Herb Kelleher Quotes

At United, I will dedicate myself to making our airline flyer-friendly.

United Airlines: Passengers are our worst enemy. We're not too fond of luggage either.

The customer is usually wrong, but statistics indicate that it doesn't pay to tell him so

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.

Southwest Airlines is successful because the company understands it's a customer service company. It also happens to be an airline.

You know the old adage that the customer's always right? Well, I kind of think that the opposite is true. The customer is rarely right.

The customer is not always right.

The guest gets at least as much service with us as with some established airline, if not even more. And at by far a favourable price. Thus the passengers remain gladly with us.

If a customer walks out without shoes, you really want to find out why. 'It didn't fit' is not good enough.

Have you ever noticed that it’s only the public sector that complains about too many customers.

What unfortunately happens is we have about... 350 million interactions with consumers a year, between phone calls and truck calls. It may be over 400 million, and that doesn't count any online interactions, which I think is over a billion. You get one-tenth of one-percent bad experience, that's a lot of people - unacceptable.

I can remember in my lifetime when we used to argue with customers.

Grandpa didn't have any idea of customer service. But he wanted to make a living. Eventually, we saw it was not in our best interest to be arguing with customers.

When a customer is really not happy, it's a very unpleasant experience.

The service at this airport restaurant is so bad I'm starting to panic that I'm a ghost.

I tell ya when I fly, I don't get no respect. I took one of those cheap flights, no frills. I finished eatin' and had to do the dishes.

People that pay for things never complain. It's the guy you give something to that you can't please.

If I don’t start having service I’m going to swap you all for a dog and shoot the dog.

They said I was a valued customer. Now they send me hate mail.

The customer is always right...even when they're wrong.

The complaining customer represents a huge opportunity for more business.

I was literally calling my customers who were complaining on social media and having a dialog with them, and sending them money.

Damn! This flight attendant treating us like we won these first class tickets in a contest.

Those who enter to buy, support me. Those who come to flatter, please me. Those who complain, teach me how I may please others so that more will come. Those only hurt me who are displeased but do not complain. They refuse me permission to correct my errors and thus improve my service.

The poorest service is repaid with thanks.