Outsourced to Poorer Experiences

 Outsourcing in various forms can illustrate its inherent disadvantages, lack of quality and disservice to paying customers.

Outsourcing is now a pervasive option by government, businesses and providers to firewall themselves, in their self centred reasoning, from higher costs, responsibilities and liabilities.  By contracting, not just once or on a temporary basis, the growing army of such providers, now beg more questions than answers.  Outsourcing is growing to be a mixed bag of a solution.  

Are contracts for tasks or series of deliverable outcomes performed by people who know what they are doing?
Is due diligence carried out on selected contractors?   Are contractors actually qualified or technically capable to successfully carry out what they promise or supposed to do?

Do people, who are given the outsourced contracts,actually doing the work?  Many are just brokers or middle men who then engage another layer of staff to do the work.   Think of solar panel installation  businesses, mortgage outsourcers, child care operators, medical  and aged care services.    Huge amounts of money received from government often attract operators with insufficient knowledge or experience to deliver.  Taking the grant first is a priority.

Are such lower level hired outsourced staff given proper levels of training, customer service and related skills? 
Are such staff in contact with customers really specialised in their niche work or do they really work in several different roles throughout the week?

Are the outsourced providers monitored in their performance, or the entities granting the contracts do not have much contact with them after agreeing to the outsourcing?

Members of the public are the ones interacting directly with such outsourced people.  We do not get to see the presence of the entity which has contracted them. 

Several years ago,  when we were  asked to connect to NBN, we never saw any NBN employees or managers.   We dealt with individual contractors, often recent migrants, who knocked on our door - such contractors told us they have to maximise the number of installations per day.    When some problems ensued with the NBN installations,  NBN was adamant they did not want us to contact them but we had to enquire our retail providers of wifi.

Even a simple experience of catching a railway bus at Central Station Sydney can bring out the down side of experiencing outsourced staff in action.

It was Saturday 29 March 2025, a dreadful weather time of sudden heavy showers, gusty winds and slippery surfaces.   Not that I like to use public transport on weekends to go to and from the Big Smoke these past few years - transport schedules are changed, delays are common and sudden changes often occur.

That Saturday no old style commute trains were running from Central in Sydney cbd to the South Coast of NSW.  Ah, I was grateful to have replacement buses instead.  Coming to the correct tent for me to catch the right coach to where I wanted, I was surprised that the staff told me they do not work for Sydney Rail, as they are contracted employees under outsourcing.

Even more fascinating was the conviction by this outsourced guy that he does not report to Sydney Rail.   He said he has another different outsourced job at night and he has no idea of how to answer various questions from commuters.  He only was working for a few hours in the Rail bus tent and only does what he was told.

There was also no indication of where the set up tents to catch the replacement Rail buses were when one came out to the Concourse - but that is another problem of lack of communication  by Sydney Rail top management to commuters.

Back to outsourcing.  Outsourced employees tend to work in silos and are unable to give a holistic understanding or appreciation of the bigger process to customers.  Not my problem.   When asked who next to approach, usually is they do not know.  And I really do not blame them.   Customers are left on the lurch. Check online, but the app or website does not have the information.

Paying customers are increasingly asked to self manage.    Entities selling them services or goods do not want to physically meet or communicate with other human beings who are providing the revenue.   Head Office tells us they have contracted out that part of process we are having problems with.  Outsourced staff tell us we have to resolve our problems with someone else.

When we face matters with outsourced providers, it may not be serious.  When significant issues arise with physical, financial, health and infrastructural consequences, do really ponder.

#yongkevthoughts

Consequences of More Self Service

 Self servicing will reign supreme, unless you pay a fee for what we take for granted now.

When customers process their own transactions on line or in physical reality, any mistakes made, honest or not honest, will place the onus of responsibility back on to them.

The place of interaction between customer and service will be minimised with human interaction.
It can be cheaper to use Artificial Intelligence or other software to communicate with the customers. It implies a much less need to set up physical offices, shops and presence. Beware the commercial real estate industry!

Businesses earn more revenue by offering service for extra fees charged.  This can be already seen in the contemporary arrangements of having to stack up so many frequent flyer points to be eligible  to enter an airline lounge waiting for a flight.

There is no such thing as a free lunch to access the airline lounge - you already pay annual fees and in money to convert to points at a ridiculously low rate.  It may feel free to you if your business or employer pays for your annu al credit card charges, airfare and reward points.  Current frequent flyer credit cards on offer in the market require the holder to minimum spend within 3 months,  thousands of expense money to be charged to the cards, before they are eligible for the promised many points.

