91 Photo: iStock/Jose carlos Cerdeno “ It is worthwhile studying those operators who seem to keep their customers happiest to see what lessons might be learned” often. But with these improvements, customer expectations have also risen exponentially; a cancelled sailing will result, not in stoicism and patience, but demands for compensation. While it is challenging to compare like with like, it often seems that state-owned ferry operations receive more complaints than those managed by privately owned or public companies. And, as with anything involving governments, there is an inherent inflexibility in management subservient to government departments. But both public and private companies get their share of critical feedback, for many of the same reasons. ‘Activist’ passenger organisations become very exercised when unreliable services are coupled with a belief that the ferry operator is demanding unreasonably high price increases. High company profits and excessive rewards by senior management will also stoke discontent. Remote or foreign-owned management, and in particular ownership by hedge funds, intent on profiting from resale, cause additional disquiet. A good analogy might be the unpopular foreign ownership of important national football clubs, which causes perpetual rage among its loyal supporters. Is this state of affairs inevitable, with the only course of action being for the ferry company management to hunker down and wait for the current row to subside? Or can they take more positive and constructive action? It is worthwhile studying those operators who seem to keep their customers happiest to see what lessons might be learned. For a start, it helps to be honest about difficulties and keep the customers in the loop as far as possible using good information systems and effective PR teams that really know what is going on. If schedules require rejigging because of dry dockings, breakdowns and the like, operators must make sure those who need to know do so at the earliest possible time. The operator that shows willing to go the extra mile to unravel the customer’s problems after a cancellation builds up valuable credibility. If the system is broken, the staff find themselves carrying an unfair burden, making matters worse. Meanwhile, the customers inevitably feel a lack of respect. It is not rocket science; just common sense.
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