Thanks to our friends at MMBA for the heads up on a change in the credit card system that can affect everyone. As you accept credit cards, you have always seen that American Express cards begin with a 3; MasterCard with a 5; Discover cards with a 6 and Visa with a 4. Now MasterCard can begin with a 2. Before that first "2" card is presented to you for a transaction, you should be checking with your credit card processor to make sure the appropriate updates have been done to the system so that the card will process correctly.

A person has to be "off the grid" to not have heard about the challenges that United and American Airlines have had in the past few weeks. Most of us would see this as a news story with little chance of it affecting us. However, on an American flight last week it happened.

Sitting near the back of the plane, all the way from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia I and everyone else if the back third of the plane rode through a storm and were unwilling participants in overhearing a conversation as one flight attendant was telling another flight attendant all about their job.

In short the commentary was, "I don't have to put up with this anymore". It was followed by the details of their age, 62, along with how much their social security would be along with the amount of their monthly pension check. We also got to hear the details of what is going to be a union contract negotiation to occur in 2018.

The bottom line? A problem can go a lot further and last a long longer than we might initially believe. In this case, employees are dragging out what has already been a bad experience for the airline. It can happen in our businesses as well.
 
Here are our eight steps for solving a problem before it gets out of hand:

1. Tell the customer, "Thank you" for telling you about the problem. Most won't but will instead post it on Facebook, Yelp, Google or Trip Advisor.
2. Ask the customer to explain their concern.
3. Let them "Vent"; research shows the average length of venting is 45 seconds.
4. Take notes. It shows you are interested.
5. Ask questions. If the customer is going on and on, asking a question requires them to pause.
6. Ask what you can do to resolve the situation. Experimentation has shown that the customer will ask for less than what you are willing to offer as a solution.
7. Take care of it immediately.
8. Follow up - a call or written note.