Would you rather pay less and get bad service or pay a bit more and get excellent service ?
As some of you know I went on a short trip to New York last week. My husband and I flew from Toronto, Canada (where we left our kids with their grandparents). We took a small Canadian airline called Porter Airlines.
And let me tell you, I was really impressed with their service: complimentary Starbucks coffee, snacks, soda and wi-fi in the waiting lounge, free premium snacks on the plane and a free shuttle bus to downtown. And of course really friendly staff.
Yes, we did pay a bit more, but if I compare it with a recent trip from Geneva to Egypt with Easyjet, I would say that it was worth the extra money. It was a much more pleasant experience, all included in one price. For the non-Europeans, Easyjet is a low-cost airline that serves many airports within Europe. Their business strategy is the opposite: low flight prices but then you have to pay everything extra: drinks, food, baggage, speedy service. Oh and the worst part: you get no seat number. So it’s always a big fight.*
This got me thinking and I have come to the following conclusion: to stand apart from all the other small businesses, you will be more successful offering great service at a slightly higher price. In the long run this will get people talking about their experience in a positive way and encourage them to recommend your services to their friends.
So YES, I think good service is worth the extra money.
What is your opinion ? Share below…
* Don’t get me wrong. I will still be taking Easy Jet flights from time to time. But if I had the choice of paying a bit more and take Porter instead, I would definitely choose the latter.
