In the past I was a frequent traveler. Since living in Arizona I have been pretty much a one state kind of guy.
At the last minute I was invited to participate in a marketing blow out called Marketing Madness 2006, in Atlanta, GA. I had to book a quick flight and get there with just a few days notice. Delta Airlines had the best fair, so I booked with them (commodity at the time).
At the ticket counter on Thursday afternoon, I was greeted by Michael. I asked him for a complimentary upgrade to business or first class, so I could get some work done in route to Atlanta.
Michael said he would see what he could do. He checked the computer and wasn’t sure exactly how to proceed. He let me know he was new behind the ticket counter, but he would make a call to see if he could accommodate me.
During the course of the call, Michael found my frequent flier account with Delta (which I hadn’t used since the mid 1990’s), found out how to check to see if he could upgrade me and all the details involved.
Unfortunately, the flight was full and other people were ahead of me for the upgrade. I had to fly coach, but not because Michael didn’t care.
Michael, you are a Human Touch Marketing Expert. Your caring made the difference for me and will ensure that when I fly, I’ll be checking Delta Airlines first. Again, I appreciate your efforts very much.
The takeaway? Caring costs nothing to give and leads to significant increases in the bottom line. Think about that the next time a client asks you for a special favor that you could easily say NO to.
