airBaltic update and a message to web-savvy businesses: a social media presence is not a substitute for real life service
Update: Just over two hours after sending the follow-up email, I’ve received a response from an airBaltic senior customer relations representative. This email more carefully explained that due to a technicality, I am not eligible for this refund. Refunds are issued with official embassy documentation of visa refusals. My passport/visa was not refused, but rather was terribly delayed. Legally, the fact that I did not have my proper travel documents in time, for whatever reason, is not grounds for a refund. This would have been fine if this was the case from the beginning; however, I was informed, and thus led to believe that a full refund would be rewarded. Additionally, this still does not justify the level of customer service clients consistently receive from airBaltic representatives. They should be aware of their shortcomings and work towards improvement.
Last week, airBaltic was heralded at a local conference of top Latvian businesses for its online presence. However, companies like airBaltic need to realize that simply being savvy with social media is not enough. Ultimately, all the facebook friends/fans or twitter followers in the world don’t mean a thing if the company does not treat their clients with dignity, fairness, and respect. If social media is going to be their thing, then maybe they should be a little more… well… sociable.
