To the Customer, YOU are the Company

Geeta Eral, Director - CCG Support & Fullfillment

 

 

‘When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.’ ~ John F Kennedy

 

In April 2019, there was news of Jet, the second-largest airline in India, being on the verge of shutting down and things were getting desperate. We knew that we had to be prepared for any eventuality especially with respect to expected surge in our call volume.

 

Our strategy was simple. Be proactive. We started calling customers, informing them of the potential challenge and giving them alternate options before an announcement was made.

 

On April 17, the announcement regarding Jet was made. Our call volume surged by 120%. We had close to 80,000 Jet PNR (Passenger name record) that needed to be resolved. On the part of the customers, there was absolute panic. As part of the plan, we immediately set up a separate desk to address Jet grievances to ensure they got the attention they deserved, and also ensuring that our regular calls went through seamlessly. The support team was working overtime to ensure every query was addressed. We proactively listened to conversations on social media where customers were asking about Jet refunds for flights booked on MMT.  We proactively dropped a note about the on-ground situation and the progress to them. 

 

Our timely responses and proactive communication turned customers into ambassadors as we saw instances of customers answering queries of fellow customers, reassuring them that MMT was handling the situation. Well-executed customer service encourages ‘customers for life’.  In moments of crisis, every member of the organization comes together, and this is a testament to our values of being and doing—a commitment to customers and to the brand that is Go-MMT. 

 

I would also like to share another small incident about an elderly couple who came all the way to our office as they were hard of hearing and not adept at chatting. What followed was a two-hour long interaction—the longest customer walk-in we have ever had. The reason it took so long was because the customer and the agent were interacting with each other through written notes! Their query was satisfactorily answered and they went back happy. Fifteen days later, they came again for another booking and then another.

 

The elderly man later sent a note to the agent on WhatsApp. He said that he had an adopted daughter from Iran, and had struggled for ten years to get her Indian citizenship. The day that happened was the happiest day of his life, and the day he met the agent was the second happiest day of his life.

 

It is moments like these that make you understand the difference we are making in our customers’ lives and how one great interaction has a ripple effect. The journey from customer focus to customer care, and finally delight is the most rewarding trip one can take.