2 Poor handling of customer luggage, which in this case was a $3,500 guitar, initiated a series of complaints from the customer. The concept of valuing customers and their properties is imperative in any organization since it determines its success or failure. The manner of handling the guitar of the aggrieved customer portrays a level of ignorance and arrogance on the part of employees. The case of United Airlines demonstrates a situation where the company ignored the safety issues regarding the manner of handling customers’ luggage. Causes Poor Handling of Customer Property Therefore, it is against this background that the report analyses the case of the “United Breaks Guitars” with a view of identifying causes of the issue and examining appropriate strategies and solutions. Although the company tried to overlook the complaint, the client warned them about the step he would take if they failed to compensate him accordingly. The aggrieved client decided to express his complaints concerning the damage of his guitar through YouTube, a factor that had a serious impact on the image of the airline. 1 The conduct that employees demonstrated in handling the valuables of the client led to a challenge of reputation and image of the airline. The song asserts that people should not use the airline because it breaks guitars. As a result, the affected client raised a complaint to the management of the airline and received poor treatment. During one of his flights, the employees of United Airlines mishandled his guitar and broke it.
“United Breaks Guitars” is a song that expresses dissatisfaction with Dave Carroll, one of the clients of United Airlines, who complains about the broken guitar. Since compensation, provides a solution to the present and future occurrences, it serves as a long-term solution that the airline can employ in handling similar occurrences. The choice of compensation is effective since the crisis falls under a preventable cluster, and thus, requires an emphasis on the victim. Diminishing and bolstering the problem increases the harm on the airline’s reputation because the information held by viewers is concrete, and the company cannot deny them.Ĭonversely, the suitable solution for the problem is compensation as it focuses on compensating the aggrieved client and facilitates the restoration of the airline’s image. Additionally, diminishing, bolstering, and compensation are among the alternatives that the airline can employ to restore its reputation successfully and solve the crisis. The theory and model are instrumental in crisis management as they provide a useful framework in implementing the criteria. Situational crisis communication theory and model of ethical problem solving are useful in determining the decision criteria for solving the crisis. The crisis calls for effective decision criteria, which solves the crisis, satisfies the affected customer, prevents future occurrences, and restores the reputation of the airline. The main causes of the crisis are the poor handling of the customer’s property and deprived public relationships. The song has made a great impact on the reputation of the airline and customer care because it has attracted about 13 million viewers to date. I don't have all my projects here at the apartment to work on, but between the middle planning stages and two guitars I'm actually working on (one building first time, one a rebuild with new pickups), I have like 5 projects in the works.Owing to dissatisfaction, Dave Carroll decided to compose the song “United Breaks Guitars” as a way of revenging the treatment the employees gave him instead of compensating for the damaged guitar costing $3,500. I also have a Baritone HH Telecaster being made for me, but it isn't really my project. I also have a neck being built by Andrew, so it is chilling.) HH ADH Ash Jaguar (I have the body, but need to work on it some more. Black Jaguar (Needs the paint to cure.)īolt on double cut Les Paul/Tele/Jaguar Hybrid. Been waiting for the paint to be cured.)Ĥ. ADH Pine Strat/Tele Hybrid (Need pickups for it, pots, jack, and tele saddles.)ģ. (Need tuners, nut, pot, jack, and paint.)Ģ. HNB wrote:At the moment I sort of have four serious ones and six total:ġ.