Virgin America Gets Word of Mouth and Customer Service

Only 3 days (one business day) after my last post which pertained to my disappointing outbound trip on Virgin America, I received a call from Charles Ogilvie, the director of in-flight entertainment and partnerships for Virgin America. Charles very genuinely wanted my feedback for the purposes of improving the customer experience and closing any service gaps that exist, as he realizes the importance of a positive experience and excellent customer service.

It is clear from his rapid response that he or his team monitor the blogosphere daily, and recognize the importance of word of mouth toward the success of their company. This response was refreshing to me, especially within an industry in which customer service and attention to detail are so overwhelmingly lacking. It is interesting to see their 360 degree view of marketing in action, as illustrated by the fact that they monitor online chatter to ensure that their marketing message of excellence is ringing true. Since I haven’t previously posted about other airline experiences, I cannot be certain that this follow up activity by Charles was unique, but I suspect that it was. Nice work Charles!

I also want to make a correction to my previous post. Charles pointed out that although Anomaly is involved in the marketing strategy of Virgin America, it was Wunderman and Virgin America’s internal team that developed the interactive seat monitor applications and experience. I’m looking forward to improved customer service, attention to detail and their future innovations by Virgin America.

Comments

[Dissapointed]

I am greatly dissatisfied in VA's services that I encountered during my trip down to San Francisco. I noticed the enthusiasm of their employees and thought "great this is the kind of airline I wanted to use, etc" but that thought faded slowly as I noticed right away that those are only superficial - kind of a fakish thing to show that they are there to provide good service. Why do I say that? My outbound flight to San Fran on Mar 24 at 1205 or so, I have to requests a couple of wheelchair for my aging parents - maybe normal to requests. But other airlines would immediately provide the request on your behalf because they have eyes and common sense to see that these passengers are old and frail. But VA is like me begging for the service. I thought at first "ok maybe they just were busy". Then at the departure gate, I saw again a group of very enthusiastic VA employees (steward(ess) and while they were waiting for their ok to board the aircraft, I noticed that a cigarette lighter fell from one of the bags of the stewardess. She immediately pick it up and placed it back into her carry on bag. Now, TSA - isn't it illegal for an individual to carry a cigarette lighter? Why is this stewardess of VA carries one? Are they exempted because they are a brand new service airline and they feel invincible? Same stewardess comes through the ailes of the outbound flight to San Fran - whohooo! great cigarette smelling stewardess. I thought, wow - they let this kind of person service us? I sure started to question VA's customer service on that point but maybe I was wrong. My aging parents who was sitting next to me asked if I smelled cigarette smoke which I said "no". At San Fran - it was ok when we left the aircraft as the wheelchair folks are there waiting for my parents.
Coming back to Seattle on the 30th of Mar (1425pm flt):
At San Fran airport - We found where the check-in desk, got motioned to get in line to get checked-in but I noticed that VA have those check-in kiosk (electronic check-in). I typed my confirmation number and went on with the motions but only got one printed boarding pass and I was checking in 3 (three) people. Are these kiosk for display only? I seldom see passengers use it - just an observation. So I went back to the line - which I thought we were next for the next available counter person. We were standing at counter number 168 as the barricaded line starts there. Counter number 167 became available and the person behind it glanced at us but motioned another customer that she can help - by the way this same person motioned 4 more customers from another line one after the other while she glanced our way as if saying "well I don't feel serving your group right now". After waiting for about ten minutes for counter 168, we were finally motioned to proceed to 168 while 167 looked on. At counter 168, I showed our ID's with mine being the military ID. Counter person at 168 was not sure if she can accept it so she asked another counter person if it is an acceptable form of ID - come on now VA, what kind of people do you have working for you? - Trained how to discriminate which passengers to serve first and only accept ID's that they only personally recognize? Also, I have to request for wheelchair and yet counter person at 168 already was looking at her screen saying "passengers need wheel chairs" - wheelchairs arrived 30min later.
In the meantime, counter person 167 whose name is I think Laurie Marie (or similar to it) was told by another employee that the least she could do for us was to be nice (maybe was told to apologize) but stood her ground and told this employee that "she is doing a good job". What is this now VA - pat yourself in the back, you have effectively discriminated needy passengers.
Arriving in Seattle: Rough landing, arriving at the gate, de-planed only to find that "oh you're not going to get a wheelchair until you walk up the bridge". My poor parents had to struggle walking up that walkway. As soon as I got a chance, I again requested for a wheelchair at the gate counter and was told "San Fran never told us right away that you need wheelchair but we have already called them" - Let's play point fingers at the other airport game or San Fran VA crew is my scapegoat game. Wheelchairs finally arrive 10 min later.
VA - is this the kind of service you're going to provide? You don't even come close to I think one of the worst airline experience I encountered awhile back. What I mean by this is that you're below them. And maybe you should also in the future remind new passengers that you don't serve even a bag of low grade peanuts just serving water or sugar ladden pops.
There maybe a lot of passengers that wants to fly with you, VA, but me seeing that your services are not senior or disabled friendly, I think that I will fly and use your competing airline even though their planes don't have individual tv screens on each chair but THEY DO KNOW AND HAVE AN EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND NOT SUPERFICIAL ENTHUSIASM.
Once home, family members asked how the flights went, and VA you can guess what the first words that were uttered.....
Last but not least, those tv screens behind each chair? It only serves for kids or game enthusiasts a place to poke and pound while giving discomfort to the passenger ahead of them who is trying to sleep - noticed it on another passenger who was trying to have a relaxing flight - NOT.