Delta Air Lines is testing a new security system that will categorize every passenger as either green ("Have a nice flight!"), yellow ("Please step over here, sir") or red ("You may have one phone call…"). These evaluations are based on information from a variety of databases, including those containing credit ratings and criminal records.
This color-coding strategy is the hallmark of an airline seemingly hell-bent on keeping itself out of the black. Neither media nor customer reactions have been…kind.
What makes this particularly sad is that with a relatively small effort, Delta could have turned what was destined to become a public relations disaster into a bookings-generating boon. By not taking charge, Delta allowed consumer advocates to dictate the message. And neither consumer advocates nor the media put the most advantageous spin on it.
Imagine how different Delta’s coverage would have been if every person that had taken a Delta flight within the past 10 years received a letter along the following lines:
Dear Mr./Ms. Customer:
In late March, Delta Air Lines, in conjunction with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will launch a new program to ensure your comfort and safety when you fly. We are proud to be the first airline to implement this program.
During the four-month test period, Delta Air Lines customers will be quickly screened through the TSA’s Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System as part of the routine check-in procedure. This process will be largely invisible, and will increase your security without slowing down your boarding process.
While the benefits of such a security program are self-evident, Delta Air Lines will wave all fees commonly associated with refreshments and entertainment aboard all flights through July 31. We want our customers to have an immediate, tangible benefit of our participation in this new system, which will ultimately offer greater peace of mind to all of our passengers.
Delta Air Lines looks forward to continuing serving your business and leisure travel needs. We encourage all fliers to call us at (404) 715-2600 if we can answer any questions about our new customer protection program. Thank you for flying with us.
Sincerely,
Leo Mullen
Chairman and CEO
Delta Air Lines
A letter like this would frame the program as a benefit to the customer, one that Delta is all-too-glad to offer. It also would quietly raise the question of why other carriers aren’t participating in the program. Perhaps – gasp! – they don’t care about their customers as much as Delta does?
It would also stress that this program is part of a government security effort. This may seem a little dicey – but for better or worse, the government is the main bulwark against terrorism. Oh, and it’s no accident that "terrorism" and "threat" aren’t mentioned anywhere in the letter, either.
Finally, it would acknowledge that some travelers might have concerns about the program, and not only provide them with a pot sweetener, but give a means of answering more questions, and maybe even selling a ticket or two in the process.
Granted, what the letter wouldn’t do is go into detail about the information sources used in the security evaluations. Delta’s mission isn’t to allay all privacy concerns about the program, but rather to seize control of the debate and offer "pre-buttal."
How loudly does the customer relations industry have to yell "customer-centric" before every aspect of an enterprise hears it?
To respond to the opinions in this column, please contact rlevey@primediabusiness.com
