With apologies to none at all
By Vikas Mehta
I write this column from 30,000 plus feet in the air while travelling on an Indigo flight. This is my seventh Indigo flight in the past four months and almost every flight has convinced me that Indigo is a classic example of a brand leader which has taken its leadership for granted.
Sure, in the initial stages of growth, the brand did all the right things. It had a relevant product. Its pricing was just right and it invested in good systems and processes. Its brand communication, personality and its touchpoints with its customers were consistently on the mark. It was a professional approach and was marked by learning and taking on board international practices too.
It also was one of the few brands which handled its growth well. Its on-time performance and a no frills experience never took a back seat. But then hubris set in
The brand did not understand that there is a thin line between professionalism and lack of empathy. There has been enough talk in media of cases where Indigo staff did not show empathy for passengers with disability or were rude while dealing with consumer complaints at the airport, but let me share two-three small examples to highlight the lack of empathy.
My current flight was delayed by 90 minutes. I have a connecting flight to catch in 150 minutes. Since the PNR was different, Srinagar could not check my bags through and through. So, I had to deplane, collect my bags and check in again. With check-in closing 45 minutes before departure, it would’ve been an impossible task. And the delay messages came only after I had cleared security. I contacted Indigo on Twitter, with a DM as well. An apologetic response came after well over an hour. I tried the AI assistant who couldn’t help and asked me to call helpline or get in touch with ground staff. I called helpline, which spent two minutes through an automated message to convince me to go to the AI assistant! Finally, I was connected with a customer service rep after eight minutes. She was also helpless as she said that I can book you onto a later flight only if the flight is delayed by two hours not if it’s late by 90 minutes.
In frustration, I contacted the ground staff. They were warm and courteous, a very Kashmiri trait and assured to help out. After going through three ground staff members, one rescheduled my connecting flight to a later flight. No two-hour rule now? But I don’t care. I am a bit relieved. But frustrated as hell about this 2 hour delay rule. The empathy shown by the ground staff was not only rare but a very cultural and personal trait. And yes, one of the ground staff also assured me at boarding that my bags (he had taken screen shot of my baggage tags) will be delivered on priority basis. More on that later.
While flying to Srinagar, with a slightly sore throat, I had prebooked a meal. It included a beverage. I asked for a hot one. But was first informed that no hot beverages were served on this sector. I immediately showed them the fine print in their menu which said that hot beverages were served on flights longer than 60 minutes. This was a 75-minute flight. Then she switched to the excuse that as the seat belt sign was on the rule prevents them from serving hot beverage. Yes, the seat belt sign was on, in fact it was never switched off after take off and I do understand that serving hot beverage may cause inconvenience to the passenger. But, there was no turbulence and passengers were not being stopped from going to the toilets or move around.
When I refused to have a cold beverage due to my sore throat and insisted that either I get a hot beverage or no beverage and that I intend to question on why was there an inconsistency in applying rules for ‘seat belt on’ sign, the stewardess promptly went to the galley and got, not just me but another passenger the hot beverage. Why could she not show a little empathy? Professionalism demands that you do not serve hot beverage when seat belt sign is on. But it also demands that you apply it consistently. Why, even the food service should have been stopped. But then that would have meant loss of revenue as refunds would have come into play.
Exactly the same story was played out in this trip too. First, the story about no hot beverage. Then about no seat belts and then that they are not carrying coffee. I spoke to the senior stewardess and said that the same story being repeated twice is not a mistake but a deliberate attempt to avoid service and I intend to complain. At that stage, she was apologetic and offered to placate me with some nuts or a cookie jar which I promptly refuse. Clearly, the airlines is taking advantage of the flier ignorance and throwing arrogant rules which is contrary to their own rules. And for that to happen twice is arrogance.
And the fact that revenue is more important than empathy was further highlighted when at Coimbatore airport the same airline changed its departure gate four times in 15 minutes. We were first informed that the boarding will be from ground floor, then made to climb up, then come down and then move to an adjoining gate. All this was happening with announcements over the PA systems with no Indigo staff at hand to ensure that escalators or lift were working, specially for the aged. Finally, I called for the duty incharge. I had to do some name dropping before I got some explanations. He said that the gate was changed as the incoming flight was slightly delayed and another airline was scheduled to take the ground floor gate. But as that airline completed boarding fast and the Indigo flight had not yet landed they reverted to the original gate as the first floor gate was aero bridge which would mean longer de boarding and boarding time and subsequently a delay. So, empathy was dumped and the airline shuffled its passengers around. To keep its on-time record perfect, under the guise of professionalism, the airline became arrogant vis a vis its customers. Oh, you ask why the fourth change? Because, the ground staff had not informed the security who had locked the gate and gone away. So, again empathy was dammed.
I am not going to bore you with more examples, but you get the drift. So, why do I continue with Indigo is the next question? And the answer is the reason why this market leader brand has become arrogant. I have no choice. Air India has hardly any good connections or scheduling choices. Go First is dead. SpiceJet is limping. And Indigo knows that. So, it’s become arrogant. And that’s a pity. Because the day I have alternative, I will dump Indigo. And so will many others.
The link between being professional and being empathetic is very strong. For that you have to empower your employees. Their KRAs have to include empathy demonstration, specially when you are in customer facing role. If I am staying at the Taj, not any 5 star hotel but the Taj, and my toothpaste or shaving cream, which I am carrying is running out, the employee actually replaces it, with a sweet note. She gets the same brand, without my telling her or asking her, in fact without even meeting and it’s quietly replaced. So, that one empathetic gesture allows me to forgive some mistakes. And she has done it because she is empowered to do so. Similarly, when I complain to Amazon about late delivery or wrong delivery of an order the CS executive issues on the spot refund. That’s empathy because the employee is empowered.
Maybe Indigo has streamlined empathy also. So, if fasten seat belt sign is on, do the food service. Allow the passengers to go to the toilet. But no serving hot beverage. Or has it empowered the stewardess to take the decision? For Airlines, definitely safety is the first criteria but does it make empathy its second criteria?.
Or it is all just about streamlining and standard operating procedures, leading to arrogance. This one lady at Srinagar airport showed empathy. But it was her. Not as a rule but as an exception. Indigo needs to build on its market leadership opportunity with empathy and consistency not arrogance or profit oriented empathy. Else remember the Taj example. Indigo will give an opportunity to someone like Air India, which has had a reputation for empathy, to sneak in.
And, yes, my bags that were promised to be delivered on a priority basis? They came last. I am not joking. The last two bags on the belt were mine. Arrogance for asking to be helped out? You decide.
Vikas Mehta is a Dehradun-based business strategy consultant and educator. He writes on MxMIndia every other Monday. His views here are personal.