While much of my work life has been in sales and marketing, I cut my teeth on the fine art of customer service as a PSA (Passenger Service Agent) for Delta Air Lines at the Raleigh Durham Airport. My career path has had a detour or two along the way, all for a reason I believe.

Drunks, Missing Kids & Cancellations! 

If any of you are older Delta flyers, you may recall the days when Delta had "Red Coats" at the airport to help high mileage flyers out of jams along with the assorted drunk flyers, missing kids and other more mundane calamities (cancellations). Well I wore that red coat and performed the duties of a PSA for about 3 years before receiving a promotion as a regional sales and marketing representative for Delta. It was a mixture of the most difficult years of my life along with the most rewarding!

"The Bus Story"

During my years as a PSA, I had the absolute delight to work beside one of the nicest human beings God has ever allowed to walk on the earth! A prince of a guy named Jessie MacDougald. One morning we were working together and Jessie called me on my radio to say the inbound flight from Atlanta to Raleigh was coming in with a hydraulic leak and to take immediate action finding alternative travel arrangements for the through passengers who were going on to Richmond. Being a resourceful guy, I found a flight to Richmond connecting through Charlotte on US-AIR. I called the US-AIR agents to confirm they had seats and booked the seats for "my customers". The inbound Delta flight landed without incident however the passengers were pretty shook-up (crash, fire and rescue were called to the runway-yikes!) . I boarded the plane when it arrived at the gate and advised the passengers that the mechanical problem would prevent the continuation of the flight and that we had arranged for all Richmond bound passengers to continue on via a US-AIR flight. Of course those who were shaken wanted no part of another flight and opted to rent cars to Richmond.

It Get's Better!

I escorted the 40 or so passengers down to the US-AIR gate and help them board thinking I had accomplished what needed to be done. Before I could get out of the gate area, the US-AIR gate agent caught me and advised his flight would be delayed due to a mechanical problem and that I should find another way for "my passengers" to get to Richmond. Of course the last thing I wanted to do was face these people AGAIN! I radioed Jessie and asked he contact a charter bus company and have a bus dispatched to the airport ASAP for these Richmond-bound passengers!

Sometimes Everything Works Against You!

Standing firm, I welcomed "my passengers" again, this time off the US-AIR flight and advised they would be traveling via charter bus to Richmond and offered my apologies for all their difficulties. Of course I heard the grumblings and knew all I could do was listen and offer my assistance. I escorted the now 30 passengers to the curb and helped them get on "a bus to Richmond". Went on board the bus and again offered my apologies and stated we appreciated their business. Thinking I had finally washed my hands of "my passengers", I watched the bus pull away and went back to Jessie's office to debrief.

The Call!

While sitting in the supervisors office shortly after waving good-bye to my bus and "my passengers", the secretary's phone rang and someone asked for that tall RED COAT guy! I answered the phone and a gentlemen stated that the bus I had placed he and the other Richmond passengers on was headed to Atlanta southbound down I-85 and NOT northbound to Richmond. Of course, Jessie knew I was in big trouble judging from my facial expression. Once off the phone, I told Jessie what had happened and he called the bus company back. My "Richmond bus" was apparently still at the RDU airport curb waiting for me and "my passengers". I told Jessie, "I can't go back out there and face those people again, they will rip me to pieces". Jessie placed his hand on my shoulder and said "I'll go with you but these are "your passengers" and you know what you have to do".

No Matter What - They are Your Clients...(passengers)

Like a puppy with his tail between his legs, I met the wrong bus with "my passengers" and helped them board the right bus. Of course I heard some foul language and received more than a few hard stares. I went on board the right bus and gave my full name, my Delta ID number and took full responsibility for placing "my passengers" on the wrong bus. I finished my little speech by saying when you write your letters to Delta, please explain that it was me who made the mistake, handed each person my business card and walked off the bus. Jessie told me to go take an hour lunch (I normally took thirty minutes) as I was visibly shaken. That was about as difficult a task as I had ever experienced at Delta  (thankfully). You see, I never worked a crash scene nor had to console a loved one who had lost a relative because of an accident. But my bus story experience taught me to stick with my clients every step of the way no matter what happened.

 Don't Give Up Even If Your Deal Is Headed Southbound Down I-85!

The next time your deal is going South instead of North, remember these are your clients. Stay with them until the end no matter what happens!

BTW - To my knowledge, no one ever wrote a letter to Delta to complain about their Bus Episode. It's an experience this guy will never forget. I'm thankful for guys like Jessie who stand with you in the difficult times. Without him, I would have taken lunch an hour earlier!