...Yohance Patterson Case Study 3 Professor George Scott 11/07/14 United Breaks Guitars “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.” – Warren Buffet (cite) Introduction David Carroll a musician and his band “Sons of Maxwell” were flying back from their hometown of Halifax, Canada from doing a week worth of shows in Omaha, Nebraska on March 31, 2008. On aboard a connector flight in Chicago at O’Hara international airport, David noticed a baggage claim handler mishandle his $3,500 guitar. David expressed to the flight agent about the incident but she responded by saying “Don’t talk to me. Talk to the lead agent outside.” Each person David tried to speak with about the incident passed him on to another person who couldn’t help him, David’s guitar ended up being broken and in need of repair. David request was for United Airlines to take the responsibility for the damages of the guitar by reimbursing the $1200 dollars that it cost to repair the guitar as well as $1200 worth of flight vouchers. After 7 months since the incident happen David was contacted by a rep from United Airline through email saying that she was sorry about what happened to the guitar, but that standard airline policy held that claims be made within 24 hours of damage and since he didn’t get his guitar inspected by United his claim was denied. David said “the system is designed to frustrate affected customers into giving up...
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...evaluate the effectiveness of United Airlines’ response to Carroll’s viral video, we have to take into consideration what they were hoping to achieve with their responses. In this case, the messages that United issued contain indications that their focus was on damage control rather than process improvement. Although United did indeed actively reply to tweets and other social media communications, they made no real effort to amend the underlying issue that caused the PR debacle in the first place. United’s treatment of its customers has not improved, as evidenced by their continued inadequacy in customer service. This is shown by their poor standing on J.D. Power & Associates’ 2011 North American Airline Satisfaction Study. United’s response is also lacking in transparency and candor that a sincere admission of guilt would have displayed, and this is evidenced by their vague assurances such as that they would use Carroll’s video for “training purposes.” However, it is also possible that United’s management was aware of the fact that damage control by issuing apologies, however insincere, would be adequate. After all, although it is hyped that United’s shareholders lost $180 Million from Carroll’s video, data shows that they quickly regained this “loss” within a month. Thus, it is fair to say that United handled the incident well in a purely financial sense, but not in an ethical sense. In retrospect, it is not surprising that “United Breaks Guitars” became a viral video. According...
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...Confirming Pages Case 3 United Breaks Guitars John Deighton Leora Kornfeld On July 8, 2009, United Airlines offered professional musician Dave Carroll $1,200 in cash and $1,200 in flight vouchers to ‘make right’ a situation in which his guitar had been damaged at Chicago’s O’Hare airport during transfer from one airplane to another, in full view of passengers seated in the plane. Carroll had spent 15 months seeking compensation, but the effort appeared to have reached an impasse when a United Airlines customer service representative told him that the airline had concluded that the damage was Carroll’s responsibility and that she considered the matter closed. He replied that in that case he would be composing three songs about his experience and posting them to the video-sharing site YouTube. The first song was posted on July 6, 2009. At the same time, he wrote a blog entry detailing the ordeal and posted the link to the YouTube video on his Twitter account. Within a week the video had been viewed three million times, and United Airlines had reached out to Carroll to offer the compensation. Online and offline media helped propagate the story. On July 22, 2009, The Times of London wrote that “the gathering thunderclouds of bad PR caused United Airlines’ stock price to suffer a mid-flight stall, and it plunged by 10 percent, costing shareholders $180 million.”1 Hundreds of news reports repeated the story of how a single poorly handled customer complaint had, thanks to the...
