaction among 8 major airlines, a new J.D. Power and Associates study revealed Tuesday.

Detroit Metro Airport’s largest carrier slipped in the rankings from a year ago, when it came in barely above the last-place Air Canada.


The rankings, which are based on responses from 9,653 passengers, come as Northwest attempts to regain its financial footing after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of May. The airline has suffered from poor labor relations as it sought to modify work rules and reduce its employees’ pay and benefits.

 

[Spock]

=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/BUSINESS05/70619043]Northwest Airlines slips to last in customer satisfaction
June 19, 2007
By KATHERINE YUNG

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Northwest Airlines scored the worst in customer satisfaction among 8 major airlines, a new J.D. Power and Associates study revealed Tuesday.

Nah, it can't be! Doug's got everything under control. Just like in the film the Wizard of Oz, "Pay no attention to that man behind the green curtain". Does this mean J.D. can't be bought off?

 

[Kev3188]

I would have never seen this coming...

...Now that we've received coffee mugs, I wonder how our '08 numbers will look?

 

[finman]

=http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070619/BUSINESS05/70619043]Northwest Airlines slips to last in customer satisfaction
June 19, 2007
By KATHERINE YUNG

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Northwest Airlines scored the worst in customer satisfaction among 8 major airlines, a new J.D. Power and Associates study revealed Tuesday.

Detroit Metro Airport’s largest carrier slipped in the rankings from a year ago, when it came in barely above the last-place Air Canada.


The rankings, which are based on responses from 9,653 passengers, come as Northwest attempts to regain its financial footing after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of May. The airline has suffered from poor labor relations as it sought to modify work rules and reduce its employees’ pay and benefits.

From related article:

"Eagan-based Northwest received low marks in categories such as flight crews and in-flight amenities."

Also, I see Continental finished first; must have been before their sewage running down the aisle incident.

Also from related article:

"The survey results are in contrast to the 17th annual Airline Quality Ratings study released in April, in which Northwest got the best rating for customer service among the six biggest network airlines. That study measured Northwest against its competitors for on-time arrivals, consumer complaints, mishandled bags and involuntarily bumped passengers"

The only difference in categories appears to be flight crews and inflight amenities. So, it appears that our flight crews are so horrible to the customers that it drives us from the top of the ratings all the way to the bottom when their performance is included. And you think you're underpaid?

 

[Kev3188]

From related article:



Also, I see Continental finished first; must have been before their sewage running down the aisle incident.

When/where did this happen?

By the way, we had this happen to an A320 here a few weeks back due to a mis-repaired FC lav (actually, it ran "up" into the cockpit, and "down" into the avionics bay.

The only difference in categories appears to be flight crews and inflight amenities. So, it appears that our flight crews are so horrible to the customers that it drives us from the top of the ratings all the way to the bottom when their performance is included. And you think you're underpaid?

I say bring back domestic IFE!!! Our IFE on intl flights in fantastic.

I think that would go a long way to improving the score(s).

 

[finman]

When/where did this happen?

Top story on Drudge today
http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW...P.1cc511cf.html

 

[jenny@nw]

From related article:

"Eagan-based Northwest received low marks in categories such as flight crews and in-flight amenities."

Also, I see Continental finished first; must have been before their sewage running down the aisle incident.

Also from related article:

"The survey results are in contrast to the 17th annual Airline Quality Ratings study released in April, in which Northwest got the best rating for customer service among the six biggest network airlines. That study measured Northwest against its competitors for on-time arrivals, consumer complaints, mishandled bags and involuntarily bumped passengers"

The only difference in categories appears to be flight crews and inflight amenities. So, it appears that our flight crews are so horrible to the customers that it drives us from the top of the ratings all the way to the bottom when their performance is included. And you think you're underpaid?

Who's talking about pay?

We're talking about the service product that NW presents.The "Experience".

It's everything...from anemities, food, workers, condition of planes, ect. Obviously you never went to some other business classes besides accounting or finance.


Oh well, not too long ago someone screwed up on the lavs on a DC9 and both AFT toilets overflowed and blue juice went foward...while the aft f/a yelled at the people to pick up their feet...never made it on the news. Neither did the disasterous exit row window popping out with an explosive decompression.... Or the time the whole plane had people with hypoxia....

