Customer service and hospitality

When you go into a hotel or any type of business and you hear about customer service and hospitality, does it ever feel fake? The words ring hollow to often because they say them as long as you can bring money to them and it is a one way street. Once you need them to extend a favor or the hospitality back your way they just don't seem to care about you like they did before.

I've heard many frequent flyers and hotel chain members who complain about being one night or flight short of reaching the top level of membership and when they ask for the night to be given to them, they are told no. Yet when these companies need the business of the travelers, like now or after 9/11 they said and did all the right things to get people to come back and stay or fly with them. Soon after business was back to normal, they eased back and starting changing they way they handled frequent travelers needs.

Now I understand that businesses are in business to make money and I'm all for that but please don't be fake and pretend like you care so much about the customer. Yes, I've been in the hospitality industry for most of 20 years and most people that I've worked for truly care to keep the guest happy and it can be discouraging when you are told to do things a certain way and then at some point in begins to change and it is solely to save money.

Getting out and communicating with the public through Twitter, blogs, emails, newsletters and the like are great but people can see when you truly care and when you are just looking to get their money. They don't want to be nickeled and dimed to death but would be willing to pay a decent price to have everything included.

I would love to see the best of both worlds come together. The modern convenience and technology mixed with the old-school way of caring for the person right in front of you and not just seeing them as a dollar sign or a number.

As the economy changes and people reevaluate how they do business and whether or not they even have to travel will begin to see many businesses change how they treat the public. If not, they may not make it long term.

Southwest Airlines is a great example of that. They do things that make flying with them a joy. The other airlines don't and then they complain about the things that Southwest Airlines does. Change or close up shop may be the answer.

I just want the companies and businesses to do what they say and be genuine. Don't be shy about making money but don't try to rip everyone off in the process or be two-faced about it.

Thanks and have a good day.

I love Southwest Airlines!

We despise fees as much as the other airlines seem to love them. So we'll just keep taking care of you, rather than charging fees for the stuff that should come with your fare in the first place. We believe in not asking you to pull out your wallet every few minutes.

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Also within a couple of days, you won't need cash to get a drink while on a flight. They will only take debit or credit cards.

So now go book a flight! Visit Southwest.com

JetBlue is Flying Out of Nashville

JetBlue Airways is pulling out of Nashville, effective January 6.

The law fare air carrier began its service in Music City in August 2006 with nonstop service between Nashville and New York.

The announcement to drop its Nashville flights comes as the carrier generated its first third-quarter profit in two years and capacity and occupancy grew.

Read more about it in the Nashville Business Journal.

Unique Luggage Tags

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The Bag Lady

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How The Airlines Are Run

Working in the hospitality industry for a good many years now I have noticed how the airlines run their businesses and it surprises me they are able to continue the same way with no changes in the service.

After the recent outbreak of people being stuck on jets for hours and hours there has been another call for change within the airlines. I have seen this type of thing happen many times and normally they promise a fix after a short "study" of the problem. It seems like this gives them type to get past all the media hype and eventually people go back to business as usual and so do the airlines.

I don't know of any other industry that could continue to lose the property of its customers, delay or cancel services or keep you in an area and not have to let you out. If the hotel industry ran like that, we would be out of business in no time and probably have lawsuits like crazy.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging lawsuits against the airlines because I don't blame them for not trying to fly in bad weather and I sure don't want to fly in a jet that needs some work done on it.

The things that get me are not with the flight crews or having to pull a plane out of rotation. It is the overbooking, lost luggage or the bag getting broken or torn and the airlines try to say that it wasn't their fault.

If UPS, FED-EX and those types of guys can keep track of the amount of boxes and packages they get each day than you would think the airlines could work on their system and make improvements.

Would I fly out today if I could? Yes...Do I hate the airlines? No, I just wish they would improve some of their practices.