How does KLM get away with such poor customer service

[shon7]

Flown KLM a couple of times. All I can say is NEVER AGAIN. Their agents are rude, arrogant and love to harass passengers including making senior citizens run from gate to their so called transfer desk and then back to the gate. I've written to them a couple of times and it seems now they dont even bother to respond.

Any ideas on who I can approach. Am not looking for compensation but DO want to ensure that I report this so that other travellers make a better choice and KLMs working practices are looked into.

[jackieofalltrades]

KLM doesn't do "customer service".
Or so I was told once by the agent on reception at the lounge in Schiphol.

Spent many an email trying to resolve this with their so-called customer service agents. It appears that KLM aren't concerned with ensuring loyal customers fly with them again. Which is a real pity as I've always found the cabin crew to be very friendly and helpful when flying. (Something I do a lot on KLM metal)

[crewmeal]

Sadly it's the world we live in. KLM aren't the only ones who don't do customer service. In fact I'm sure it would be easier to list the ones who do!!!

[Hambleite]

I notice Schipol has set out a stack load of camp beds and cots for its stranded passengers. Do any of our airports do this?

[Donkey497]

Judging by the report on BBC news 24 about T5 at Heathrow being closed, and BA handing out letter to prospective passengers telling them that BA can't arrange hotel accomodation due to the numbers of passengers involved & advising them to leave the airport , it seems not.

Not a very good advert for BA's customer service planning if this is the case.:confused:

Just hope that my two colleagues who were heading back home from Houston via Schipol yeterday have made it home. KLM seem to have done a good job in arranging several options for them to either stay over or try to get home. Haven't heard today, but they were last heard of, waiting on a train to Brussels to either pick up a flight to Edinburgh or Glasgow, or to head back via Eurostar, or if all else failed, with hotel rooms booked in Brussels for them - all at KLM's expense. All the more surprising, seeing as it wasn't a particularly pricey ticket they were flying on.:ok:

[BrummyGit]

There was a large hall of beds set out in Franfurt yesterday too. Luckily I'd managed to find a hotel room on Thursday night so can't tell you anything more.

[Smoketrails]

It's a Dutch trait not to be very customerfriendly! Something that was discussed on this forum not so long ago. Partly to blame on arrogance and partly on not being trained(properly) on handling complaints and service related matters.

[azzbo]

I was stuck in Schiphol overnight 2 weeks ago in the last round of snow and KLM did really dot he best they could in the situation sticking us in the Park Plaza with nice dinner and breakfast, I called up the KLM reservations line whilst sorting the hotel out and was moved onto the first flight the next day.

Wouldn't want to sleep in that airport itself though, nasty.

[azzbo]

its hit or miss, in the snow 2 weeks ago when my flight was cancelled they were on form and sorted everything as best as they could.

When my baggage didn't make a connection through Schiphol (both KLM flights) earlier in the year useless wouldn't even begin to describe their customer service.

I have found that once you have completed your trip and are trying to complain by email or telephone you may as well give up as they aren't going to help.

[411A]

Judging by the report on BBC news 24 about T5 at Heathrow being closed, and BA handing out letter to prospective passengers telling them that BA can't arrange hotel accomodation due to the numbers of passengers involved & advising them to leave the airport , it seems not.

Not a very good advert for BA's customer service planning if this is the case.


Not surprising actually, as BA would quite likely be unable to organise a pi55-up in a brewery.

[flightlevelchange]

Just back from Amsterdam, one of the worst experiences ever.

Whilst some and I'd say very few were helpful, (crown lounge staff) the majority of their staff were most unpleasant unhelpful / contridicting information.

Kept on board after landing for 4 hours, little information on what was going on, 1 more hour for steps and then another wait for buses. Connecting flight cancelled along with most others, and the ground staff's respnce was of not interested go away, we have so much to do........

Schipol the next day was evan worse, with ground staff contridicting themselves, giving wrong information, sending people in the wrong direction.

One lady in the Crown Lounge I would have to say was the worst of all, not prepared to listen, uninterested and frankly quite rude, i'd have to say the worst KLM staff member ever. All the other lounge staff were most helpful, going that extra mile evan under the circumstances.

I'd have to say though after that experience last weekend, i'd avoid KLM with all costs.....

[clareprop]

....and then again, I flew KLM during the first snow problems a couple of weeks ago and found the flights to and from North America and the handling of (considerable) delays exceptionally good. I would therefore recommend them as an airline:p

Just goes to show, public transport is open to vagaries just like everything else in life.

[jackieofalltrades]

flightlevelchange: One lady in the Crown Lounge I would have to say was the worst of all, not prepared to listen, uninterested and frankly quite rude, i'd have to say the worst KLM staff member ever. All the other lounge staff were most helpful, going that extra mile evan under the circumstances.

