YTB was either moving forward with considerable growth and positive impact in the Travel Industry in 2007, or we experienced problem after problem – hit after hit, depending on which side of the fence you view our company. Travel MLM’s certainly had its share of attention in 2007.

Discount airlines and full fares alike also got considerable attention with meltdowns in 2007. You can find story after story about American Airlines, JetBlue, Skybus and United who went on the fritz. American Airlines was rated worst as of mid 2007 for leaving more than 15,000 passengers stranded on tarmacs without water or working toilets for hours. More recently, United Airlines has cancelled more than 1,100 flights since December 23.

I am aware of one airline, JetBlue, who responded by creating its own Passenger Bill of Rights and took responsibility for its own Customer Service. Unfortunately, this is an arrogant industry and many others have been slow to embrace the idea of putting the customer first. New York recently passedits own air travel protection act for flights leaving or arriving in the state. Airlines at JFK are required to provide water, refreshments and clean toilets if passengers are stranded on the tarmac for 3 hours. The Federal Government is also advising something called “Slot – Auctioning” to relieve congestion at JFK. A good thing right?

Not so much.

Many of the full fare airlines went to court to fight this act! Even IATA stepped in to tell the Bush Administration that their slotting idea was nothing more than an e-Bay approach. (I’m not well enough versed at the time of this post about this plan by the way to inform anyone if it is or is not.) It’s hard for me to even fathom this type of arrogance and lack of respect for another human being. While I’m not trying to discount some of the claims and issues towards YTB, at the same time fresh water and personal hygiene seem, at least to me, create new levels of concern.

Many on both sides of the fence are aware that Kim Sorensen was named in Travel Weekly in December as one of 33 most influential in the Travel Industry in 2007. Some however, may not be as familiar with another name on this list, Kate Hanni. Hanni contends that airline greed is the real problem and she is adamant in her belief that it will take a Government mandated Airline Passengers Bill of Rights to rectify the situation.

If the full fares want to move business operations to a third-world country where there are no working toilets and clean water, go right ahead. But this is America and here we have first-rate standards of hygiene. We also have a voice. It will be interesting to see how all this unfolds and if or when any “Passenger Bill of Rights” is implemented.

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Part of my New Years Resolution is offering better support to my growing customer base and team. I’ve recently retained a service that will help me communicate with both customers and team members. While I’ve always used a service like this, when I found AWeber it offered a 30 day free trial, and it took about a day to figure out it had all the features I wanted, and then some. So out with the old and in with the new! I’ve really enjoyed “playing” with how this works and what it can do.

- Give Each Customer a Personal Response
When a customer sits down to e-mail your company, it’s because he needs help. He chooses e-mail because it’s quick, but his request still warrants a satisfying and personal response! Companies eager to save time and money often take automation too far in their customer support. Each customer has a unique question, and deserves a unique answer. Even if you save time by copying and pasting stock replies, change the opening and closing to make the message sound less robotic.

- Be Clear, But Sincere
When responding to customers’ e-mail, be sincere and to the point. Before sending a message, try turning the tables. Ask yourself, “Would this answer satisfy me if I were the customer?” Take that extra moment to give your customer the help he deserves. It might mean the difference between a satisfied customer and a credit card chargeback!

- Offer Live Customer Support
E-mail has become an acceptable form of communication. But, live customer support is still necessary. The plethora of information available online can be overwhelming to customers, especially those new to the Internet! Single your company out from the crowd by providing customers with a real person to talk to. Live phone support is an invaluable way to foster trust. When your customer has reached the end of his Internet rope, and just needs help, your toll free number is the answer he’s looking for.

- Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All The Answers
The presence of phone support will do no good if your staff doesn’t know your product! Customer support reps should be warm and friendly, and willing to help with any aspect of your product. What a good feeling it is to talk to someone who feels confident in his product. It’s even better if he’s knowledgeable enough to solve your problem without transferring you all around the company!

- Provide Stand-Out Service; Gain Lifelong Customers
Too many e-businesses skimp on customer service, hiding behind web sites and message boards. Customer support is an integral part of every company, even those operating solely online. Be one of the few to offer stellar service, and gain customers for life!

PS - If you're involved with YTB, sign up for our FREE Newsletter. As a Website Owner or Website Seller, we'll keep you up to date with all the latest news, acquisitions, and developments with YTB.

PPS - Subscribe to the Just Picture It Now RSS feed, (including e-mail) for all the latest posts and updates found right here!

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