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...“United Breaks Guitars”—An Epic Social Media Failure On March 31, 2008, musician and lead singer Dave Carroll and his Canadian band, Sons of Maxwell, departed for a weeklong tour, flying on United Airlines (UAL) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Omaha, Nebraska via Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. As they waited to deplane at O’Hare, Carroll and his band observed UAL baggage handlers tossing their expensive instruments around the tarmac “without regard.” Carroll’s desperate pleas to multiple UAL employees to intervene and rescue the instruments from the careless baggage handlers went unheeded. In Omaha, Carroll discovered that his $3,500 Taylor guitar had been smashed and broken—and that it was no accident. According to Carroll, he attempted to resolve his claim for the broken guitar with countless UAL customer service representatives. For a year, the airline refused to accept responsibility. Ultimately, he was told that UAL would not compensate him for the damage they’d inflicted on his instrument. Convinced that UAL had created a claim system designed to simply wear down customers, he decided to share his frustration with others via social media and to do so in creative ways. Carroll wrote and produced three music videos detailing his experience with UAL, which he posted on YouTube. His videos created a huge base of millions of fans. His first song, “United Breaks Guitars,” became a viral Internet phenomenon shortly after it was uploaded to YouTube in July 2009. He sang: United...
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...TUI UNIVERSITY Angelica M. Johnson Module 3 Case Study ITM 501 Management Information Systems and Business Strategy Prof. Sam Biragbara March 14, 2014 Introduction The purpose of this case study is to examine whether the availability and use of social media on the internet really provides businesses with new and different useful information. We will explain the reasons why we feel this is true. Additionally, we will provide a counterargument to my original position, and finally, re-address my original position in light of the counterargument. Businesses and Social Media The availability and use of social media on the internet absolutely provides businesses with new and different useful information. The key question is; are businesses ready to use social media, and the information exchange opportunity it provides, to their advantage? The internet and social media is a fast moving train; businesses can either get on that train, deliberately evolving in this frightening economy, or get run over by the train and die a sure death (Rodriguez, 2011). What Not To Do United Airlines Customer service is something all businesses know is important; however, not all businesses invest and prioritize customer service in their vision or strategic plans. If a business is a service or product provider with a well known name and brand, not paying attention to customers could be a big mistake. One such service provider, United Airlines, committed one of those big mistakes...
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... ABSTRACT Allison R. Soule: Fighting the Social Media Wildfire: How Crisis Communication Must Adapt to Prevent from Fanning the Flames (Under the direction of Dr. Lois Boynton) When a nine-month correspondence seeking reparations for musical instruments damaged by United Airlines employees stalemated, Canadian musician Dave Carroll took action online. Utilizing the video-sharing Web site YouTube, Carroll narrated his ordeal went viral generating a torrent of negative YouTube comments about United, commentary from the mainstream media, and more than 3 million views the first week of its launch. United Breaks Guitars embodies the new phenomenon of a social media wildfire in which the rapid proliferation of information through social media causes severe reputational damage to organizations whose crisis communication plans are ill equipped to handle online dilemmas. CO iii PY Using symbolic interactionist theory, this case analysis explores the phenomenon in detail and provides suggestions for how organizations must re-evaluate existing crisis communication plans to respond effectively to an online audience in the billions. RI G H through the lyrics of a music video entitled United Breaks Guitars. Within hours, the video TE D TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION AND PROBLEM...
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...United Breaks Guitars In March 2008, Dave Carroll, a musician from Halifax, NS and his band, the Sons of Maxwell, traveled from Halifax to Nebraska via O’Hare airport in Chicago. What happened on the journey became the subject of outrage, embarrassment, amusement, and transformed Carroll from country singer to customer service guru. Carroll claimed that his guitar was severely damaged by United Airlines baggage handlers at O’Hare. His attempts to pursue a damage claim with United having been frustrated, he posted two amusing videos about the incident on YouTube. The overwhelming response raised questions about brands and the nature of marketing communications in the internet age. The Incident and Carroll’s Response In Carroll’s own words, what happened was as follows: “In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-‐ week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed...
