If you’ve been following along from my previous post, you’re probably wondering what happened when I raised the service issue to Jet Blue. I tweeted this post, got it retweeted a bunch of times, posted it to Facebook, sent it through the Jet Blue Cares feature on their site and told everyone I could about my bad Jet Blue service experience.
Here’s what happened.
Sept 22nd 10am: Posted blog post, tweeted, facebooked
Sept 22nd 12:18pm: @JetBlue responds via Twitter and says:
We can’t track the details without info – please leave us a note at http://jetblue.com/speakup
Sept 22nd 12:19pm: I respond to @JetBlue by saying:
Hi and thanks for responding. I did that this morning (submitted form). Let me know what else you need. Got an email saying to wait for response.
Sept 22nd 4:48pm: I heard nothing so I sent another tweet to @JetBlue saying:
So, should I wait?
Sept 23rd 9:28am: Still nothing from Jet Blue. Sent another tweet saying:
Wondering when @JetBlue is going to address my issue from yesterday’s blog post? http://bit.ly/bCjrKM So disappointed in lack of service.
Sept 23rd 1:44pm: Finally get an email from Jet Blue. Here’s what they said:
Hello Michelle,
Thank you for contacting JetBlue Airways regarding your recently booked reservation and the
promotion offered the next day. We certainly appreciate your candid blog regarding the customer
service experience you had. Please understand this is not typical of the customer service we know
most of our jetters have grown to expect. Our leadership staff has been notified and will provide
some feedback to the crewmembers you spoke with.The promotion offered did start after you booked your reservation. The guidelines for the promotion were very specific. They did state the promotion was available to newly booked travel; changes to existing travel are not eligible. It also stated the flight had to be booked on www.jetblue.com/promo. Your flight was booked prior and not from the link provided the next day when the promotion began.
Michelle if you would like to take advantage of this offer there is an alternative option. You arewelcome to cancel the current reservation and follow the link to book again using the same dates youselected. You can go online to www.jetblue.com to cancel or call one of our friendly crewmembers.
You will be subject to the cancellation fee and any increase in fare when rebooking for the
promotion.We truly value your patronage, and we hope to provide you with a renewed JetBlue experience in the future.
I read it. I keep re-reading it. I am still dazed and confused. “A renewed JetBlue experience.” How exactly do they expect to “renew” me when they basically offered me nothing to keep me as a “valued” customer? Now, keep in mind, this promotion was not for a free ticket or something of what I’d consider significant consumer value. I run $50 promos all the time and 1) they work 2) if someone missed it I would give it to them to keep them happy and loyal. I especially love that they are happy for me to cancel and rebook but that I will be subject to cancellation fees. How is that helpful to me?
What kills me here is how Jet Blue could have really turned this around and made it a kick-ass experience for me. My friend, Nathan Burke, recently wrote a post about a bad Zappos experience that a great Zappos service team member totally turned around. He is now a huge fan of the brand – enough to tell everyone through his blog.
Well, Jet Blue, you blew it again. Rather than just giving me the promo and keeping me as a happy customer, you basically send the message that my business is not worth $50 and 500 Jet Blue points. For realz?!
So, I put it back on you yet again, Jet Blue. Is this really all you guys have got? The service bar has been raised my friends – are you doing the limbo or the pole vault?
I look forward to your reply.