Visit our new site at BusinessJournalism.org
Reynolds Center Programs
Daylong Workshops
Online Seminars
One-hour Tutorials
Barlett & Steele Awards
Professors Seminar
Strictly Financials Seminar
Research
Covering Business
Starting Out
Business Writing
Business Design
Business Glossary
Ethics
Five Questions with...
Immigration Series
Business Journalism Resources
Job Listings
Academic Programs
Book Listings and Reviews
Scholarships
Calculators
Web Resources
Tutorials
Article Index
Workshop Registration
The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
Online Seminars
The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
Hooked on Kindle
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
Customer Service Ranking Grounds JetBlue
By Jennifer Hopfinger
March 12, 2007 04:05 PM
BusinessWeek published its first-ever ranking of companies with superior customer service in the March 5th issue and -- oops -- JetBlue was slated to be No. 4.
However, the magazine decided to pull JetBlue from the list, even though it had earned the spot based on its previous history of great service, after the "spectacular service catastrophe that befell JetBlue" when a winter storm stranded passengers on planes for as long as 10 hours at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The debacle made national news.
"In the wake of such a massive operational meltdown, we decided to take a wait-and-see approach this year before naming it one of our Customer Service Champs," the magazine explained. "The airline is working hard to repair its image with customers and promising a vast overhaul of procedures. But the true test will be how it executes on those commitments in the months and years ahead."
USAA, Four Seasons and Cadillac were the top three companies on the list. Ninety-six percent of home and 98 percent of auto policyholders reported that USAA called back regarding claim issues in a timely fashion. Only 2 percent of Four Seasons guests reported major problems with their hotel stay in 2006, down from 4 percent in 2005. And Cadillac owners gave high marks to dealers who serviced their vehicles after the warranties expired.
"Providing great customer service is much more than just a job for the front lines or the call centers. It takes coordination from the top, bringing together people, management, technology, and processes to put customers' needs first," the magazine writes. "That's true today more than ever. Technology is leveling the barriers between alpha companies and also-rans, making great customer service one of the few ways companies can distinguish themselves. Retail, online, and phone shopping channels are expanding, increasingly prompting customers to demand a seamless -- and painless -- experience."
Email this article
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism
The Reynolds Center has announced its 2009-10 free workshop schedule.
Select a workshop and register from the drop-down menu below.
The Reynolds Center registration for Fall 2009 free online seminars.
By Chris Roush
Tracking the Business Behind the Tomato
By Jonathan Higuera
Five Questions with Bill Choyke
By Jonathan Higuera
Finding the Economy's Silver Lining
By Dick Weiss
Double Whammy: Oil and Housing
By Jennifer Hopfinger
Customer Service Ranking Grounds JetBlue
By Jennifer HopfingerMarch 12, 2007 04:05 PM
BusinessWeek published its first-ever ranking of companies with superior customer service in the March 5th issue and -- oops -- JetBlue was slated to be No. 4.
However, the magazine decided to pull JetBlue from the list, even though it had earned the spot based on its previous history of great service, after the "spectacular service catastrophe that befell JetBlue" when a winter storm stranded passengers on planes for as long as 10 hours at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The debacle made national news.
"In the wake of such a massive operational meltdown, we decided to take a wait-and-see approach this year before naming it one of our Customer Service Champs," the magazine explained. "The airline is working hard to repair its image with customers and promising a vast overhaul of procedures. But the true test will be how it executes on those commitments in the months and years ahead."
USAA, Four Seasons and Cadillac were the top three companies on the list. Ninety-six percent of home and 98 percent of auto policyholders reported that USAA called back regarding claim issues in a timely fashion. Only 2 percent of Four Seasons guests reported major problems with their hotel stay in 2006, down from 4 percent in 2005. And Cadillac owners gave high marks to dealers who serviced their vehicles after the warranties expired.
"Providing great customer service is much more than just a job for the front lines or the call centers. It takes coordination from the top, bringing together people, management, technology, and processes to put customers' needs first," the magazine writes. "That's true today more than ever. Technology is leveling the barriers between alpha companies and also-rans, making great customer service one of the few ways companies can distinguish themselves. Retail, online, and phone shopping channels are expanding, increasingly prompting customers to demand a seamless -- and painless -- experience."
Copyright © 2008 Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism