As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the airline industry is in worse shape than home building, and with the steps that American Airlines is taking the press could forget all about any customer service issues we have ever had.

American announced today that they were increasing the price of their drinks and sandwiches by $1.00, this on the heels of deciding to charge a fee for every bag that you check (and I read tonight that they made this decision before conferring with TSA).As someone who travels frequently I am dreading my next flight - summers are bad enough traveling with people who don’t fly very often and don’t know “the rules” or etiquette that goes with the experience, but now with American charging for checking bags I just know I might as well take a sleeping bag with me (as long as it would fit in the two carry-ons I’m allowed) because getting through security is going to be a nightmare. So you have to pay to check your luggage but you can’t carry on many of the essentials you need on a trip (contact solution) - I’m beginning to feel very taken advantage of.

And then you finally get on the plane, somehow you got switched to a middle seat, and you make the mistake of asking a flight attendant who hates life and her job to try and help you out. Let me just say on my last trip from Vegas to Dallas on American -where they changed the departure time from 12:30am to 6am- we finally got on the flight and the window of the plane in the row in front of me literally fell into the lap of the woman sitting there. We all started pressing those attendant call buttons and the flight attendant looked annoyed that we bothered her with such frivolities. They had maintenance come on, he pushed it back into the hole and put duct tape on both sides and we took off. I swear the woman called her lawyer before we took off and sent him photos of the window in case anything happened.

What the heck does this have to do with model homes and home building? More than you would think. Let’s recap people’s opinions of the airline industry right now and how that applies to us:

Flight attendants - on the major airlines (except for Southwest) they seem to hate their jobs and want to be anywhere but on the flight they are on. Keep in mind, these are people that we are truly entrusting our lives to if there was ever a problem, and that scares me.

Sales Agents - in a way the sales agent also has the buyers life and happiness in their hands. The buyer is entrusting that agent to help them buy the home that will be perfect for them and provide a safe haven for their family. If they act like they can’t be bothered when a potential home owner walks through the door, why would that buyer think they should trust the agent or the builder?

The airline - right now I want to go to work for an airline and ask them what the heck they are thinking. Some of it is so basic, and I don’t understand why if it is so obvious to me why it escapes them. On paper it looks like they are doing everything possible to alienate the customer. American is truly nickel and dime-ing us to death and in the process is losing the trust of their customer. I made a reservation a month ago to visit my grandbabies in Orlando. They got my money up front - I thought we had an agreement on what the terms were. Since then they have decided to charge me for not only one bag but for two, food, drinks… $2.00 per bag plus tip to check at the curb… so what does/did my ticket price cover? I thought we had a contract.

The Builder: Does the customer feel like your word is as good as the paper they signed/ agreed to? Do they think that is what the home will cost or is the “greedy builder” going to try and add on every cost that they can? Does the builder really appreciate my business or am I just another contract to them? Is everything I saw in the model home that I fell in love with going to be an additional cost that I can’t afford and make me end up with a house that isn’t what I had dreamed about? Will I have to settle?

Airline Security: I can’t think of many things that I like less, but appreciate more in the big picture. I want to be assured that my safety is the first priority and to be honest that my business is appreciated. Call me crazy, but I long for the days when the airlines courted my business instead of feeling like I had no other options.

The Construction Process: Do the new homeowners feel like they are an important part of the process or a thorn in the construction managers side? Do the homeowners feel like they are a thorn in the construction teams side or a client to be appreciated, listened to and nurtured?

Walk a mile in your customers shoes. If you make the buying process a pleasant experience where the customer feels appreciated, your model homes are in great shape (and no windows are kept in place with duct tape) and that the price they are quoted is the price - you will have a customer and a great referral for life.