I never ever trust JD power and associates survey ANYWAYS because companies pay them extra to have their products #1. Many people know this.

 

[Kev3188]

We're talking about the service product that NW presents.The "Experience".

We still offer an "experience?"

Let's see...

Food/snacks? Not really (besides Buy on Board on longer segments)

Beverages Out of my city, only DTW gets a bev. service. MSP flights get it in FC only

Library? Got rid of that, brought it back, and then bagged it again...so no. (sidebar: per company policy, when you come across magazines while cleaning, you are *not* allowed to leave them in the magazine racks for others even if they're mainstream publications, ie People or SI)

Clean planes? Mmmmm, kind of getting better I guess; but still only reliable on the first flight of the day.

Cabin condition? Anywhere from fair-to-middlin' to awful depending on A/C type, and how much "unservicable" tape is around.

IFE? See my previous post.

Doesn't leave the F/A's much to work with...

Oh well, not too long ago someone screwed up on the lavs on a DC9 and both AFT toilets overflowed and blue juice went foward...while the aft f/a yelled at the people to pick up their feet...never made it on the news.

This seems to be happening a lot more over the last year or so. A cursory glance through the AOS list almost always has one on it (at least once a week or so).

The other thing that seems to occur frequently, is the opposite: contractors fail to put an fluid back into the DC9's, so the toilets don't work.

Neither did the disasterous exit row window popping out with an explosive decompression.... Or the time the whole plane had people with hypoxia....

Holy sh*t.

 

[finman]

Who's talking about pay?

We're talking about the service product that NW presents.The "Experience".

It's everything...from anemities, food, workers, condition of planes, ect. Obviously you never went to some other business classes besides accounting or finance.
Oh well, not too long ago someone screwed up on the lavs on a DC9 and both AFT toilets overflowed and blue juice went foward...while the aft f/a yelled at the people to pick up their feet...never made it on the news. Neither did the disasterous exit row window popping out with an explosive decompression.... Or the time the whole plane had people with hypoxia....

I never ever trust JD power and associates survey ANYWAYS because companies pay them extra to have their products #1. Many people know this.

From related article:

"Of the eight network carriers in the survey, Northwest posted the largest drop in customer satisfaction with its flight crew, which includes the courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and presentation of the crew, said Linda Hirneise, executive director of J.D. Power's travel practice."

This part of the survey has nothing to do with amenities, it's how nice our people are to the customers. That is something that you as an FA have complete control over and cannot blame on someone else. Like I said, when you don't include the survey results on the flight crew, NWA is the top airline per the Airline Quality Ratings done in April. That means you and your fellow FAs are draggin down our customer service rankings by your actions alone; by not fulfilling the most basic of your job responsibilities, which is being nice and friendly to the customer.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

From related article:

"Of the eight network carriers in the survey, Northwest posted the largest drop in customer satisfaction with its flight crew, which includes the courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and presentation of the crew, said Linda Hirneise, executive director of J.D. Power's travel practice."

This part of the survey has nothing to do with amenities, it's how nice our people are to the customers. That is something that you as an FA have complete control over and cannot blame on someone else. Like I said, when you don't include the survey results on the flight crew, NWA is the top airline per the Airline Quality Ratings done in April. That means you and your fellow FAs are draggin down our customer service rankings by your actions alone; by not fulfilling the most basic of your job responsibilities, which is being nice and friendly to the customer.

Finman,
Don't try to use facts, just admit that the reason NW service sucks is because of the scabs and nothing else!

 

[jenny@nw]

Finman,
Don't try to use facts, just admit that the reason NW service sucks is because of the scabs and nothing else!

Never will admit that.... I can't read his posts sometimes since the argument don't have weight.

"Of the eight network carriers in the survey, Northwest posted the largest drop in customer satisfaction with its flight crew, which includes the courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and presentation of the crew, said Linda Hirneise, executive director of J.D. Power's travel practice."

This part of the survey has nothing to do with amenities, it's how nice our people are to the customers. That is something that you as an FA have complete control over and cannot blame on someone else. Like I said, when you don't include the survey results on the flight crew, NWA is the top airline per the Airline Quality Ratings done in April. That means you and your fellow FAs are draggin down our customer service rankings by your actions alone; by not fulfilling the most basic of your job responsibilities, which is being nice and friendly to the customer.

