We all know Customer Service is a key element of any business success. Our service to our customers manifests itself in many different ways, but it is our attitude that makes the difference. I find that too few of us these days want to own others problems and solve them. It is much easier to pass the buck on or do nothing at all.

I was faced with a similar choice yesterday, but to me there was no choice, as it is key to my own success to solve others problems. If you think about it, we all do this in business and it is this fundamental solution to a problem that keeps us all in business, so why then do so many fail to accept the every day challenges we face?

Yesterday, Sunday, I had a text from a stranded family who's flight was rerouted because of bad weather in Philadelphia. Their destination was San Juan, Puerto Rico but they ended their day in Charlotte North Carolina. Faced with no connectiing flight that same day they checked into a hotel to overnight at their own expense. Despite the fact the airline concerned had three flights the following day non stop to San Juan, they chose to offer my client a flight to St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. My clients objective was to join a luxury cruise ship in San Juan and spend Christmas cruising the Caribbean. St Thomas was on the scheduled itinerary, but travelling there meant losing a day of their one week holiday. Not an ideal solution.

The airline chose to send the clients to St Thomas saying that all their flights to San Juan were overbooked.

The text I received said simply "Help - stranded Charlotte, please book hotel St Thomas tonight one night."

I made a few inquiries and contacted the client on their mobile phone. I rebooked them on one of the three services the airline said were all full, and after a long day, my clients made the flight and are now finally enjoying their much earned holiday.

To rub salt into the wound the airline made the passengers pay again for the flight from Charlotte to San Juan even though their original tickets were contracted to San Juan.

Needless to say I am now negotiating a refund for my customer of the additional fares they paid.

Were my clients happy? After a three hour wait in a queue and all the stress and uncertainty they endured, you bet they were! All I really did was own the problem and solve it the best way I could.

Businesses exist to solve others problems, do it well and you will have customers for life. It is not about the money, do it right and the money will happen anyway.
Merry Christmas to you all.