So this premium service I cite above, as coming from airlines and participating credit card issuers, can be compared to the masses
having to pay extra charges for normal transactions in the future.

In Australia, I notice some elderly
people can be enjoying much needed social chats at the counter in supermarkets, post offices, newsagents and when physically pay their bills.  The quality of their mental and social health can be negatively impacted if they cannot do this anymore. Would this group pay a fee to have this continued pleasure?

Even before the 21st century began, customers have sensed a deterioration of service when making complaints for poor or under performing service.  Customers are put on hold for long periods on the phone before they get any commencement of any help.
Chatbots on apps want to help you, you have to write everything as if we cannot speak and then even a resolution to our problem is not forthcoming.  In the near future, if I want to speak to a live human being to sort out problems regarding my purchase, I will have to pay an extra fee.

Will the price of goods and services be any better, when we have to self transact, self service and self manage?   I do not reckon so - underlying reasons like the lack of labour, supply chain logistics, materials in short supply, the decreasing exchange value of currency and so forth will be cited as reasons.

If true, will these predictions cause a backlash in the mindsets of customers when dealing with providers? 

Will new business oppprtunities be created to service customers who will pay brokers to help them?

Go reckon.

#yongkevthoughts

Desirable Airline Service

 

What makes an all round reliable airline that reassures?

Customer service with a balanced empathy and focus.

Engineering standards that are monitored and maintained.

Smooth transitions enabled at connecting airports.

User friendly bookings with resolution of any matters arising.

Boarding and disembarkation spring in the step.

Airline staff who are well trained and valued by the employer.

Seemingly little extras on flight like free wifi, that dessert and responsiveness to the uniqueness of each passenger.

Airline Board and top management who value human beings as vital to the business - and not just sheer profits.

Airlines that strive to provide the leading edge without haughtiness.

Airlines who emphasise on the holistic experience and not blame others on outsourced parts of the business.

#imagekev

How Do You Treat Airline Crew?

It is shocking to know that first line staff in Australia attending to emergencies are often abused, physically attacked and risk their lives trying to help.

The lack of personal morals and being under the influence of deranging drugs and Ice may be the reasons behind such behaviour, but it just does not make sense. Police personnel, medics and rescue specialists bear the brunt of anger from ungrateful individuals.

What has been under reported is also the personal risks faced by cabin crew staff working on the thousands of air flights hovering above our skies at any one minute. The age of elegance and privilege flying in the air has long finished with the advent of budget airlines, maximisation of paid passenger capacity and the boom in tourism.

It used to be the highest opportunity in the service industry to be a uniformed steward or stewardess working to comfort airline passengers. There was a high expectation of standards from both passengers and airline crew in their interaction. Although air crew members are mostly still spick and span in their wardrobe and work behaviour, passenger quality can deteriorate in several respects.

Air passengers tend to dress down these days in a more casual world. Don't even think of customers on cruise ships and train services. At the same time, rhe service expectations of many passengers have increased. Do we blame the airline companies for such developments? In an increasingly crowded field, there is pressure on airlines to differentiate on several fronts - and cabin crew service is a significant one.

Passengers see the crew, literally, as the persona of the airline. They dish out the food and alcohol, resolve issues arising when individual passengers need to store too many hand luggage items and have to play supporter and referee when there are disputes between passengers. Some passengers demand that cabin crew are house help, waiters, girl friends, boy friends, nannies, tech specialists, comforters, conversation buddies, nurses, barmen, butlers and restaurant staff - all at once.

Confronting incidents as being spilled by drinks and food can lead to things bigger than they are. And not just by serving staff. Many have come across episodes of air crew being thrown things, verbally abused by drunken passengers and being accused of rudeness. The aim of a flight is to get from Point A to Point B, you may think - but it is no more, as the hype builds up with too many cabin crew members and passengers trying to cope with the negative effects of flying across too many time zones, being cooped up in essentially tight spaces and having to fly too often.

Australian Universities - The Customer Perspective

It is reported there are currently 300000 university students from outside Australia studying in our nation's universities. 

This number of students is larger than the population of the greater Wollongong area, from Helensburgh down the coast to Shell Cove. Wollongong is ranked as the tenth largest conurbation in Australia.

These students pay full fees, do not get subsidised public transport in most cities but do contribute to the local economic areas in spending for accommodation, food and daily amenities. Several universities in the capital cities have a significant number of such students, like from China, India and south-east Asia. 

