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I’m always impressed when someone truly loves their job and does more than expected. And that’s exactly what happened on a recent cross-country American Airlines flight. Here’s what happened:
I fell asleep shortly after takeoff, and the meal service was over by the time I woke up. My very friendly flight attendant informed me that the hot meal wouldn’t taste very good after being cooked for so long and that they were out of the cold meals. I want to emphasize this isn’t a negative comment about American Airlines for running out of food choices. Quite the contrary. It’s how well the flight attendant handled the situation. Here’s what she did:
- The flight attendant was very apologetic. We also joked about airline meals in general. Maybe not having a meal was a good thing.
- She could have blamed the catering crew for not bringing enough hot and cold meals for everyone, but she didn’t.
- While most people would have thought there was nothing to do, she came up with a fix.
While the incident could have ended with the explanation, the flight attendant decided to take personal responsibility. I went to the lavatory – a fancy word for bathrooms on a plane – and when I returned, there was a chocolate power bar on my seat. This was not the airline’s food option. The flight attendant went into her luggage and gave me a power bar from her personal stock.
First, I thanked her profusely and insisted that she should keep the power bar. I offered to pay for it, but she wouldn’t accept that. Her response was perfect. She said, “You could have been angry, but you were so friendly and understanding. Some passengers aren’t as nice. So, I thought you might enjoy the power bar.”
I have to applaud her for her attitude. She took personal responsibility for her customer (me) and went beyond what one might expect with her solution. It was not necessary for her to give me something that she had paid for herself, but she insisted.
I always look for and notice great service experiences and applaud and compliment the people who deliver them. This story demonstrates the powerful impact of taking personal initiative in customer service. Going beyond the standard obligations of her role, the flight attendant not only solved a problem but also left a lasting impression of an exceptional customer experience. And now, I’m telling “everyone” about it.
When employees understand the spirit of their roles and view them as more than just tasks and processes to follow, they can turn routine interactions into memorable experiences that make customers say, “I’ll be back!”