On Hold
Airports already carry a certain tension. Timelines are tight, queues can be long, and there’s no wiggle room once the check-in desk closes.
On one trip, I saw how quickly service gaps can snowball.
I had booked a flight using points plus a small payment over the phone. What I didn’t realise was that the phone agent never finalised the “pay” portion. I received a confirmation, no emails chasing payment — so I assumed all was well. That small miss, however, invalidated the ticket entirely.
On the day of travel, I couldn’t check in online but thought little of it. At the airport, I was told at the counter that I had no valid ticket. The staff could see the issue but told me I’d need to resolve it through the call centre.
So there I was: standing at the desk, within sight of people who could see my urgency but wouldn’t act, while dialling the airline on my phone.
Having worked in travel, I knew the importance of communicating urgency. So when the consultant answered, I made it clear:
“My flight check-in closes in 10 minutes. I need this ticket issued immediately.”
She placed me on hold without asking permission and disappeared for twenty minutes. No explanation. No timeline. No way to interrupt or re-emphasise the urgency. By the time she returned to say my ticket had been validated, it was too late. Check-in had closed — just as I had warned at the start of the call.
It was a double frustration. At the counter, no ownership. On the phone, no communication.
The result? Stranded. Stuck between teams, powerless to influence the outcome.
The Service Lens
The issue wasn’t so much about the error as it was about the response.
On the phone: Listening to a client’s needs is an essential part of service. Clients can handle waiting — but not when they don’t know how long it will last, or when silence robs them of the chance to respond. Asking permission to place someone on hold and giving even a rough timeline can completely shift the dynamic.
At the counter: When staff can see an issue unfolding, stepping in matters. Even if the “system” says it’s not their responsibility, choosing to act in the moment can prevent escalation and resentment.
These same dynamics play out in every service-led business. A client escalated between teams. A call transferred without context. A chatbot that loops without exit. Each one leaves people “hanging” — stuck in limbo with no clarity and no ownership.
In service, clarity and ownership often matter more than process. Clients forgive mistakes; they don’t forgive silence or indifference.
💡 Where in your client journey might someone be left hanging — stuck waiting with no clarity, no ownership, and no way forward?
Executive Takeaway: When frontline staff aren’t empowered to act, clients don’t just feel stranded — the business absorbs the cost through escalations, rework, and lost loyalty. Empowering clarity and ownership protects both the client experience and the bottom line.
