British Airways’ simple gestures create a memorable experience

It usually takes a completely unexpected event to wake you up to the realization of a truth, to remind you that even in the economic realities of the day, in the well oiled corporate machines of manufactured  “customer care” there can be moments of grace that separate the notion of perfunctorily ‘good’ customer care from a truly great and lasting experience.

And all it’s takes is a one person making the decision to treat another person with real common decency to elevate that moment to something unforgettable.

It’s that easy.

So last Tuesday I was flying back from London on British Airways (ba.com). I was on the last flight out from Heathrow to JFK, sitting in World Traveler (which is coach)  and I had forgotten to order my vegetarian meal. So when the carts came around with the Beef Lasagna or the Chicken, I said to the flight attendant, who was a purser, “I am going to pass  – I am a vegetarian and I forgot to order a special meal, and don’t worry about it, it’s no big deal” and I was sure that she was just going to acknowledge, nod and move on (as they likely would have done on Continental, American,  United or Delta), But instead she says to me “No it’s not a problem, let me see if we can fix something for you” and I said “Not a problem if you can’t” and she repeated “Don’t worry we will get something for you. You can’t fly these 7 hours without eating”.

So while they are fixing the meal in the back… I have to take a moment to say that in the last few years I had grown out of love with British Airways. In the 90s I thought they were innovative, their planes were new(er) and overall they were the ones leading the way. But something had gone stale and the times I had flown with them in the past few years, they seemed tired, the planes old and worn and basically nothing exciting at all. So with that I can say that my expectations were low:  I thought to myself, they will probably go back and compile a few unused salads and bring them back to me on a tray. Meanwhile my fellow travelers were chomping through their meals, getting and finishing their drinks, and sitting back to watch the movie. About 10 minutes later, the purser came back and said, “we haven’t forgotten you, we are working on it”. Now that made me curious. What could they be “working on”… I soon found out.

About 5 minutes after that visit – an attendant dressed in white chef’s colors came in from the front carrying a tray and on it a spectacular PREPARED meal on china. He was the First Class attendant who in fact doubles as the First Class chef and he ceremoniously laid in front of me a freshly prepared meal consisting of a nice green salad and a freshly created crepe filled with assorted julienne vegetables (fresh asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, etc) all covered by a mushroom sauce on white china. And he says to me “We’ve prepared this wild mushroom crepe for you and it’s 100% vegetarian”. I was flabbergasted and thanked him profusely. And ate my First Class meal in Coach.

But that was not the end:  An hour later he was back  this time with a fresh fruit plate of berries, mangoes, pineapples and bananas drizzled with chocolate or as he put it as he laid it in front of me “I’ve spoiled it with a little chocolate ganache”. And if you think that we it then you’re wrong:  right before landing he was back again with a plate of petit fours – that he assured me were veggie.

I was blown away.  Amazed by the care, thought and attention that went into this and how on one hand it was just a simple decision made and on the other hand how it was absolutely out of the ordinary act of care. And boy was it impactful.

I couldn’t help thinking to myself that what companies do most of the time to win customers’ appreciation is usually process driven and mechanical. And customers can smell the mechanical nature of it – so that even if it IS sincere, it’s many times not perceived as such. And all it takes is to encourage your people to look for opportunities to reach out with simple human gestures recognizing a customer’s individuality and you will win over a customer for life like British Airways just won me. Does anyone doubt that the ‘next time my travel plans take me somewhere” …anywhere….I will  think “does British go there?”

Kudos to BA for teaching their people to think, to care and for the crew to exercise the right amount of wisdom and discretion to make a difference. One passenger at a time.

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