More Lessons from Delta Airlines
In my September blog post, "Good way to handle a bad customer experience: a lesson by Delta Airlines", I discussed a bad experience I had on a recent flight, and the commendable way Delta handled it. As a Delta customer, they recently demonstrate to me, once again, how they are in tune with their customers. If you're a Delta customer, you may have read this, but I felt it worth sharing. It is a great example of how a company can turn customer feedback into action to make better informed decisions.
While I'm no expert on the airline industry, it is clear that the pandemic significantly hurt most airlines, and then the rapid increase in demand following the pandemic acted like a one-two punch. The stories of airline problems during 2022 and 2023 are abundant. In the midst of all that turmoil, Delta made changes to their SkyMiles program, and rolled it out to their customers. I can only speculate that the changes were in part related to cost-cutting, and I'm certain it took months of meetings and planning to determine the changes, then roll them out.
Evidently, the customer reaction to these changes was quick and robust. Delta had a choice to make when they realized this. Instead of sticking to their plan, Delta reversed course and walked back many of their changes for the world to see. It is not common these days to see a company the size of Delta walk-back a major change. Why would they do that? The reasons why are summarized in an email from the CEO, and sent to all SkyMiles members (see image). The bottom line: they listened to their customers, took their feedback to heart, and unwound many of the changes they had just implemented. This takes courage, and a continual focus on the customer.
When companies listen to their customers, and make continuous improvements that enrich customer's lives, they are rewarded with more raving fans and more loyal customer. According to the most recent J.D. Power 2023 North America Airline Satisfaction Study, the industry as a whole is experiencing declines in customer satisfaction. In spite of that headwind, Delta ranks number 1 or number 2 for each key customer metric.