Do such International students socially mix with their local fellow students and vice-versa? Many are allowed to work for a capped ceiling number of hours, especially in retail outlets. Graduates of Australian universities are encouraged with bridging visas to continue staying on if they can find related work. 

International students are a critical part of the process of Immigration, property boom and skilled inflows affecting the socio- economic parameters in contemporary Australia. They are part of the spectrum of labour and knowledge supply chain that also involves tourist visa over stayers, 457 visa holders and the underground economy. 

With this waterfall of cash revenue for universities, is there a big risk of the quality compromised in the delivery of teaching and social support for students as customers? Are students increasingly seen as supplying funds to be used more by universities for research and securing commercial opportunities? 

Universities do not pay tax in Australia - but the threatened funding cuts from the Coalition Government in Canberra can still shake up budget restructuring imperatives for our higher tertiary institutions. Where are such cuts going to make an impact in the operations of our university sector? Administrative expenses have suffered cuts for many years - the next question is which other area is targeted for reduced spending and hence a deterioration in service and engagement levels.

Universities will increasingly wake up to competition for any cash cows they may have taken for granted for so many years. Alternative options in training, certification and accreditation can now challenge the traditional university route to a career. Employment prospects can be better if one does not go to university. Local students in Australia can also lower their risks for incurring a huge financial debt after graduation if they smartly choose other paths to what they really want to do after study. 

Universities in Australia do realise that they are not the only ones milking the study and career dreams of foreign students and markets. The source markets are also developing their quality centres of learning. Other suppliers off shore are challenging the attractiveness of coming to Australia to study, but may not provide the captivating migration options. 

Bureaucracy, Arrogance, Cost Minimisation, Expensive - BRACE Yourself

Experience with IPad repair:

-  One must book an appointment on line and there is no live person who interacts with you at this stage.
-  It can be difficult to identify the web link or telephone number to get technical help.
-  After phoning a store, the customer gets to talk with live person but is still advised to book an appointment on line.
-  Walk in customers can wait up to two hours even when they are already present in the store.
-  Walk in customers are not provided a designated area to discuss their technical matters with the product they have bought.
-  There are few stores with Apple technicians, even in a major metropolitan city in Australia.



Experience with preauthorisation hold on credit card arising from three hotel stays:

-  Preauthorisation amounts are not refunded within the agreed period of maximum number of business days after a hotel stay.
-  Charge appears on electronic or hard copy credit card statement and then may be reversed without notification to the credit card holder.
-   Hotels I encountered state that it is the responsibility of the bank to reverse the pre-authorisation charges.
-  Bank involved state it is the responsibility of the hotel in any matter regarding the pre-authorisation charges incurred by the hotel guest.




Cooktop repair
- Expensive call out fee that can go up to  AUD 143.
- Repair charges are more expensive than buying a new cooktop.
- The technician says a steel surround is required and has already measured it.

On the day of installation of new cooktop, the installer says that he does not have the required steel surround with him - this is despite the customer getting confirmed by the call centre person that every thing is ready for installation.
The call centre person says she does not know the technical stuff and the related installer and technician have not posted their information to the central database even a few days after visiting the site of visit.

-  Technicians and installers caused damage to things around the kitchen and do not owe up, even not informing the customer in the first place.   

Apple Store

Matt Pierce is a most refreshing staff member that I have ever met in an Apple store in Australia.
I value most of all his professionalism, customer-focused mindset, patience and excellent grasp of technical matters.

Before Matt said hello to me on  Wednesday 6 July 2016 at the Apple store at Miranda Westfield (NSW), I had personally experienced what seemed to be a most difficult journey just to get to the  stage of meeting a technician at an Apple  store.   

My Apple product was faulty -  but I also learned that Apple stores can also learn to improve the process for a customer seeking technical help with a product.  (refer to my recommendations below).

Back to Matt....Matt explained to me upfront of how he would approach resolving the technical issue with my Apple product.  He explained to me with clarity and never in a condescending manner.   Matt looked me in the eye with a helpful look.   He focused on resolving the problem - but better than this, reassured me with engaging consideration, displayed excellent knowledge without a boast and just delivered!  He told me when he required more time on a certain phase of the resolution process.

Matt gave me options to consider along the consultation process and still was efficient in dealing with my faulty product.   I would say that Matt is not only great at resolving technical matters but also significantly in people handling - whether customers or staff.  He also articulated on the various help channels I can utilise in the future should I require this.  And I also value his patience.  

