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« Previous Entries Next Entries »So, what’s the big deal with apologies?
Monday, August 4th, 2008Recently, a friend asked why so many of my blog posts focus on various aspects of apologies. “It seems so narrow,” she said. “Are apologies really all that important?”
You bet they are.
As a practicing attorney, I’ve had over twenty years’ experience dealing with other people’s problems. (Let’s face it – regardless of how much they like [...]
Business ethics start at the top
Tuesday, July 1st, 2008Now and then, I’ll hear a company executive complain about the ethics of his or her employees. The complaints usually have to do with things like pilfering office supplies (a chronic problem just before school starts each September), wasting work time with Internet shopping or personal e-mails, or evasive encounters with customers or vendors. Larger [...]
Chef Emeril Demonstrates How Trust Enhances Your Business
Wednesday, June 18th, 2008A few months ago I took the opportunity to recommend Stephen J.R. Covey’s book, The Speed of Trust, for anyone who wants to strengthen their business and personal relationships. Covey’s book makes the case that increased trust cuts red tape and increases the speed of business. Here’s an example to demonstrate just how right Covey [...]
How to Apologize to an Unhappy Customer
Monday, June 9th, 2008A few weeks ago, I had occasion to attend a two-day meeting in a hotel that had just opened for business. Unfortunately, the overeager owners had jumped the gun, opening the hotel before it was fit for human habitation. The unfinished lobby looked like a war zone, one of the two elevators was out of [...]
Flying through Chicago? Rats!
Wednesday, May 7th, 2008My goal in setting up this blog was not to pick on the air travel industry, but they make it so easy, Just last week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would seek $10.2 million in fines from Southwest Airlines for safety violations. The agency claims that Southwest flew 46 planes almost 60,000 [...]
Consumer poll proves that it’s easier to lose customers’ trust than to regain it
Sunday, April 27th, 2008A Chipotle Mexican Grill in Akron, Ohio temporarily shut down when approximately 200 patrons complained of stomach illness after eating there. Management did everything right in responding to those complaints. They swapped out staff from other branches, scrubbed the place from top to bottom, and replaced all of the food before reopening. Yet, in an [...]
Signs of business failure come as no surprise
Monday, April 21st, 2008Worried about how the nation’s economic woes will affect your bottom line? Check out AOL’s recently-posted list of companies identified by customers as most likely to fail if you’d like a quick recipe for how to avoid crashing your business.
Personally, I disagree with AOL’s decision to put Starbucks on the list. Yes, the coffee giant has [...]
Will airline mergers improve customer service? Probably not …
Thursday, April 17th, 2008This week’s announcement that Northwest Airlines and Delta intend to merge may not be great news. Don’t get me wrong – I’m all in favor of enhanced efficiencies, economies of scale, and all of those good B-school theories that newly-minted MBAs just love to put into practice. I couldn’t help noticing, however, that the pilots [...]
A Word to Air Travelers: Expect Delays!
Sunday, April 13th, 2008American Airlines’ troubles are affecting the entire airline industry. Earlier today, I had to fly home from Florida, and was very unhappy to learn when I arrived at the airport that I had no seat on the first leg of my trip. Please understand: I had purchased my tickets four months ago for a more-than-modest [...]
Can American Airlines apologize effectively enough?
Thursday, April 10th, 2008The Wall Street Journal reports that American Airlines has cancelled more than 2,400 flights since Tuesday in a response to warnings from the Federal Aviation Administration that almost half of the airline’s planes could be in violation of a regulation to prevent on-board fires. The cancellations occurred after an FAA audit revealed that American Airlines’ MD-80s, [...]
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