Merger Mania
Posted in Points of Interest on October 30th, 2009 by Jeffry Corbin – Be the first to commentI’m fascinated with the fallout in customer experience from all the airline and bank mergers, and feel there are some lessons to be learned. Healthcare providers: this analysis is particularly relevant to your field as well.
I’d like to discuss a particular airline merger for the purposes of this post: Delta and Northwest.
The airline industry is in transition, not only as it regards ownership, but also in how it delivers its services: it’s getting close to the point that the customer “self-delivers” everything but flying the plane. We book online; deal with schedule changes online; and check-in online. Sadly, the experience of flying has become a commodity.
But, on to the merger.
Granted, airlines are huge organizations, and don’t move too swiftly, but consider this rundown of my most recent experience. Consider the branding implications:
- Booking: Made through Continental for a codeshare Northwest flight, “operated by Pinnacle Airlines”
- Online Check-in: Continental failed; instructed to use NWA site. NWA failed; instructed to go to Delta. It worked.
- Baggage: Couldn’t check baggage free of charge, even though I have Gold status with NWA
- Airport Check-in: Delta agent (servicing NWA flight) did some fancy computer jockeying and got the bags checked free.
- Boarding: NWA branded airplane, Delta-branded skybridge staffed by Delta-uniformed agents.
The truly amazing experience occurred on the return flights:
- Online Check-in: Delta site could not find our e-ticket. NWA and Continental sites were identical. Telephone agents at all three airlines could not find our record either.
- Airport Check-in: failed at the self-service kiosk. Delta agent was able to do some computer jockeying, discovering in the process that the agent that helped with the free baggage on the outbound flight had apparently cancelled the return reservation in doing so.
All of this, apparently, because of a branding issue!
Certainly when business entities merge, they should attempt to provide the customer with a seamless brand experience. Throughout the process, they should ask themselves, “What will our customers experience at this point in their interaction with our brand? Is this what we want them to experience? And is it possible that our brand could fail as a result?”
In this age there can be no excuse for brand failure; the consequences can be too dire.
Recently Mark VanderKlipp, Corbin Design’s President, developed a presentation for local leaders in the Grand Vision initiative here in Northwest Lower Michigan. Citing wayfinding projects throughout North America as examples, he described how other regions are becoming unified both perceptually and physically.
Of course there are many challenges in an effort… More...
For many of us, the conversation was as much about designing a life as it was about design firm management. More...
Mark VanderKlipp, Corbin Design’s President, is making a presentation to local leadership in our Grand Vision effort. Based heavily on project experience with a variety of clients throughout the U.S., Mark will illustrate how these regions become unified using several tactics, primarily wayfinding signage and transit. A discussion period after the presentation is planned, including Corbin Design Founder Jeffry Corbin.
Sponsored by the Growth and Investment and Transportation… More...
Heidi Jones
Hesper Smyth
Mark VanderKlipp
Rick Stringer
