A Lesson in Customer Service

I don't like posting negative articles, but in this case, I'll make an exception.

I'll make this exception because the level of contempt is just too high. Because it boggles my mind how some companies prefer to spend hours upon hours of their time and an abundance of resources just to avoid making a small refund, which they acknowledged was justified.

My story began on July 30th, as I prepared to board an easyJet flight from Berlin Brandenburg airport to Tel Aviv with my elderly mother, two young children, and four other adult members of my family.

I'll spare you the details but will just say this: a ground agent was extremely violent towards us. He unjustifiably required us to pay for carry-on luggage as a form of punishment and threatened that we would not be allowed to board the plane unless we paid.

I described the events in detail in a letter, which I sent the airline two days later. They were "at a loss of words" but requested additional information pertaining to the luggage measurements. Now, let me pause here for a second. Given the severity of the events, I would have expected the company to issue a letter of apology, followed by a partial or full refund – even if they did so after some additional investigation. Instead, they verbally expressed their concern, but proceeded to inquire about irrelevant aspects of the story for which I had already provided proof of being in the right.

A few weeks and 9 email exchanges later, I was offered a voucher. I refused. I had no intention of flying with this airline again. To my surprise, they eventually agreed to provide a full refund of the fee I was required to pay - 232 Euros.

Honestly, at this point I thought to myself – I might fly this airline again. Why not.

But since then, we've had many more email exchanges (44 in total) with lots of repeated questions and requests from easyJet representatives, and with many promises and assurances – payment will soon be made.

But as of today, no payment was received.

So, to easyJet airline and to its agents Riya, Sahil, Rishikesh, Rohaan, Pooja, Sumita, Pradhumn, Jaspreet, Vandana, Prince, Vinay, Terry, Sandra, Anu, Chahat, Aman, Akshjot – the time you spent on my matter cost you much more than 232 Euro. And it cost me much more as well.

You've now lost a customer forever – even if I do end up receiving the refund. And maybe one or two others who are reading this, will now avoid this airline.

I wonder – was it worth it?   

Good customer service is so much more than writing a few nice (and robotic) sentences in an email. You must back your words with action.

Ilan Friedman