One bad apple

In this post-recession era, where “wants-based” spending is rapidly returning to our economy, now more than ever companies should be investing in my word of the year—alignment.

Three years ago the words of the year were trade up.

Two years ago, the word of the year was separate.

Last year it was consistency.

We discussed alignment in my January column (“Geese get it.”) Every job is my job when it comes to serving the client.

This culture is vital not only to separate your company from your competitors, but to also galvanize the relationship you have with your existing or prospective clients. (See my April column “Sow the seeds.”)

On the topic of alignment, I was in Bermuda last week, headed back home for a nice two-week “local client” swing. As I checked in at the counter, the gate attendant couldn’t have been any nicer or more welcoming to me and to my choice to fly Delta. As I went through security and then to the gate, two additional Delta employees smiled and said “hello.” As I boarded and the attendant checked my ticket, she said, “thank you for flying Delta today, Mr. Kennedy.” Smiling back I said, “Thank you for flying me home.”

Now if these were all geese, we would be very happy with the direction and intention of each individual effort—aligned for one flock of a good experience.

As I came through Atlanta for the first stretch of my four-hour layover, I noticed there was an earlier Baltimore flight leaving within the next 30 minutes. I arrived at the gate to find the flight still boarding. I approached the young lady behind the gate and asked if I could possibly grab this flight home instead of my later flight. She said, “No.”

I looked at the other gate attendant boarding the last passengers and he gave me a “what’s up?” look. I gestured that I was trying to get a ticket on this flight (tough to describe the body language and look on my face, but you get the gist.)

He nodded to me as if to say, “Come on aboard,” so I asked the young lady again if I could get a seat on this flight. Again the answer was no. “They stop boarding 10 minutes before the gate closes.” I suggested the guy at the gate gave me his approval and she answered, “It’s $75, and he’s not supposed to do that.”

At this point one goose is now flying in a different direction. And it’s at this point that “good goose of the west” attendant comes over to smooth out the issue. The “bad goose of the east” proceeds to ask for my credit card in a sharp manner, prints out my receipt and ticket, and then looks at the other employee and says, “You happy now?” And it’s at this point that I thought, it only takes one bad apple to ruin the entire experience. Also known in my world as, “You are only as good as the person who sucks the most.”

All of the other Delta employees doing their individual parts to make a sincere and diligent effort to provide the best experience possible that day were upstaged by one employee.

Now I am sure there is a reason that this young lady was not too happy to help me—been given a hard time before, fearful environment to work in, not respected, paid or cares too little, bad day, etc. But, we can also agree that it only takes that one bad experience to have someone think twice about using your services. To atract the wants-based spending that has started to resume, do you want that existing or prospective client to have that thought even enter their mind? I think not!

Who is your one bad apple that may be ruining the bunch? Either coach them back to the team or release them to another team.

Suggestion: Trade up, separate and drive consistency through alignment.