I was at the gate, coffee in hand, boarding pass ready. The destination was set, my schedule was tight, and my mind was already on the meeting waiting for me at the other end. Then came the announcement no traveller wants to hear.
“Your flight is delayed by two hours.”
The collective sigh from passengers could have powered the terminal’s lights. People slumped in chairs, checked their watches, and began typing out messages to explain why they would be late. I braced myself for the usual silence from the airline desk.
But this time, something different happened.
The staff did not disappear behind the counter. They stayed visible, moving around the gate area. Every 15 minutes, someone came on the PA to give an update, even if the update was simply, “We are still waiting on clearance.” It felt honest. They handed out water bottles. Snacks arrived. A few passengers who had tight connections were rebooked onto earlier flights through other hubs.
The delay was still there, but the frustration was not. People were calmer. Some even smiled. The inconvenience had not gone away, but the way it was handled made all the difference.
That afternoon taught me something I have seen play out in business again and again.
Whether you run an airline or an e-commerce business, you cannot avoid disruptions forever. Projects stall. Shipments get stuck. Systems fail. The difference between keeping customers and losing them often comes down to one thing — how you respond when things go wrong.
Silence creates frustration. Customers fill the gaps with their assumptions, and those assumptions are rarely positive. But transparency changes the mood. When people know what is happening and see you making an effort, they are far more patient.
The snacks and water were not extravagant. They did not erase the inconvenience. But they showed that the airline valued our comfort, even when things were not going to plan. In business, it is the same. You do not have to solve the entire problem instantly. Sometimes, a thoughtful gesture while the bigger fix is in progress is enough to keep the relationship intact.
The airline staff did not hide in an office. They stayed at the gate, answering questions, even when those questions had no new answers. That visibility built trust. When customers can see you are working on their problem, they believe you care.
When I finally boarded, I realised something surprising. I was more loyal to that airline than I had been before the delay. Not because they avoided the problem, but because they handled it with honesty and care.
In business, trust is rarely built in perfect moments. It is forged in the messy, inconvenient, and unexpected situations where you choose to show up and communicate.
Next time something in your business gets delayed, and it will, remember this: the inconvenience might be temporary, but the way you handle it will be remembered for a long time.
Regards,
Rupesh
1 comment
This was just what I needed. Thank you for explaining it
so clearly!
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