Conversations with Gid

Hey, what do you know.

I got a call yesterday morning, from the Big Kulula Kahuna - Gidon Novick.

 First up - I have to say this... Kudo's to you Gidon for having the gumption to call. I am not sure there were many other options given the echo chamber surrounding official communications, but at least you picked up the phone and "reached out, as my American colleagues would utter.

So, all is well and good - and things return to normal...or do they?

You see, as glad as I am that Kulula eventually listened, I don't really have any answers - yet.


For your excitement, benefit, and the possible lawsuit coming my way (I'm kidding) the issues discussed with Gidon in a very civil manner included...

• Painting a picture Above-The-Line of a cuddly caring brand that is simply not warm and fuzzy to deal with, based on my experience. Brand Values need to resonate beyond the Billboard!
• Constant and lengthy delays above-and-beyond the call of duty at Lanseria.
• Blatant lies from the check-in staff who smile furiously behind their pancaked mascara, assuring all and sundry that flight MNxxx will indeed be departing so smack-bang on schedule its going to make your eyes water - only to be, well, delayed....a lot....really!

To Gidon's credit he assured me he would investigate these claims and get to the bottom of the dastardly deeds....

We also discussed the interesting cavity, that would frankly make Kimberly jealous, regarding the internal synchronicity (or lack thereof) between "online social media Kulula" and "frontline customer service Kulula". Ironically after my appreciated phone call, i received a letter from Kulula highlighting this issue even further.

Here's where the issue apparently lies...

So "Online Twitter Kulula" ask for my details, which i politely respond to.....

and.... here's the zinger ... "Frontline Customer Service Kulula" DONT KNOW who this is...?
W.T.F. as they eloquently say in the classics?

 

Lesson learnt here I think...
Ignore Social Media at your peril, BUT make sure you give Social Media the correct weighting to be effective.

In my humble opinion it is WAY more dangerous to engage customers thru a social media platform badly!

If you don't have the right people at the end of the tweet of Facebook page then DONT DO IT!,

Rather ignore it and stick your head in the sand - you can always feign ignorance, or threaten to turn Twitter off if your surname rhymes with "Palema" - ahem!

Anyway, all in all an interesting outcome.

As impressed as I was with the call, I will be MORE impressed if I get, a month from now, a follow up call from a Kulula minion giving me an update on the issues I managed to dangle in front of the CEO.

Now THAT'S worth celebrating!

Oh, and for the record, I flew to Cape Town this morning...from Lanseria.
We departed smack bang on schedule!