Ready for Take Off? Not So Fast. by Steve Adubato, Ph.D.

Imagine you are sitting on the runway at Newark airport. Your flight was scheduled to leave for Puerto Rico at 9:10 a.m. It is now 10:10 and you have not moved off the tarmac. The first communication comes from the captain at 9:05 telling passengers to turn off all cell phones and electronic devices and fasten their seatbelts. The next communication comes at 9:30; “There is a bit of a delay folks. We are 35th in line to take off. It should be another 30 minutes or so.”

What?! How’d that happen? Now it’s 10:15 and nothing—absolutely nothing. No update, no change in the schedule, no apology, no communication at all.

Q—What is it about not getting any communication when things have clearly gone wrong that bothers us?

A—The expression, “No news is good news,” only works in certain cases. But when you are sitting on an airport runway that is not going to cut it. Tell passengers what is going on so at least they won’t be guessing. Tell them it is going to be worse than you originally thought or tell them you have “no idea” what is really going on. Tell them something. We just don’t like being left in the dark, which allows our imagination to run wild.

Q—But if you have “bad news,” isn’t it best to keep it to yourself?

A—Not always, especially when people know that things have gone wrong. If it is an hour past when your plane was supposed to take off, you don’t have to be a genius to figure that there is a problem. Not acknowledging it just makes it worse. Just be up front. Most people can deal with disappointing information, and those who can’t or won’t weren’t going to be won over in the first place. I’m not saying you should dwell on bad news, but ironically, ignoring it actually draws more attention to the situation.

Q—How can you communicate to reduce some of the tension and anxiety customers feel when things have gone wrong?

A—In the plane scenario, the crew could have done a few things including walking down the aisle and letting folks know that they are aware of the “inconvenience” and will be “taking off as soon as possible.” Instead, the flight crew seemed like they were hiding, nowhere to be found. The captain could have communicated on a regular basis (every 10 minutes or so) just to give an update. If he had nothing to report, just say so.

The airline also could have offered free snacks, coffee or orange juice, while once again apologizing for the inconvenience. Interestingly, the best customer service often occurs when things don’t go as planned and an organization goes the extra yard to let you know how much they empathize with your situation.

Dr. Steve Adubato coaches and speaks on the subjects of communication and leadership and is the author of the book "Speak from the Heart." Write to him at The Star-Ledger, 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, Newark, NJ 07102, or click here to contact him through this web site.