White Glove Customer Service is the Great Equalizer, Part 3

Word Count: 1,532
Estimated Read Time: 6 Min.

White Glove Service vs Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums

There is a general trend of declining customer service satisfaction in the US. White Glove service is becoming extinct. This decline can be attributed to several factors, including:

Increased reliance on automation: The rise of chatbots and self-service options has reduced human interaction and personalized service.
Staffing shortages and employee burnout: Many businesses have struggled to staff up during and after the pandemic, leading to longer wait times and overworked employees.
Focus on cost-cutting: Companies may be prioritizing profit over customer satisfaction, leading to cuts in training and support for customer service representatives.

While service is on the decline, Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums are on the rise, with more websites that have visibility and impact. And those are having an impact on Customer Satisfaction. On the one hand, it often serves to amplify public discontent, augmenting a feeling that service is on the decline. But it also serves as a powerful outlet for channeling that discontent towards positive change. Let’s examine both sides in light of the idea of delivering White Glove Service.

Providing an Outlet and Promoting Change

On the one hand, Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums have created an opportunity for people to be seen and heard when powerful corporations mistreat customers and consumers. They provide:

1. A Voice for the Voiceless

For many consumers, especially those dealing with complex issues or facing powerful corporations, advocacy groups and online forums offer a much-needed voice. They can help individuals navigate challenges, share experiences, and feel empowered to hold companies accountable. Buyers, for example, had an outlet to complain about car dealers sold automobiles that had been damaged by floods and were considered “lemons”.

2. Transparency and Accountability

Public complaints and investigations by advocacy groups can put pressure on companies to improve their practices and address consumer concerns. This can lead to improved product quality, more responsive customer service, and fairer business practices. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, for example, was able to provide greater protections for students to avoid being lured into huge education loans with universities that were not accredited or financially sound.

3. Data-Driven Insights

By aggregating consumer data and complaints, advocacy groups can identify trends and patterns that companies may miss. This information can be used to develop targeted solutions and advocate for systemic changes in regulations or industry standards. This has certainly been beneficial to identify ways that the mortgage lending industry was systematically discriminating against minority and marginalized populations in the US.

These outlets ensure that people are seen and heard and it pushes companies to deliver better service… even if it is not necessarily White Glove Service. On the other hand, such Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums make it harder to deliver White Glove Service. How so?

Adding Fuel to the Fire

While it is no surprise that Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums are on the rise just as customer service appears to be sliding — which is no coincidence — those forums also tend to fuel the fire, so to speak. Here’s how.

1. Echo Chambers, Confirmation Bias and Negativity Bias

Consumers often seek out these forums when they’re already unhappy, creating an echo chamber of negativity. This can solidify pre-existing biases and make it harder for individuals to see the positive aspects of a company or service. It can also make them exaggerate the overall level of dissatisfaction. This negativity can feed on itself, discouraging positive interaction and fostering a sense of cynicism towards companies that then feeds on itself. Reading sour comments about negative experiences of others makes each contributor nitpick and highlight every little thing.

2. Hypervisibility of Issues

Social media and advocacy groups can quickly amplify isolated incidents, blowing them out of proportion and giving the impression of widespread problems. This can fuel an overall sense of distrust and dissatisfaction, even if the issues are not representative of the broader customer experience.

3. Sensationalize Isolated Incidents to Promote Hidden Agenda

Some advocacy groups may be driven by their own agendas or biases, focusing on sensationalizing consumer issues to attract attention and raise funds. This can distort the facts and lead to unfair generalizations about companies and industries.

4. Amplification of Negative Experiences

These platforms give a megaphone to disgruntled consumers, amplifying negative experiences and influencing the perception of entire industries or brands. This can create a snowball effect, leading to negative news cycles and further fueling dissatisfaction. This was visible with Comcast and the entire cable industry. It fueled a desire to “cut the cord” and led to the faster adoption of streaming services.

5. Unrealistic Expectations

Exposure to a constant stream of complaints can create unrealistic expectations for customer service experiences. Every interaction is compared to the best case scenarios shared online, leading to more frequent disappointment. Instead of customers understanding that things don’t always go perfectly, they express outrage with the smallest provocation.