Matt demonstrated to me that whatever roadblocks we faced together on this faulty Apple product could be overcome  - through logic, a willingness to discuss and with the help of his good technical and professional approach.   All resolved for me by Matt under an excellent time frame.

Matt's Manager at the Miranda Westfield store  - Alexis, if I caught this name right - was spot on doing his role!   I noticed he kept an eye over the store to come on a  timely basis to help resolve any matters which his staff could not handle.  Alexis came back to me at the tail end of the technical consultation process with Matt and courteously asked if every thing was going all right - a much appreciated question that you also get at fine dining places.

Before Miranda,  I had visited the George Street Apple Store in Sydney CBD and already observed some shortcomings.   

However,  Giocomo was my first point of contact (AS1) at the entrance of this store and I found him to be helpful, patient and professional.   

At the same time, what I also sensed is that the role of AS1 has to be supported further by Apple stores - again, my recommendations are below.  


================

My observations below relate to my experience at the George Street Sydney CBD and Miranda Westfield Apple stores:


The Apple store staff member making time bookings for technical attention requests (AS2) for customers  - which is the second point of contact for a customer (C) visiting the store,  must learn to be more pro-active.  These are the questions I recommend AS2 consciously articulate and be mindful about when interacting with customers.

AS2-1:  Have I informed C of the maximum time in minutes within which C has to turn up after receiving the text message  that the technician is ready to see C?   This shall greatly assist C to not physically wander too far away from the store.

AS2 -2:  Have I reminded C to put audio notification on C's mobile settings?  Apple cannot assume that C has switched on such audio notifications all the time.  People do switch off their audio notifications at requests of their employers, at meetings and so on.

AS2-3:  Have I  gently highlighted to C that why Apple can only offer estimated times when the technician can see C?  If so,  C can then better appreciate the variety of technical matters technicians handle with a diverse lot of customers, each unique, some easy to resolve and others requiring exploration  of all possible solution options.

AS2-4:  Have I mentioned to C that the text message, sent as such from Apple, does not have a facility for a response from C to a live person and that it is all run on automated software?

AS2-5:  C may not necessarily reside within 25 km of the Apple Store visited.    If C has informed upfront to AS2 of the effort and time taken to just arrive at the Apple Store, it is not small talk, he or she is crying for help.   AS2 is recommended to not just follow any prescribed conversation script, if any, but interact with more empathy for C who may have taken the whole day off just to come into an Apple store.


I urge all AS2 staff members to just follow a simple guide - how would I best help a customer if that customer was me?


C then can leave the Apple store after making an appointment, better understanding the limitations faced by all parties seeking technical help in an Apple Store.

When the same C returns to the Apple Store following up on a text reminder  (that the technician is ready to attend to C) and then finds that C's appointment is cancelled for no upfront reason, AS2  must seat the customer in another area away from the queue, offer to find out why with other staff if AS2 does not know, instead of silently staring at C  -  and always keep in mind C is still interested in Apple despite al the roadblocks faced (that is why C came back).

Where AS2 is not trained well or does not have the mindset to manage such a situation, each Apple Store must have a fellow mentor staff walk about to identify such situations and help defuse /resolve the matter.  In my experience, Alexis the Manager at the Apple Store Miranda Westfield was quick, alert and business focused sufficiently to do this on 6 July 2016.


=================


My other recommendations (ASR) to Apple Stores from my experience in the Sydney NSW area are:

ASR1 :  Do not penalise customers who are keen and responsible enough to turn up because of the behaviour of others who make appointments and do not turn up.  Not all customers are the same.

For example, I always phone (and not just text)  the restaurant asap when I cannot make it to a dining booking.

ASR2:   Customers seeking technical help often have no other choice but make the effort to visit because they have exhausted other means of trying to resolve technical issues with their purchased Apple products.

The open floor plan of an Apple store, with no obvious clarity as to which sections or Apple Staff are dealing with sales, information queries, administrative functions or technical help, is not on.

ASR3:  It is a good idea like Apple does have a dedicated staff  (AS1) to be the first point of contact for any customers walking into an Apple Store.   However on days with crowds, it can be not easy to know who is that person and even the dedicated staff may be taken away by other arrivals on other matters and not standing in front.   All Apple staff are wearing the same coloured T shirts but that is not sufficient to further identify AS1.