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...Practice Questions and Answers from Lesson I-4: Demand and Supply Practice Questions and Answers from Lesson I-4: Demand and Supply The following questions practice these skills: Describe when demand or supply increases (shifts right) or decreases (shifts left). Identify a competitive equilibrium of demand and supply. Describe the equilibrium shifts when demand or supply increases or decreases. Describe how prices or gross substitutes or gross complements shift demand. Describe how input costs or production costs shift supply. Aggregate individual demand into market demand. Describe how effective price ceilings cause shortages. Compute some special demand curves and some special supply curves from verbal descriptions. Question: A survey indicated that chocolate is Americans’ favorite ice cream flavor. For each of the following, indicate the possible effects on demand, supply, or both as well as equilibrium price and quantity of chocolate ice cream. a. A severe drought in the Midwest causes dairy farmers to reduce the number of milk-producing cattle in their herds by a third. These dairy farmers supply cream that is used to manufacture chocolate ice cream. b. A new report by the American Medical Association reveals that chocolate does, in fact, have significant health benefits. c. The discovery of cheaper synthetic vanilla flavoring lowers the price of vanilla ice cream. d. New technology for mixing and freezing ice cream lowers manufacturers’ costs of producing...
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...Practice Questions and Answers from Lesson I-4: Demand and Supply Practice Questions and Answers from Lesson I-4: Demand and Supply The following questions practice these skills: Describe when demand or supply increases (shifts right) or decreases (shifts left). Identify a competitive equilibrium of demand and supply. Describe the equilibrium shifts when demand or supply increases or decreases. Describe how prices or gross substitutes or gross complements shift demand. Describe how input costs or production costs shift supply. Aggregate individual demand into market demand. Describe how effective price ceilings cause shortages. Compute some special demand curves and some special supply curves from verbal descriptions. Question: A survey indicated that chocolate is Americans’ favorite ice cream flavor. For each of the following, indicate the possible effects on demand, supply, or both as well as equilibrium price and quantity of chocolate ice cream. a. A severe drought in the Midwest causes dairy farmers to reduce the number of milk-producing cattle in their herds by a third. These dairy farmers supply cream that is used to manufacture chocolate ice cream. b. A new report by the American Medical Association reveals that chocolate does, in fact, have significant health benefits. c. The discovery of cheaper synthetic vanilla flavoring lowers the price of vanilla ice cream. d. New technology for mixing and freezing ice cream lowers manufacturers’ costs of producing...
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...address the public relationship outfall of United Airline by considering the issues and causes and choosing a recommended solution on the base of decision criteria. Methods used in this report include empirical and theoretical analysis. In aviation industry, airlines experienced a cost pressure and that is the main reason that they cut cost wherever possible. Ethical issues and stakeholders’ benefit would be considered and play key roles in decision criteria to value the solution. United Airline would be suggested to establish a temporary team to solve the short-term crisis and invest in customer service departments to prevent similar issues in the future. The balance between cost and profit would be achieved to save the reputation and earn the profit, which would maximize the stakeholders’ value. Limitation of this report could be found in the scope of decision criteria. Some main points are covered and other attributes are not. Introduction The purpose of this report is to deal with the customer service issues facing United Airline. The causes would be discussed and the decision criteria would be considered to measure the alternatives which could be taken to address these issues. Moreover, recommended solution would be derived as the best of the alternatives with supported reasons. Finally, suggestions would be provided on how to implement the solution as well as the related implications. Issues United Airline suffered a public relationship...
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... [edit] History [edit] Early years (1989–1991) After Hamilton had left the Band of Susans, Helmet formed in early 1989. They were spotted by Tom Hazelmyer and signed to Amphetamine Reptile Records, releasing their debut 7 inch single, "Born Annoying", later that year. AmRep released their first album, Strap it On, in 1990. Helmet was acclaimed as a "Thinking person's heavy metal band." Eschewing the traditional heavy metal image of long hair and black clothing, the band stood out with their preference for simple t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers, and short haircuts. Their music is characterized by repetitive, syncopated, staccato guitar riffs, often in distorted time signatures, and almost always in a minor key with drop-D or drop-C tuning. The guitar sound is heavily distorted and dissonant, with choruses that often involve guitar feedback waves. Before...
