When marines cry!

It seems unheard of to make a US marine cry – especially in public. So to achieve
this through something that can only be described as poor customer service is
really remarkable. Yet apparently Delta Airlines managed it.  

To their credit Delta in a prompt response have promised to “make it
right.” However, how do you “make right” such personal humiliation?  

Of course Delta claims that, “This incident doesn’t reflect the
care with which Delta people serve our customers every day,” and that, “We
strive to exceed expectations with every customer.” That is likely true but, unfortunately, this
incident happened. So, even if it is a lamentable one-off, it is evidence that
there is a lack of organisational integrity and that such good intentions do
not always translate into the appropriate action in the work place.  

Yet, let’s not be too quick to condemn Delta. Is Delta simply the
unfortunate victim of the kind of situation that could happen anywhere?  Could something like this happen in your
organisation? Could it be a case of, “There, but for the grace of God, go I”?

You see, this story underscores the fundamental fact that everyone – every single
person associated with an organisation – shapes its performance. The efforts of
hundreds or thousands of employees can be nullified by a single person acting “off-key.”
And it’s not about “breaking rules’ but simply about behaviour and not adhering
to the values espoused,encouraged and expected.

Thus the fact that “An internal review is already underway to understand
what occurred and take appropriate action” is not necessarily the correct
response. 
The correct response is to do more to ensure that employees are engaged,
to act like it is their business and the customer a dear friend or relative.
Only then will you reduce the possibility of such poor service undermining your
organisation.   

After all you wouldn’t want to make a marine cry would you? Or a cowboy!