90 COMMENTARY Ferries provide an essential service in many parts of the world, so it is sad that customers often seem to be in a perpetual state of rage and discontent with the services operators have on offer. Now armed with social media, they are better able to enunciate their dissatisfaction than in the past, when their displeasure was less likely to become public. From offshore British islands to Tasmania and New Zealand, the west coast of North America to the Greek islands, angry customers are not backwards in coming forwards to criticise ferry services. They complain about high prices, unresponsive management, unhelpful schedules, unreliable ships which break down too often and the lack of information provided when they do. The question is, do they have more reasons to find fault than in the past, or is complaining just a feature of contemporary life, where customers, with perhaps unrealistic expectations, are emboldened by access to a keyboard? It is sometimes difficult to generalise about these matters. By and large, most ferry operations are now infinitely more comfortable, more spacious and less of an adventure for both passengers and freight users than in the past. Statistics certainly bear out the belief that modern machinery is generally far more reliable than in the past, although there is always that ‘rogue’ ship that seems to break down more How to avoid angry customers With passengers demanding better ferry services and complaining publicly if they don’t receive them, it’s crucial for operators to communicate proactively and resolve issues quickly when they arise MICHAEL GREY Michael Grey is a master mariner turned maritime journalist and has edited both Fairplay and Lloyd’s List in a career spanning more than 60 years. Photo: iStock/M-Production
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