ReferralsUS.com

Currently, there is a move among some airlines to charge for carry-on baggage. It is causing quite the uproar, and in a move of stunning efficiency, a representative is petitioning the FAA to declare carry-on as essential to travel, making them immune to charges beyond standard ticket price. Who says our representatives don’t do anything!

From the airlines’ position: this is a very natural, intuitive move. Sales are dropping, people are flying less, why not begin charging for carry-on and watch profits skyrocket.

In fact, along those lines each and every additional fee and personnel cut has made so much sense as to be almost ludicrously simple. With a dwindling customer base, charge more to make more money.

But, unfortunately this train of thought misses the causal reasons entirely. Namely, unhappy customers crammed into flying sardine cans. Customers who have just spend upwards of two hours walking through various security checkpoints, and worried about losing their hard earned money if the weather should suddenly turn against them.

What is called for, is a moment of counter-intuitive thinking. Instead of cutting services, raising rates, adding fees, and figuring out how to fit 10 more rows of seats; airlines should be doing the complete opposite!

Giving better services, lower rates, cutting fees, and taking out a few rows to give every passenger the ability to stretch out and relax.

I would argue that the first airline to do this for a decent price, and offer better thought out flight routes (case in point: while searching for a flight from Columbus to New York City, I was going to be routed to Houston, then Chicago, and then New York! A ten hour drive was going to take close to 22 hours!) will quickly have more passengers, more repeat business, and more money then they would know what to do with!

In today’s world, the traditional wisdom of business no longer applies! Those who zig, while everyone else zags succeed. Look at Apple in the small electronics market, Amazon, eBay, Google, early HP, and more! All these companies threw traditional wisdom out the window!

A caveat needs to be added at this point: I am not advocating tossing out traditional business practices. In fact, quite the opposite. I encourage, and strongly believe in, the business morals and upright practices of previous generations and centuries. However, the current winds of business thought are wrong.

Jack Welch encouraged the 10-80-10 rule. 10% are excellent workers, 80% are good, and 10% are poor. This is nonsense writ large! To arbitrarily declare 10% of employees sub-par for no real reason is ridiculously stupid. Don’t believe me? Look at GE’s stock performance, and their market share. How well are they doing right now ($19.35 as of close today)?

Am I biased? Yes I am! ReferralsUS is the epitome of counter intuitive thought. And you know what? It works great for our clients!

So tomorrow: Go against what you believe to be “good business sense” and lay yourself out!