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...United Breaks Guitars Even though this case seems to be a big crisis for United, I personally think that the United’s response was not bad, speaking from the marketing perspective. How United responded to this situation had a lot to do United’s positioning at the time. Cutting costs and experiencing bankruptcy made United price-sensitive. It is impossible to satisfy everyone. The response determined how United was going to be seen in consumers’ eyes. First of all, it was good that United responded with integrity. They did apologize and say that they were trying to make it right. However, I don’t think that any company has to drop to its knees to make up to its customers. United showed consumers that the first thing they did was to contact Carroll to confirm the situation. And it was also mentioned that United had received some fraudulent claims along the years. If United were to blindly state that they would compensate Carroll for his loss without any investigation, it would set a precedent for others who might not be as honest and want to benefit from false claims. United had also stand firmly by its policies, by saying, “no excuse, we are sorry”. Secondly, what happened in the past is sunk cost. The critical thing in the response should be letting customers know how they plan to change in the future. United showed customers that they’ve learned from this experience and were planning to improve, as they asked Carroll if they could use the video internally. Thirdly, United...
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...music both developed in the 19th century in the Southern United States. They share a similar history. For this reason, they share many of the same musical and lyrical characteristics. Read more: How to Compare Blues & Country Music | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5888119_compare-blues-country-music.htInstructions 1. * 1 Learn the history behind blues and country music. They are both forms of American folk music influenced by earlier styles brought overseas. Blues music grew out of field hollers and chants sung by African slaves. Irish and Scottish balladeers borrowed the guitar and banjo of blues and thus created "country". According to Reebee Garofalo in "Rockin' Out: Popular Music in the USA", "Terms like country and blues are only used to separate the same kind of music made by blacks and whites ... designations like race and hillbilly intentionally separated artists along racial lines and conveyed the impression that their music came from mutually exclusive sources." Country is an offshoot of blues. They are essentially the same thing. In the PBS special, "Rhythm, Country and Blues," country is referred to as "white man's blues." * 2 Listen to the instrumentation in country and blues songs. They share many of the same instruments. These include guitar, bass, piano and drums, among others. Traditional country music differed from blues in that it utilized instruments such as the pedal steel guitar and fiddle. Modern country doesn't necessarily include...
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...Questions for Cases All groups need to prepare the PPTs and groups for presentations will be selected during the sessions 1. Infosys’s Relationship Scorecard 1. How does Infosys’ customer-centric organization compare with that of other companies? What challenges does this organization try to address? What tensions do these challenges create, and how does Infosys deal with them? 2. What is the role of the RSC in a customer relationship? What does an RSC offer that is not already contained in the client’s SLAs? What are the opportunities and challenges involved in building an RSC? 3. Infosys has learned through its RSCs that some customers are dissatisfied with its team turnover. How would you respond to Apted’s request to keep the best people in the Syngenta team? How would you deal with this issue from Syngenta’s perspective? 4. How should Sanjay deal with the challenges and tensions that have arisen with the use of the RSC? Could you help Sanjay design an action plan to improve the RSC? Should Infosys make it a priority for EMs to get their clients to embrace RSCs? Should Sanjay suggest using the RSC earlier in the relationship with a client? Is there any change that you would introduce to the content of the RSC? 2. Chantale and Clinton 1. What were Chantale and Clinton’s service expectations? How did they develop? 2. What is your evaluation of the Canadian’s provision of repair service? 3. Should The Canadian or other stores be concerned about incidents of this...
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...defined as “a class of novel that deals with the coming-of-age or formative years of an individual”. Furthermore, in a bildungsroman, a main protagonist usually undergoes some transformation after seeking truth or philosophical enlightenment. In Morrison’s novel, the plot follows the main protagonist Milkman as he matures within his community while developing relationships with others and discovering his individual identity. The symbolism of flying is very relevant to issues of identity. Milkman struggles to break away from dependence of Macon II is really the main struggle throughout the novel on an individual level. As he tries to break away and reach his full potential, he is able to fly at Guitar. He does not do this alone however, through all of the differing point of views, Morrison and her characters guide Milkman onto the path of self-discovery. Many examples are in the story, from Robert Smith flying, to Milkman peeing on Lena, and ending with Milkman flying at Guitar, and there are any more throughout. Morrison's general theme of the novel certainly had to do with one's struggle for identity Through the enlightenment of this one man, his...
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