I’m a Twitter user. Most of it is for communicating with other SQL professionals and a handful of close friends. But it’s also a great place to get the attention of companies with whom I do business. Comcast is legendary for their Twitter team, as is JetBlue.
I’m leaving on a trip to Seattle tomorrow, and I’m flying Alaska Airlines, one of my favorite airlines on the planet. They serve Boston from both Portland, OR and Seattle with an amazing west coast network. And they once saved my tail trying to get to Phoenix during a New England Nor’easter.
Anyway, I’m flying first class tomorrow, so I posed the following on Twitter:
@AlaskaAir Any idea what meal I’ll get in first class tomorrow on flt 15 BOS-SEA?
And they responded!
@mikehillwig Hi Mike, Sbjct to chg: chicken w/red pepper sauce,lentils,carrots or pork w/ mustard sauce,mashed potatoes,green beans. ^DS
Now, this is a little thing. I didn’t need to know this right away. In fact, I could have waited until I got on the plane. But it tells me whether or not I should bring my own snack on the plane. It is more than six hours in the air.
Still, someone at Alaska Airlines took the time to look up what I’ll be eating for dinner on my way to Seattle, and I really appreciate it. It’s one of those little things that will keep customers coming back.
For companies that have a presence on Twitter and don’t respond to your customers, shame on you. I’m looking at you, US Airways. Twitter should be interactive and not a one-way medium.
Still, I love my Alaska Airlines and I fly them as much as I can. Their customer service keeps me coming back. Okay, the smoked Alaskan salmon served as an appetizer in the first class cabin never hurts.