The financial system today is arguably the most complex man-made system in existance. I have become intrigued as of late how human systems this complex could begin to show emergence, meaning that the system itself causes effects that would be impossible to predict beforehand. Fans of science fiction writers refer to this as “Ghosts in the Machine”.
Six Sigma is obsessed with the process in which business is conducted. I wonder, as an organization becomes so large that their processes become a system in and of themselves, will the same characteristics begin to show?
I really wish the government would stop bailing out failing corporations and start bailing out people — the people having trouble paying their mortgages, finding jobs or providing for their families. I am sick and tired of companies taking advantage of the weak economy by cutting benefits — especially when you work for a company like mine that is poised to have one of its most profitable years in recent history.
We’re too far down a dark and lonely path now, one that brings us right back to the S&L crisis during Reagan. Banks want to make money. We all know you make the most money by screwing over everyday individuals. Regulation does not work and is inefficient. The system is broken.
Can it be fixed?
I’m sitting on an incredibly delayed AirTran flight in Atlanta (blame the airport, not the airline) and the thought occurred to me… Why have flight attendants? They’re obsessed with rules that do ensure safety but unfortunately also garner the wrath of 90% of passengers. (Isn’t the “FAA Regulations” bit getting old? And I’m sorry, but the words “federal laws” are getting old, US Airways. But I digress…). Combined with gate agents, these employees with little or no control on policy are responsible for 95% of customer service issues, and as a result lose their enthusiasm quickly. Only JetBlue and AirTran seem to be able to keep attendants that enjoy their jobs. Turnover must be killer, which means these companies spend millions on human resources and recruiting that could otherwise be used to bring back the subscriptions to Golf Digest and The Atlantic.
What’s my solution? Cut the flight attendants. We average three per flight on every flight, which probably makes each ticket $2-5 more expensive (conservatively). Let’s replace them with two solutions:
- Vending Machines
- Airline Ambassadors
First, vending machines. That’s a no-brainer. The airlines spend millions to equip aircraft with Gate Gormet carts that are replaced or refilled each flight, and they already give away full cans instead of just a cup. Plus, you could increase the variety of food served and prevent the huge costs associated with all of the specialized equipment needed just to serve food on the airplane. Give me two vending machines in the rear of the plane. Instant cash machine for the airline (literally) and finally we can prevent that damn cart from running into our arms and elbows.
Now I think I know what you’re thinking: all this would do is create a watercooler atmosphere at the back of the plane, which would be unacceptable by safety standards. That’s where the second idea comes into play: airline ambassadors. Give everyday people 10-25% off the cost of their flight in exchange for helping other passengers on the flight. I got the idea when I saw one passenger give another a bottle of Ibuprofin. Of course the flight attendants are restricted from dispensing any type of medication, so this guy who literally just injured his knee was SOL. Instead, another passenger stepped in and made the flight much more bearable for the guy with the injury.
My idea is to scale that concept to something official. 5 or 6 passengers on each flight arrive early to help prepare the plane and stay late afterwards in exchange for a fare discount. If the airlines thought frequent flyer miles were the perfect way to capture return business customers, then my guess is this program could create serious customer retention among passengers who are far more concerned with price than miles.
All of this speaks to the greater goal of making flying fun and enjoyable. Instead of irritating employees of the airlines who fly as a profession, we could have a corps of kind-hearted souls, deputized by the airlines and backed up by the captain, first officer, and air marshals, all working together to make sure we get from here to there with the most enjoyable experience. It may not be the perfect solution, but at least typing this post got me through my one hour delay.
Are the connections on Twitter “real” enough to be valuable?
