Archive for February, 2010

Kevin Smith Vs Southwest Airlines

// February 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Uncategorized

I love this!  This is a tiny experiment in how people ingest information, take sides, and how they investigate.  I have watched with much fascination at how this all unfolded.

For both sides check out these links,
Kevin Smith’s account – SModcast 106 is an audio cast of him retelling what happened.

Southwest Airline’s apology #1 and #2.

Kevin Smith announced what happened on Twitter then everything went crazy.  Many people took Smith’s side.  Some took Southwest’s side.

Southwest came out and “apologized”. They say it was “heartfelt” but then they go on to give some personal information of his and then a slight retelling of their side followed by a paragraph about their policy.

I have always said there are three sides to a story but if Kevin could bring down the arm rest and wasn’t infringing then there is no story and no case.  So I don’t know if there is any room for truth stretching.

In his podcast, Kevin says that he thinks one guy is to blame for starting this.  When he is asked to leave they mention the pilot had requested it.  Kevin refutes that the pilot can see him which even Linda admits in the blog post #2 saying they were following orders to hurry up.  And like psychology has shown us many times, we follow authority even if it isn’t right.

So what is so fascinating?

  1. Southwest Airlines had a public response on their site at “14:57 on Sunday”, about 18 hours later.
  2. This apology was hollow and many commenters mentioned that. Much like customer service lines I get where they say, “I am sorry to hear that,” every 30 seconds.  It become insincere.
  3. Being out and this transparent, Southwest had to say something but they weren’t prepared but felt they had to move quick.  In the second blog post Linda Rutherford said, “I have never dealt with a situation like what has been unfolding in the last 48 hours.” Also, their Twitter account has been silent for almost 24 hours.
  4. Reading comments on Southwest’s blog and then on other sites where they had almost none of the story and had not heard Kevin Smith’s telling yet, people picked his side.  Even asking why a Hollywood guy is on Southwest Airlines.
  5. Almost completely lost is the fact that Kevin says he could lower the arm rest which seems to be in line with the policy.
  6. One thing proven over and over the longer I have been on the internet is that few people actually read everything but they are quick to jump to a conclusion.

Here’s what I think Southwest should have done.  They should have pulled everyone that was a part of that event aside and asked for their account of what happened AND what should have happened.  One person pulled the trigger to pull Kevin Smith off the plane. It most likely wasn’t the stewardess who had already recognized him as a the famed-director.  We do things for friends, it’s just the way it is.  If the other employees A) do not agree that Kevin Smith was too big or B) agree that someone else was on the plane of equal or bigger size, then the person who pulled the trigger should be suspended or fired.

Kevin said there was a guy larger than him on the plane that he made eye contact with as he was leaving.  I am assuming that guy was sitting next to someone or Kevin wouldn’t have pointed it out.   Southwest has to have a policy that is consistent and that doesn’t seem to be the case by the stories that I have found.

Lastily, Southwest should have gotten their people together to come up with a better first response. I think it should have happened a little faster but what did come out was pretty bad and I don’t think it involved talking to anyone that wasn’t covering their asses.

I think SouthWest tried to respond too quickly and screwed up the apology. If you listen to Smith’s Smodcast he thinks it is linked to one guy.  Unfortunately others have to enforce what the higher ups tell them .
In a situation of Cover Your Ass, this blog and whoever made this apology probably heard a story of Moby Dick on the plane and that’s why instead of a real apology we get a rules explanation.  They should have talked to each an every worker who came in contact with Smith.
The first question is whether he passed he arm rest test which Smith says he did?
The second question should have been who made the decision and on what basis?
And lastly, do you think he should have been ejected?
Smith took a picture of himself making a bloated face while on the last airplane. I wished he would have taken a picture of him passing the arm rest test.  It would have been game over. Now it continues with a he said/she said scenario.

What should Kevin Smith have done? He’s done what many have done he just has a better platform.  The only thing that he could have done was instead of taking of his face, making a mockingly bloated face, he should have taken one of his seat and sides.  Irrefutable at that point.

UPDATE: Kevin just responded to Southwest’s #2 blog and tells about Linda Rutherford calling him.  The first call went well but I think when she ran everything through the filter, the story or mea culpa was changed.  Linda is in a tough spot and she will earn her paycheck this week.

The scary thing for Southwest is that Kevin Smith does not mind being the butt of jokes and he will retell this one for years. I don’t know how much it will damage Southwest in the end but they won’t have some of the good will they have spent millions trying to build.

There are many lessons for companies in this recent fracas and I think it will scare some from away from Social Media because nothing was gained and their misstep may have added fuel to the fire.