JetBlue Story Reminds Me of So Many

One of my favorite newsletters is Mark Hurst's Good Experience. I met Mark back in the days when I was at CNET and I've admired his work on user experience design across the broad spectrum of media over the years. His is one of the few newsletters I read from top to bottom as soon as I can after it arrives.

This week, his newsletter is about JetBlue, an airline that worked hard to build a rep for exceptional customer service and has now squandered it away. Mark talks about how in its early days, the company developed a genuine buzz among travelers but points out that, "Customer experience isn't a one-time thing. It requires constant, constant, constant focus on the basics. A slick ad campaign counts for next to nothing, unless it describes the benefits of the customer experience. And it may even be harmful, if it diverts resources away from the customer experience."

How many times have you visited a new restaurant in your town, been imprssed by the quality of the food and service, recommended it to friends, made it a regular stop, and then watched over the next few months as it went steadily downhill? It's almost as if these businesses think that they can rest on the laurels of a reputation once it's earned. But there are always new restaurants opening, new levels of expectation being set, and new channels through which customers can communicate their feelings and recommendations.