Service Me

I'm a stickler for customer service, I really think it's what separates the best businesses from those who probably shouldn't be in business. Let's face it, everyone in the food service industry can prepare and serve food, everyone in the retail industry can sell products, everyone in the travel industry can transport large groups of people from one place to another. The difference is customer service.

I bring this up because I've now had 2 really great experiences with Jet Blue in the U.S. The first was in October of 2006. I was returning from New York to Buffalo, which is close to where I live and cheaper than flying from Toronto by about $200. When I arrived at New York's LaGuardia airport I discovered my flight had been cancelled because Buffalo was completely snowed in. I can't remember which airline I was booked on but to make a long story short they couldn't have been LESS helpful AND they cancelled all remaining flights to Buffalo that day, even though the Buffalo airport re-opened that afternoon at 3 (my flight was at 4PM). I called Jet Blue, they immediately booked me onto a 5:15PM flight, the flight left at 5:15 and we arrived in Buffalo on time – and they couldn't have been MORE helpful.

My 2nd experience with Jet Blue was this past Thursday afternoon. I received an unsolicited mass-mailing from them APOLOGIZING for service disruptions during this past U.S. holiday weekend, citing horrible snowstorms in the States. Hell, I wasn't even aware of these problems, but they took full responsibility, chastised themselves, and have now published a customers "Bill of Rights" on their website. That just plain rocks.

The next time I fly within the U.S. I will fly Jet Blue because they VALUE me as a customer. And the seatback satellite tv's are pretty cool.