Like Kevin was saying, if you don't have the necessary tools or empowerment to satisfy a customer, then what is there to do? Just "sorry" don't make a gum stuck on a F/C passenger's Gucci pants isn't enough.---which happened to me. Look in the book and they tell you to say "sorry" and give out a cheap $4 bottle of wine. That's not enough.

I'm sorry but go pick a fight with someone else already, your argument is very flat and it also shows you have no other kind of education except Accounting or Finance; or you slept through all the required management& marketing courses.

You're trying to paint this black picture (I presume to start something) that we are all rude and crude to the passengers and therefore we are last place with JD powers (who are in most cases paid under the table for their "rankings"), which is not the case.

I hear from my frequent flyer friends that the INTL service on us is quite exceptional, while DOM service is something to avoid.

And Kevin, this is what a new hire told me (about explosive decompression) and she told me she put in her notice because she thought that was a bunch of $#^@^%&!

 

[USCREW]

Whoops, I must have gotten lost...I thought for sure that I was on the US board!

 

[Spock]

Detroit's own scab newspaper says... The JD gal is setting up a payoff for next year...

 

[tech2101]

From related article:

"Of the eight network carriers in the survey, Northwest posted the largest drop in customer satisfaction with its flight crew, which includes the courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and presentation of the crew, said Linda Hirneise, executive director of J.D. Power's travel practice."

This part of the survey has nothing to do with amenities, it's how nice our people are to the customers. That is something that you as an FA have complete control over and cannot blame on someone else. Like I said, when you don't include the survey results on the flight crew, NWA is the top airline per the Airline Quality Ratings done in April. That means you and your fellow FAs are draggin down our customer service rankings by your actions alone; by not fulfilling the most basic of your job responsibilities, which is being nice and friendly to the customer.

Finman. Surely, you must have had some human relations training/exposure. After being beaten into submission, you expect the core workers of your company to perform.

The following is from someone most of us know. NWA actually paid me to go this training in the early 90's. Dale Carnegie.

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People

1. Don't criticize, condemn, or complain.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation.
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

At the time, this is what NWA management wanted to push down to the lowest level employee. They/we were taught to do this by example. That was then; this is now.

If the NWA management followed this little simple principle in dealing with their employees today, the same would be passed on to the customer.

You know this.

Steenland and his ilk do not subscribe to any of the ideas or principles of the aforementioned.

 

[finman]

Never will admit that.... I can't read his posts sometimes since the argument don't have weight.
Like Kevin was saying, if you don't have the necessary tools or empowerment to satisfy a customer, then what is there to do? Just "sorry" don't make a gum stuck on a F/C passenger's Gucci pants isn't enough.---which happened to me. Look in the book and they tell you to say "sorry" and give out a cheap $4 bottle of wine. That's not enough.

I'm sorry but go pick a fight with someone else already, your argument is very flat and it also shows you have no other kind of education except Accounting or Finance; or you slept through all the required management& marketing courses.

You're trying to paint this black picture (I presume to start something) that we are all rude and crude to the passengers and therefore we are last place with JD powers (who are in most cases paid under the table for their "rankings"), which is not the case.

And what weight are you providing for you assertion that JD Powers gets bought off? Any investigative reports or any other literature you can refer us to that provides evidence to that fact?

You don't need to take a class to figure out that if you hate your job and can't even muster up the energy to treat the customers decently, then you should quit and find a job you enjoy. Being an FA is not a specialized skill that pigeon holes you into one industry. If you think you are underpaid, then get a job that pays better. Otherwise, do you're job. I must have that mindset from never having been indoctrinated in the entitlement school of unionism 101.

I wasn't trying to start anything, just trying to lay out some of the details behind the study results, which were very compelling as it relates to the dismal rankings of the flight crew "niceness" factor. I don't remember seeing a thread started to discuss the first place showing in the Airline Quality rankings done a month prior, which deserves being mentioned in this discussion, don't you think? Since JD Powers is bought off, why aren't you proclaiming that the previous study where NWA was #1 has more weight?

What is your position? Do you think flight crews at NWA are as good or better than other airlines in the "niceness" factor, and this survey is just garbage? Do you think teh survey is probabably mostly right, and that it's OK for FA's to act crabby and let their anger towards mgmt affect their friendliness towards the customer? Please clarify your position, if you can.