Why not make this clearer by having AS1 stand behind a welcome portal?

ASR4:  It is so easy to separate the Apple store into three sections - Information, Sales and Technical Assistance - and make them clearer as to which part of the Apple Store attends to which.Simple English is better to be used and avoid references like the Genius Bar, which is simply a Tech Hub.

Apple may like open office or store plans but this is not helpful to a customer.

ASR5:  I have encountered some Apple store staff who are on the front line with customers (either by phone or in person) having an over load of smugness and self-congratulatory sense they are the best, when such individuals can improve their customer engagement skills and realise that the best accolades are given by customers after they have had a good experience at the store, and not by self-indulgent talk by staff members before anything is done.

ASR6:  Apple is proud to have more customers, but by having a larger growth in customer numbers, it must seriously rethink the number of Apple stores to help in technical service after customers outside the capital city areas have purchased their products.   These are customers who have got nowhere to solution to their Apple related problems after trying on line, using the Ap[p or talking to someone on the phone.

ASR7:  Have Apple staff members wear first name tags   - be proud of who you are.

ASR8:  Allow AS1 to offer customers up front some thing easy to refer to ( a pamphlet, handy help card or direct web page reference) for better understanding how the process works in getting technical help at an Apple store.   This helps AS2 to avoid a lot of grief and effort in  explaining every time to a customer seeking technical help.

ASR9:   Apple stores can consider eliminating the role of AS2 all together if you can better support AS1 in  being the only layer customers face before they are directed to sales, administration, information enquiry or technical assistance.


=====================

People, Planning and Performance

So the cabin crew lady forgets, or omits, to bring you the juice you have asked for two times, even with your fellow passengers being aware of this.  This is on Silk Air between Penang and Singapore on the scheduled 1215pm flight on 28 February 2015.  Aw, is this only a minor thing?

However, on a later connecting flight, its parent airline, Singapore, consistently provides quality customer engagement, whether for business class or economy class passengers, on the flight sector between Singapore and Sydney.  The cabin crew members on the upper deck of the Airbus 380 exude greater training, better personality, show initiative and reach out beyond their mere job role on this overnight flight of SQ221, arriving at Sydney Airport around 735am on Sunday 1 March 2015.  The on-board in-flight entertainment facility was out of action for a while mid-flight, but I reckon no one passenger was bothered much.  This is because the overall flying experience with SQ on this flight was good, primarily because its attending staff knew how to respond in micro situations as well when interacting with passengers. And technically Singapore has always been ahead of its competitors in technology - on that flight we could send text messages from our smart phones and for a fee, have access to the internet.  Most important of all, the pilots handled the rather disturbing turbulences pretty well for short periods over certain portions of sea and land.

What makes the difference, in the level and nuance of service between two airlines, echoes the varying levels of focused business management, not only at the operational level, but also reflects the implementation of effective strategic values transformed to staff behaviour.    Every one would have experienced the ineptitude of airline staff who seriously believe they are more important than passengers, mainly because of the me me me emphasis when they grew up and in how they are trained for their job.  I have seen Silk Air ground crew at Penang Airport asking couples with infants to line up with the rest of the queue - hello?  At the same time, they did not know how to optimally handle those irritating passenger types who on arrival at the gate lounge, walk up to the counter demanding they get to board first, when the aircraft is not even ready and has to be cleaned.

Ground staff representing airlines are the first point of impression for their customers, as these are the very first people customers see and interact with, whether upon checking in or when waiting to board. I witnessed such a ground staff member shouting to passengers because a boarding area in  Sydney International Airport does not provide simple microphone facilities for the boarding gate for an Airbus 380 flight. Whether such  staff individuals are from an outsourced contract arrangement or full employees for the airline is not relevant.  Airline management must negotiate better with the management of whatever airport in the world to understand better what a passenger goes through in utilising services for which they have prepaid.

Why does Changi Airport in Singapore open the gates to A5 in Terminal Three so late these days?  Is it cost saving or for a more rational reason? When passenger numbers build up for the hand luggage security check, the risk of stress, over crowding and rushing late passengers increases dramatically.

A flight from Penang to Singapore is officially and technically by all counts a trip between two separate countries.  I cannot for several years and even now fathom why the Silk Air ground crew checking in passengers at Penang Airport cannot open their counters at the very latest two hours before flight time.  Are they subconsciously treating such flights as more of within domestic counter opening times?