I no doubt expect that was the same lady I had the misfortune to have dealt with. Her attitude and lack of respect was appalling.

[Hotel Tango]

I don't honestly think it matters who you're flying with at the moment. The staff at the most affected airports are simply overwhelmed with the workload placed on them. Most pax only think of themselves and forget that there are thousands in the same predicament. The available staff just can't cope. Most do their very best under very trying conditions, but at these times of high stress it is inevitable that the odd staff member will just not have the character to cope. They shouldn't have been employed in the first place of course, but that's another story. I agree that the most frustrating aspect can be contradicting statements made by staff. This stems to a large extent from poor communications within the company and inadequate training of the staff. My numerous experiences with KLM are mixed, ranging from excellent to disappointed. Then again, I could say that for most of the airlines I fly with. It just depends on the day. One thing's for sure, I'm glad it's not me that has to assist hundreds of tired, frustrated and upset weather affected pax during this period.

[Evanelpus]

The only way to deal with this kind of attitude is to vote with your feet and switch future travel to another airline. If enough people do this the airlines may start to take notice....but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Capetonian]

Sitting here at Schiphol waiting for my flight, just having spent a couple of days in Holland, I feel that the Dutch generally do customer service rather better than just about any other nation in Europe. They speak excellent English, and do so with pleasure, and often several other languages. They are efficient and usually well-informed, without the somewhat abrasive manner of their German neighbours. I found the same when I lived here, so this is not just based on casual observation.

Many trains and flights are disrupted, but I've seen passengers stressed out, tired, and anxious, being treated with kindness and empathy by NS (Rail) and KLM employees in the last couple of hours.

If you really want a nation that doesn't 'do' customer service, it's the French. The Spanish, Greeks, and Italians often don't speak adequate English and are generally incompetent and and poorly trained in customer facing positions. The only ones that come close to the Dutch are the Swiss.

[flightlevelchange]

Jackieofalltrades - didn't happen to have dark hair did she......

Trying now to get my bag, made 75 phone calls no answer or just rings out, no PIR no as did it at birmingham, no answer from there phone either, now getting frustrating......

Just voted with my feet and cancelled business class return ticket to South Africa, now booked Emirates, much better service and standards and quite frankly better Inflight Service and Sleeper Seats.......

[Smoketrails]

It's funny you should mention the NS(Dutch Rail) being customerfriendly! Not many Dutch residents would agree with you!

[flightlevelchange]

anyone got a telephone number for KLM lost luggage at Heathrow

after trying Birmingham / servisair 110 times, and no reply or ringing out

No PIR no as was done at Birmingham and servisair so cant track it online....

or has anyone else got any useful numbers on who to contact 4 days now, and am getting a bit fed up of it all...

FLC

[jackieofalltrades]

Jackieofalltrades - didn't happen to have dark hair did she......

Yes she did!! No doubt it's the same dragon-faced lady

[Capetonian]

It's funny you should mention the NS(Dutch Rail) being customerfriendly! Not many Dutch residents would agree with you!

We hear about whinging Poms but I have rarely heard a nation run themselves down as the Dutch do, particularly in respect of the quality of service delivery. Compared to most other places, Holland is a paradise as far as this is concerned, even the Nederlandse Spoorweg (sp?). Just compare it with the rail network in the UK! It's all relative!

[Xolon]

True
We, Dutchies, are pretty spoiled if it comes to public transport. We start complaining when there is a 5 minute delay and don't even start about the latest issue; trains doing 1hour short hops without toilets!! Buslines of 4 hours, subways, Trams..all without toilets aswell, but you won't hear us complain about them :ugh:

I've worked for some years as ground handler at Schiphol airport and it can be very hectic in scenarios like we experience now in Europe (snow, ashclouds...). I believe the lack of good information is a overall problem, not only KLM.

Unfortunatly I'm not a regular flyer, but I do understand where these problems come from. Unfortunatly most passengers don't and think they are the only one being effcted by the chaos :suspect:

[Katamarino]

I compained to KLM in June about a terrible transatlantic flight I had on a KLM ticket.

I received a reply two weeks ago...they are not a great airline.

NS however I find to be quite good - there are nearly always staff present to assist, and most of the time their trains run to the minute!

[PAXboy]

OK, I'll be the one to say the incorrect thing (especially since it's the season of good cheer!) Has KL customer service declined, since they got taken over by AF? :E

[Capetonian]

Has KL customer service declined, since they got taken over by AF?

Nothing incorrect in asking this.

Overall, yes, but in fact in Holland, which is the only place where I've dealt with them, there is no noticeable difference.

[cavortingcheetah]

Actually, the merger has had significant advantages.
Now when KLM separate suitcases from the client's flight they ship the bags from AMS to CDG and wing them out on the next Air France flight. So now luggage, which is often lost at Schiphol, usually catches up within twenty four hours.

