If things go wrong, let people know what’s going on

Ever find yourself behind on something? Maybe you dropped the ball? Don’t sweat it. It happens. But the question isn’t whether you make a mistake. It’s how you handle it afterward. I was just coming back on a flight on JetBlue that was delayed over an hour (not too bad in airline terms, I know, but everyone was still grumpy). It wasn’t their fault – it was because JFK wasn’t letting anyone come in due to wind conditions.

But you know what? They owned up to it anyway. They apologized and acknowledged everyone’s dissatisfaction, and explained that they would be doing their best. They told us how much they appreciated us. When I got into the plane, there was an odd smell. They explained it was the deicing fluid. From Orlando, I thought? They answered that two, mentioning that it was because the plane came in from Buffalo. Then they told us that it would be a long taxi, but they gave us their best estimate for when we’d land. And we got there by that time.

A lot of people tend to hide when things go south. It’s the exact opposite of what you need to do. Take charge and get in there and explain what’s going on to the client. People will tolerate waiting much better when they know what’s going on. If you leave someone in the dark, they get all inside their head. They wonder, they question, they get angry. But let people know, and you diffuse the situation. It gives them a sense of control over their time.

When JetBlue told me what was going on, I knew what to expect. I appreciated that they were forthright, and I texted my wife, so she knew what to expect to. It let me relax. Do the same for your clients, and you’ll have a loyal following for years to come.