I am thankful for safety and security aspects promoted and practised on airline travel. However, personal, corporate and community attitudes can vary in making the passenger experience a rather varied spectrum.  For example, when one is used to punctuality, it can be unnerving to watch laid back attitudes cause issues which logically impact negatively on the passenger experience.  Passenger numbers have escalated, revenues have risen and yet service is getting patchy in the new age of airline travel, whether with budget airlines or not.  Reasons for delays in and hiccups to commercial airline travel due to weather risks are most acceptable; those relating to human service gaps, bureaucracy and lack of professional behaviour are not.  You may only want to fly with one specific airline, but practical code-sharing these days can really mean you actually fly with other airlines on certain sectors of your ticket, even if you want to avoid such a specific other airline.

Positive attributes for example are shown in carefully selecting the path on how an aircraft takes off or lands.  Subject to the permission of the related local airport authorities, it is appreciated when the pilot of your commercial aircraft flies over close to a rather uninhabited isle that you have always wondered about and now get to view. Thai Airways allow you to view the camera panorama from the pilot's cockpit.  Some considerate pilots mention on the PA system when the plane is flying over significant landmarks. Fun aircraft pre-takeoff videos for passengers are a welcome feature of Air New Zealand flights.  Helpful ground crew provided for arriving transit passengers from long haul flights are a privileged experience, not a standard any more.  A smiling steward who speaks clear English even if it is not his mother tongue on Emirates is not to be taken for granted. The varied backgrounds of Cathay Pacific crew resonates well with their multi demographic passenger profile.

Helpful security check officers are desired instead of those treating passengers in a condescending manner.  I have heard accounts by passengers, at Sydney International Airport, who have had their hand luggage taken by other unauthorised passengers or go missing, whilst such items are supposedly under security scrutiny on the first entry security check machines and conveyor belt.  What is more critical is how such passengers were treated when they realised that their hand luggage had gone missing. I have not heard such negative accounts from people who go on domestic flights within Australia.

Go figure.

Something In the Air

More people take to the skies as aircraft travel becomes more accessible, more vulnerable to timely internet pricing and with more variations in the quality and approach to service than ever before. Just ponder about the following scenarios and reflect on whether you have experienced them before, especially in the past five years. 1. Cabin crew are not well trained to communicate with passengers or if they do, seem to be not professional in the way they swagger around the aisles between seated passengers. 2. You are asked to take up some dish you rather not want in a full service airline, as cabin crew advises of the lack of availability after they serve you rather late for some reason. 3. Duty free shopping seems to be fast tracked shortly after take off, instead of being made available after the first meal and before the second meal on a long haul flight. 4. Passengers are not offered immigration arrival cards on a timely basis, especially for destination countries that require such cards of all arriving passengers, apart from those in transit. 5. Checking in lounges do not display clearly the destination cities of flights to be boarded. 6. Check in counters can change on an arbitrary basis even in front of long queues of passengers. 7. Some economy class conditions of specific airlines still look and feel the same as thirty years ago. 8. A few airlines expect much from their ground crew and cabin crew and this shows in their ability to attract loyal passengers even if their prices are higher than competitor airlines. 9. The seats of a budget airline can be much cleaner than that of some full fledged airlines. 10. Airlines offering self check in and printing of boarding passes for passengers can vary in getting customers line up more than once. 11. Some airlines do make very interesting safety information videos for their passengers before take off, whilst others still revert to demos by attending cabin crew. 12. An airline offers food not packed in their own country, even if it boasts of being a national icon. 13. Aircraft washrooms seem to slide in cleanliness the later a flight progresses, but I know of one airline that requires its cabin crew to refresh and clean up such places on a regular basis during a long haul flight - whilst their competitors do not. 14. There are individuals who do good work for their employer airlines, only to see such good will destroyed by some of their less well trained colleagues. 15. Offering gourmet food on business class may not be sufficient to justify the significantly extra charges. 16. Some airlines just want turnover of passengers whilst a few others offer unique positive experiences. 17. It is much appreciated to have early check in facilities from certain airlines at specific major airports around the world. 18. A sense of humour on both part of passengers and cabin crew do go a long way to result in a more pleasant flight. 19. Full fledged airlines are still intent on focusing on food but can change innovatively for the future. 20. Responsiveness by airline staff for late checking passengers can make a huge difference in how customers perceive an airline. Whether you take Qantas, Emirates, Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Malaysian Airlines, Scoot , United, Thai Airways or British Airways, do try to match your experience with the numbered scenarios listed above.