[robtheblade]

I take 6-8 long haul flights a year and as I have to pay for my own ticket will almost always opt for the cheapest. This means I may use 6-8 different airlines a year.

I have no problems using KLM and they do seem to give consistent service, unfortunately, mediocre. The onboard service is always the same, food ok but served with a scowl. Don’t mind that, I’m not looking for an onboard romance. This is offset by them always giving me an extra vodka should I want one.


The two times there has been problems have been dealt with in an exemplary way. First time my flight from Shanghai was cancelled. I was asked if I would fly the next day with KLM or would I prefer to fly that day with another carrier. I opted to fly with Virgin and got home with just a couple of hours delay. The second time was when there was terrible disruption in Schiphol due to strong winds. There were massive queues to rebook so I phoned my daughter in the UK to ask her to rebook me. She phoned back within half an hour to confirm my flight the next day.


So for me, KLM are just fine.

[BadgerBoi]

I had an experience a couple of years ago, KLM ticket but flying AF - AF screwed me up royally, but didn't want to know, fobbed me off to KLM. The KLM agent (in Australia) did all he could to help, gave me a few thousand air-miles for my trouble, had my complaint all but resolved. However, he had to pass it back to AF to close my complaint. At this point, we started again from step one. I just gave up. Everyone I dealt with at AF were appalling, on the ground (who caused the problem), in the air (who exacerbated the problem) and in the office (who were atrocious and just didn't want to know). KLM were great (in the air as the second part of the flight, and in the customer complaint staff in Oz), empathetic and went out of their way to help even though they weren't at fault.
/end of rant.

[radeng]

I was told by Dutch friends that NS have gone downhill badly in recent years - has it been privatised?

[Capetonian]

I used NS daily when I was living there, about 4 years ago. I got used to hearing the Dutch complaining when a train was 2 minutes late, or there was standing room only at peak times in 2nd. class, or a train occasionally was a bit scruffy, maybe some litter around the doors, the odd bit of graffiti. My Dutch friends used to tell me that the trains were 'unreliable' and they would rather sit for an hour or so in the appalling traffic twice a day whilst I took a comfortable 30 minute train trip during which I could have my morning coffee and orange juice, catch up with emails, and sit in comfort.

I used to travel 1st. class in and out of work and the compartments were always spotlessly clean and never full. There were usually seats in 2nd too. Compare this with the stinking overcrowded misery of UK trains and there is nothing to complain about.

The only time I recall trains being cancelled was on an exceptionally hot summer day when the rails were stressed so trains had to run more slowly, so they cancelled 1 in 5 in order to assure a regular, if reduced service. This was explained, with apologies, over the PA in Dutch and English.

I sometimes went into Amsterdam and came back in the small hours, felt perfectly safe at the stations and on the trains.

The staff, on the odd occasion when I had to interact with them, were always pleasant and polite and usually laughed off my Afrikaans-oriented attempts at speaking Dutch with a smile and a reply in perfect English.

Since those days I go back to Holland at least 6 times a year and usually use the trains, most recently earlier this week. I have seen no deterioration in service levels.

[pwalhx]

Over the years I have flown a fair bit around Europe and the Far East with KLM and I agree with a previous poster their service is consistent.

Consistently adequate and rarely much more. But the fact is I don't care because in most cases I used them because of price and accept that I get what I pay for.

[Chele]

It's a Dutch trait not to be very customerfriendly! Something that was discussed on this forum not so long ago. Partly to blame on arrogance and partly on not being trained(properly) on handling complaints and service related matters.Being a Dutch national that was raised mostly outside of the Netherlands, I have to fully agree with the above statement. It is not just a KLM issue, but a larger issue in general in the Netherlands.

The Dutch do not really understand the idea of customer service. I encounter the issue daily and I am still flabbergasted when it happens. In most cases, they come across as arrogant, indifferent, and incompetent; none of the three would anyone ever want to impart on their customers. It would behoove the Dutch to take notice.

Since returning to the Netherlands in 2003, I have started taking the steps to avoid doing business with Dutch companies that do not value customer service. I am sad to say I interact with very few Dutch companies. I do not fly KLM.

[Hotel Tango]

I think that part of the problem with poor customer service in NL is that the average Dutch citizen doesn't complain enough and, more importantly, take their business elsewhere. They tend to shrug their shoulders and put up with shoddy customer service as a fact of life. That's why those providing such poor service remain in business and become even more arrogant. This is of course generalisation. I have experienced some examples of excellent customer service in The Netherlands, but sadly it is the exception rather than the rule.

[pacer142]

The Dutch rail network may be *punctual*, but customer service levels and the quality of the accommodation is vastly below the standard of the UK system, IMX.