Why America is Losing

Most things in the world have become commodities.  Electricity is the same for you as a consumer whether its generation comes from coal, natural gas, water, or sun light.  It doesn't matter if the milk you drink comes from a farm up the street or across the world - it still tastes like milk.  Oil changes, airline flights, taxi's - everything is the same product.  There are only two true differentiating factors:  technical quality and quality of service - and the price you have to pay for each.

A synopsis of my recent traveling experience should highlight why America is losing to nations overseas.

1)  How Super Shuttle Lost my Business

When mechanical failure with the hydraulics delayed our initial flight out of Phoenix for 7 hours, this was, effectively, a cancellation for us.  We would not make our connecting flights.  This meant we needed a ride back to our house where we would stay another night.  I left a porter with my family to load the luggage and I went to find us a ride.

I've always been brand loyal - or disloyal, as the case may be (ask me some day about my Hollywood Video experience).   When I needed transportation, my first thought was to use Super Shuttle.  I walked to the spot - outdoors - where everyone in the airport said I would find the scheduler.  No one there.  A shuttle was about to leave so I knocked on the window to ask where I could arrange a ride.  The driver said:  "Is he gone already?  He should be right where you are standing."  He wasn't.  I asked the taxi stand if they knew where I could get a Super Shuttle.  They pointed to where I had just left. 

Not ready to book a taxi - really, two, with 5 people and 11 bags - I walked back inside to help with the bags.  Off to the side, I noticed a guy in a Super Shuttle uniform reading some electronic device.  I ask him:  "Are you the Super Shuttle guy?"

"Are your bags outside ready to go?", he says, not even looking up at me.

I point to the carousel where the porter has finished loading the bags and is heading our way.  "They are right there on their way over."

"When your bags are outside I can put you in the system."

"They're headed this way now."

"I can't put you in the system until you're outside."

"Um, oookay", I reply and walk away.  I meet up with everyone and inform them we won't be using Super Shuttle because the guy was a jerk (I think I actually said "asshole").

As we walk past him to head outside, then he walks up and says:  "Ready to go?"

I say:  "No thanks.  I'm going to use someone who actually wants me as a customer."  That's how we ended up in the limo.

If I'm in his place, and someone locates me standing around at another service's counter, I think the first thing I say is:  "Where would you like to go?"  Then he could follow it up with "Policy prevents me from entering you in our system until you are standing by the curb, so when you're ready I'll be happy to book you for a ride to Mesa."  Of course, that would require hiring someone who is interested in actually doing some work.

2)  The Value of Business Class

There is not a lot you can do from a technical standpoint to improve on an airline flight.  You either arrive in one piece or you don't.  So the only way an airline can charge more is because of the service aspect - the perks.  People fly Business Class for those perks.  The primary perk being the size of the seats and the ability to lay flat and sleep well.  The secondary perks are the "expedited services" you receive.  There is a priority line at security.  Bags are tagged with "priority" so they are the first to arrive in baggage claim.  And a key for international travel, you get to be the first off the plane.  In fact, most flights don't let the coach passengers deplane until everyone from First and Business Class have already exited.  This really helps shorten the lines for immigration and customs.  It's a huge perk and well worth the extra fare.

Delta didn't do that.  In fact, they let Economy passengers come crashing through our cabin in the mad-rush style people often try.  I never understand the guy sitting in 49F who thinks he just has to be the first guy off the plane so he whips off his seat belt as soon as the plane comes to a stop and rushes to the forward cabin as the others stand up and collect their bags.  The crash of people made collecting our bags a challenge.  Singapore Airlines or Cathay Pacific would never have allowed it.

3)  Singapore Economy Class is Better than Delta Business Class

To save money, I'll often book our shorter flight in Economy.  Usually, the LAX to PHX and the Singapore to Jakarta flights, each about an hour, I'll book us in Economy.  I find it wasteful to fly Business Class for such a short flight.  The perks are warranted on a 19 hour flight.  Not so much for 1 hour.

The last leg of our trip was from Singapore to Jakarta and we flew Economy.  We were tired, the kids were fussy, and we only had three seats, instead of the four I had booked on our flights from Singapore to Phoenix and back.  Both our boys were listed as "lap infants".  Ugh!  Booking mistake on my part.

Examples of what Singapore Airlines personnel did for us:

• Before the flight took off, filled our sippy cup with milk for the 22 month old, then washed it when he was done.
• Brought two sets of stuffed animals, puzzles and coloring books to help keep the kids calm.
• When my son was throwing a crying fit, and I had separated myself on the mostly empty flight, three of them surrounded us to help try to calm him down.  One even dried his tears.
• My wife was breast feeding and trying to eat her meal.  The flight attendant cut her food for her.
• One of the flight attendants pretended to call the pilot to ask if it was okay to name the plane "Bambang" at my daughter's request.  Of course the answer was "yes" - which thrilled my daughter.
• We were the last to exit the plane.  On the way out, my son's diaper - about one size too large - chose that moment to fall out of the bottom of his shorts and hang around his ankles.  One of the flight attendants attempted to remove it, found it full of his "business" and put it back on him so we could clean him after exiting the gate.

I will fly Singapore Airlines anytime I can from now on.  They are amazing.

Overall, I always felt with the American workers that I was making them do their job and they wished I wasn't.  With the Asian workers I felt like they were glad their job was servicing the needs of my family.

On the flip side - and this is something my Asian colleagues often point out to me when I rave about Asian hospitality - on every flight to and from an American destination, when passengers saw how many bags I was carrying (5) with three kids and a wife in tow, at least one person always offered to help.  To and from Asian destinations - zip.  A good friend of mine in Indonesia who spent several years in the US in school always reminds me:  "In the US, if you get a flat tire, someone will always stop to help you.  In Indonesia, someone will stop to help, but you'll need to pay them for doing it."

So, import Asian labor to the American service industry, but make sure all the passengers are American.