JetBlue did it right
By Brent Dixon on February 22, 2007
On Monday JetBlue used YouTube to release a response to last week’s runway debacle. In the video, their founder and CEO David Neeleman openly admits their mistakes and explains what steps they’ve put in place to make sure that nothing like this will ever happen again.
What an amazing and common-sensical (might not be a word) response. Watch the video – What other company, especially at the CEO level, has ever been this open, up-front and vulnerable about a mistake like this?
I say vulnerable, for one, because they chose to release it on YouTube where they would be at the mercy of commentors, instead of opting for a “safer” release.
To (almost) quote Paul McEnany from Beyond Madison Avenue:
“You can tell their CEO actually gives a [crap], and the company turned circles to make sure we all knew that.”
As a part of the solution, they’ve also created a Customer Bill of Rights.
Sidenote: This is such a better use of YouTube than using it as a mindless catch-all for “going viral.”
Jason Knight on February 22
Neeleman has just raised the bar for all other CEOs and companies that fail their customers…and that is a very good thing. If you are a JetBlue employee you can also hold your head high. Sure things go wrong, but “WE” fix them.
I think JetBlue had a great foundation, but it is rough patches like this that will really let them shine.
Brent on February 23
Jason – right on.
This is an amazing example for those groups who are afraid of making their brand accessible or afraid to extend a conversation. JetBlue understands that in the “worst time of their history,” the best thing to do is talk about it and grow.
You’re right: Iron sharpens iron. JetBlue will only get better from this.
Honestly, this woke me up.
Charlie Trotter on February 23
They made a very classy move. JetBlue is just some people. They like to go home and kiss their families and relax with friends and, if it’s not overly romanticizing things, I feel that from them now. That’s usually true of companies, that they are just some people, but when marketing executives and brand defenders try to project something else things get plasticized.
The way Neeleman comes off in the video humanizes the company.