I was staying at a hotel located in North Miami Beach that generously offered complimentary shuttle service to South Beach so their guests could enjoy having dinner in that colorful part of town. I was told to be on time for the shuttle as they leave on the dot. I was prepared for adherence to the time frame, but was not prepared for the bizarre experience.
I believe shuttle drivers have one of the best opportunities to shine for a company and really make it look good. It makes no difference if that service is outsourced, because to the customer it is invisible and seamless. There are very few times when employees have 30 uninterrupted minutes with a customer. It is a fabulous opportunity to connect and be a memory maker. Shuttle drivers can ask questions, give directions, point out sights along the way, make suggestions and enhance the enjoyment of the evening.
Instead of taking advantage of this golden opportunity, this shuttle driver had no idea that his job was to do anything but drive the van. Nothing more, nothing less. Well actually, in fact he did a lot more than just drive. He actively made the experience unpleasant at best and frightening at worst. Rather than connect, he did just the opposite. He put on earphones and tuned out by listening to his own music while cranking up some easy listening station to blast in the van. I am pretty sure that is illegal besides being rude and stupid. The van needed new shock absorbers as well; I felt like I was on the back of a hay wagon rather than a “courtesy van.”
After speeding through the streets of Miami, he dropped us off at our destination and informed us that he was leaving on the dot at 8:45—even though it stated in the hotel literature that the shuttle left at 8:50—and if we weren’t there he was leaving!
No smile, no “Enjoy your evening, see you back here at 8:45.” He left us with nothing more than a nasty scowl and a warning. It was so bad as to be laughable. I wasn’t laughing on the way back though. My friend and I made it back to the pick up spot on time and true to his word he left before 8:50. He had his illegal earphones on and the easy listening music cranked up in the van. My friend wanted him to turn down the easy listening station, and when she couldn’t get his attention by saying, “excuse me” three different times, she tapped him on the shoulder. This must have startled him because he literally went ballistic, screaming “DON’T TOUCH ME. I DONT LIKE TO BE TOUCHED. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?” It was actually frightening. The angry outburst subsided after my friend stated, “I have no interest in touching you. I was just trying to get your attention to ask you to turn down the music.”
It was a disturbing experience, and one that is important to share, especially for companies that outsource some of their services. Are you sure the companies you entrust your customers experiences with are acting within the same standards that you expect and demand from your in-sourced employees?
Thanks for exposing “His Grumpiness”. Wish we could send your blog to his boss!