Reading Response Week 5
I thought it was very interesting to watch the jetBlue’s customers reactions. This clip, which I provided the link for below, gives a great insight into what it was like to be on the plane for several hours. It was shot from a passenger in a seat and captures flight attendants dealing with disgruntled customers. From what I gathered, the staff seemed very confused and misinformed. Customers were most upset by the fact that they kept getting told different stories from the employees. I also found a letter that was written by a woman trapped on the tarmac for 10 hours. She tries to rebook her flight but expresses how upset she is that the price is so high. She even takes a stab at jetBlue’s “bringing humanity back to airlines” tagline and implies that it couldn’t be further from the truth.
The audience that I am addressing is an unhappy and irritated audience. These people probably feel angry and taken advantage of. They are also expecting something in return for the problems that jetBlue caused them. As for keeping returning customers, people are probably expecting to have some sort of guarantee or reassurance that this type of situation will never happen again. I think the customer will want a straight story about why this happened to them. In the second video I watched, more than one person was complaining about this. As for the written letter I read, the woman doesn’t state exactly what she wants, but she does say that a price-equivalent voucher is not enough to change how she feels about the airline.
I plan on addressing these customer reactions carefully. First and foremost, I would respond in a very timely manner. Waiting for a response would just make the customer more irritated. Secondly, I would offer more than a price equivalent voucher. Even though this may be a bigger cost to the company, it could possibly save customers from switching airlines. In my letter I will be using an apologetic tone. I also want to try and sound as personable as possible and might even speak of my own travel problems and how I could relate. One other thing I might mention in my letter is the charity work that jetBlue has done. During Hurricane Katrina, they flew hundreds of people out of New Orleans for free. If I shift the focus to something positive, it could help change the tone of the entire letter. Overall, jetBlue’s passengers are looking for compensation, a heartfelt apology, and reasons for the mishap. These are all things I will be including in my letter.
YouTube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnnJeV-tas&mode=related&search=
Customer letter: http://jetbluehostage.blogspot.com/2007/02/shame-on-you-jetblue.html
Comments
Good Ideas.
I think you have a lot of really great, creative ideas for your customer letter. Switching the tone to a positive one could definitely impact the reader in a different way than I had considered when I was writing my own letter. I would be careful, however, because some people might percieve it as a ploy to ge their minds off of the current crises at hand. I would definitely agree that JetBlue should offer more than just a price-equivelant voucher to the people wronged in this situation. There is no price on inconvenience and personal distress, and I'm sure JetBlue's customer base knows that. Also, I thought the clip you posted showed a good insight of exactly why so many people were so upset over all of this. Nobody likes to be told 10 different stories by 10 different people who are all supposed to know what they are talking about!
Comments
I agree with your approach on how you should formulate your letter. It makes sense to include some personal situations that are similar. I wouldn't have thought that including personal information would help, but if you provide how you were reimbursed in your situation and apply that to how jetBlue passenger will be reimbursed, I feel this could be very helpful. It is best to remain apologetic. JetBlue must admit their mistakes and provide information how they will try to avoid defects in the future. Also it may help to mention how other airlines made better decisions. The video link I found was to David Letterman's interview with Neeleman. When asked about the situation, the C.E.O avoided saying that the other airlines made better decisions because he didn't want to make his airline look bad, but maybe it would have been better to confess all along. If you take the approach you explained in this response, you should be able to form a great letter.
Reading Response (4) Comment
I read that same letter that you posted when I was researching. That women was extremely angry. More angry I think than most people. Not that I blame her in the least, but she kinda scared me. I read her letter and the letter of reply from JEt Blue. The women was asking for a better reembursement since to reschedule her flight cost more than the first time, which made since. However, Jet Blue said no, and that while they were sorry, but they can't compensate everyone individually. A little harsh, but realistic. It must be hard for Jet Blue to stand for such strong customer service and strive to be the best in the industry, but have so many of their customers angry at them. I would be embarrassed if I was the CEO, too!
comment
I think that that the youtube source that you have chosen is just perfect. It tells that not only the passengers but also the crew members were equally frustrated and confused. Definitely the crew members werent well informed which made it difficult for them to entertain the questions of so many frustrated passengers. Looking at this video its affirmed, what happened was not at all acceptable resulting in bad publicity for a company which has been one of the best service providers.
Apart from that the points that you have mention to write in the letter are great and enough to win back the lost confidence of customers in the airline. I think talking about the charity undertaken by jetBlue regarding the tragic hurricane Katrina will be excellent and I am positive that this will make the customers to reconsider their opinion about jetBlue.
Word Choice
That letter is very interesting, because the customer's word choices reveal the extent of their anger with the company. Words like "imprisoned," "Forcibly held" and "disgusting" speak volumes about the anger the writer feels towards JetBlue. She treats them almost as captors. Responses back to the customer must grapple with this attitude. This letter is also useful because it brings up another problem with the situation. For many of these customers, no letter will be enough unless it is accompanied by financial restitution. In writing your letter, you must contend with the fact that many people want much, much more than a letter to remedy the situation.
comment
I think the video that you picked on youtube is very different form the other ones I have seen. The video shows us that how not only the passengers of jetblube are angry, tired and frustrated but even the staff is. I don’t blame them for being confused, it just shows that then management of the airline was not well prepared and the staff was clues also at times. So that even made it harder for the crew members to answer any questions the travelers had. On the other hand the points you made for the business letter are very good. I think the points you will write in your letter will help you win back the customers trust.
Reply Reading Response Week 4
In the you tube video clip the staff didn't seem to do really anything but stand around. I heard the staff member apologize to a customer but he really wasn't helping to move the process along. Addressing the customers reactions carefully is a great idea. I never thought of that, but by watching these videos we do have a greater understanding of the customers reactions to the crisis in February. Mentioning charity work in your business letter will display to the customers that Jetblue is an honorable company that keeps people in mind.