Zero Defects…or Else

The well-chronicled debacle at JetBlue Airlines following the recent Valentine’s Day Storm, which cost the airline some $30 million in overtime, passenger refunds, and future travel vouchers, has sent shivers through every executive and brand manager who think they have their Customer Experience figured out. CEO David Neeleman who has spent the past seven years building a strong corporate culture centered on customer loyalty and becoming (along with Southwest) the recognized customer-friendly leader in the airline industry, now knows that all it takes is one operational breakdown to shatter that image.