A Different Kind Of New Year's Resolution

I spent the holidays back in NYC with family and flew home the day after Christmas.  What should have been a nine hour flight (with layover) ended up being two days!  I was flying via Dallas Fort Worth, but forty minutes outside Dallas we were diverted to Shreveport, Louisiana due to storms.  A small airport, the place had shut down for the night by the time we arrived.  We trudged to the ticketing area and waited for word about hotel rooms, baggage and how to rebook

Two hours later, an American Airlines rep appeared.  He made a rapid static announcement over the intercom and, of course, no one knew what he said.  I went over, smiled and said, “Sir, just want to let you know we weren’t able to understand you.”  He stared and mumbled, “I know,” and then walked away!  His brazenness was breathtaking.  A ticket agent eventually arrived and when I told her that someday I hoped to leave Shreveport and get home, she deadpanned, “Good luck with that.”

Following morning people began arriving.  All flights were delayed.  At one point, a young woman spotted an airline rep heading to a counter and she rushed over, obviously hoping to ask a question.  The rep swiveled, waved her hand in the woman’s face and loudly announced, “I don’t know nothing.  Ask me nothing.  When I know something I’ll tell you, otherwise leave me alone.  I’m busy!”  That was the first public announcement since the garbled intercom one from the night before.  Stunning!  

Eventually, I got to Dallas and with the help of a remarkably competent and kind phone customer rep, was able to book a flight back to LAX.  I know that I wasn’t the only person with a holiday travel horror story (I’ve left out so many bizarre details).  During the twenty-four hours I waited in the Shreveport airport I knew that eventually the airline had to get me home. BUT, I also knew no one really cared about me or about my fellow passengers.  We felt trapped and at the mercy of people who made it clear that we were just a massive nuisance.

I’ve regaled friends with this story and everyone has said, “Of course they didn’t care.  That’s the problem today – no one cares.”  People are shocked by the brazenness of the airline reps but aren’t surprised by their lack of customer service.  No one cares.

But here’s the thing – every one of us has the ability and opportunity to “care” in our professional lives and with family and friends.  My 2016 resolution is to care more carefully – to let people know that I see and understand what it is they need from me.  That’s the great lesson of Shreveport.

What about you?  What’s your resolution?

Here’s to a new year “new” in all ways wonderful!