Case in Point: Not So Friendly Skies and the Rise of Irate Airline Passengers

Let’s consider one example of the tug-of-war between the demands spouted by Consumer Advocacy Groups and Complaint Forums and the pressure on airlines to deliver excellent service.

A disturbing trend has taken flight in the US: a surge in angry and violent customer behavior on US airlines. In 2017, there were 544 Unruly Passenger Incidents reported by US airlines. By 2020, it had doubled to 1,009 (even though air travel in 2020 was severely curtailed due to Covid). And it soared to 5,973 incidents in 2021. While it has decreased since then, there were 2,075 incidents reported in 2023, nearly quadruple the amount of 2017. Clearly, from screaming passengers to physical assaults, air travel has become increasingly hostile. But what’s driving this surge? Is it a genuine rise in irate incidents, or are we simply amplifying negativity through sensationalized media and social media echo chambers?

Let’s start with the rise in issues. Flight attendants and passenger advocacy groups all report a noticeable uptick in disruptive and even violent behavior. But, since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) tracks “unruly passenger” incidents but the category is broad and doesn’t delve into the specific nature of the behavior, it is hard to know what is happening. Are customers just less tolerant of being abused? Or are they overreacting?

On the one hand, several factors could be fanning the flames of passenger frustration:

Post-pandemic pent-up travel: After years of travel restrictions, people are eager to fly, leading to higher passenger volumes and potentially shorter tempers.
Staffing shortages: Airlines are struggling to fill open positions, leading to longer wait times, delays, and cancellations, which can exacerbate passenger frustration.
Evolving air travel landscape: Changes in baggage fees, seat configurations, and onboard amenities can create friction between passengers and airlines.
Echo chambers and negativity bias: Social media algorithms amplify negative experiences, creating the illusion of a widespread problem even if the actual numbers are statistically insignificant. Sensationalized media coverage can further distort the perception.

While the issue seems particularly acute in the US, international carriers are not immune. Incidents of unruly passengers have been reported in Europe, Asia, and Australia, suggesting broader societal factors at play. So is it the people or the industry? Attributing the rise in angry passengers solely to individual bad behavior would be simplistic. A deeper look reveals systemic issues that contribute to the problem:

Declining customer service: Some argue that airlines prioritize profit over passenger comfort, leading to a decline in customer service and increased frustration.
Lack of clear regulations: The FAA’s regulations on unruly passengers are considered by some to be inadequate, leaving flight attendants and other personnel vulnerable to abuse.
Stressful travel environment: The overall travel experience can be stressful, with long security lines, cramped cabins, and unpredictable delays. This stress can be a trigger for some passengers.

This is where a focus on delivering White Glove Service can really separate one airline from the rest. An airline that wants to rise above can deliver better customer service, improve communication during disruptions, and provide better conditions for the traveling public.

While consumer advocacy groups and online complaint forums can amplify negativity and misrepresent realities, they also offer a valuable platform for voicing concerns, pushing for change, and driving a more customer-centric market. And in the meantime, it provides an opportunity for wise airlines to win more market share by just delivering White Glove Service. A smart airline can play a vital role in responding to criticism constructively. Open communication, proactive problem-solving, and genuine efforts to address consumer concerns cannot just mitigate the negative impacts of online dissent and build trust with their customers, it can woo customers away from the competition.

In short, while the rise of consumer advocacy groups and online complaint forums is a double-edged sword — fueling dissatisfaction while serving as a crucial outlet for public discontent and promotes accountability – it can also push companies that care to harness their power for constructive dialogue and positive change, ensuring that consumer voices are heard and addressed responsibly for the benefit of all stakeholders. That makes White Glove Service the great equalizer in the battle for small companies to win market share away from giants. The same can be done in any industry. Good luck.

Quote of the Week

“Turn complaining into opportunity to connect and convert.” Donna Karan

The post White Glove Customer Service is the Great Equalizer, Part 3 first appeared on Monday Mornings with Madison.