I had a hellish travel experience on the weekend of December 19th, 2009. More snow had fallen in DC than I ever experienced before. I had a flight leaving later that day, and the only way to get to the airport was to book a limo, which normally charges $85 for the trip from DC to the airport. They charged me $200. My flight was cancelled later that day, taxis were far and few between, so I called them to get back to DC. They bailed on me 10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time with “I’m sorry, I couldn’t make it” after they let me wait for almost an hour.
I understand that the weather made driving more difficult than on any other day of the year, and a higher fare was justified. But charging more than 200% than usual while normal cab companies (if you found one to drive you) charged 125% does not make customers very happy.
All they had to do to really make a difference at that day in my life was bring me to the airport, and charge me the regular fare. They had the opportunity to excel. Instead, they settled for $200 and lost someone who might have been a lifetime customer. Possibly even more than that, because I would definitely recommend them if they had done a great job.
The point is that whenever your competitors are not even trying, you should do your best. It’s the easiest way to make an impact. And the most enduring.
