Damage

Never ever underestimate the power of word of mouth. Never ever super ever underestimate power of one pissed of customer.

Have I ever flown through Air France? Do I have any shares in that company? Am I going to fly them anytime soon? No is the answer to all of these questions.

But guess what? Now for the coming few months and years every time I hear about Air France, see their ads and banners I will remember Jay Shah from India and his experience with Air France. I will think of the stranded elderly passengers who could not talk in French or English and how disabled they would have felt. I would think of the guy who was rushing for his father’s last rites [been there, done that].

The story is powerful and the damage is enormous. Even if I incorrectly assume that 50% details are correct, it is atrocious.  Yes, while travelling incidents do happen, but how about Air France training their customer service team some lessons on being compassionate and being more communicative. How about the person who responded to Jay’s blog be more personal and human than acting as a corporation!

To Jay Shah – dude shit happens and I am glad it was you and not me, as I would have completely lost it. I am sorry that you and others had to go through this.

To Air France – Correctly or incorrectly you just managed to piss off hundreds of thousands of potential Indian customers! You managed to damage lots of relationship even before they were born.