I thought this was a nice touch during challenging times in that the CEO of KLM sent a personal message to the KLM’s customers and while I know it was computer generated, it’s the thought that counts and you can read what he had to say below.
Maybe a lesson for other CEOs on how to connect with customers and drive loyalty!
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Dear John,
COVID-19 has dramatically changed our world – both yours and ours. As a valued KLM customer, you have likely not been able to make the trips that you anticipated over the past year. Business travel, holidays, visiting friends and relatives abroad – trips that we used to take for granted, today are full of complications or even impossible.
If you did fly with us, COVID-19 measures have meant that we haven’t always been able to deliver the service that you are accustomed to. We truly regret this.
When the scope and impact of the pandemic became clear, we immediately took action to introduce ‘Travel with Confidence’, a program to keep our passengers informed and safe, and to offer maximum flexibility in booking conditions. In the past year, we have repatriated over a quarter of a million stranded travelers – some as far away as Australia – and reunited them with their families. At the same time, many of our KLM colleagues who had enforced time off due to the pandemic volunteered their time to help out in care homes and hospitals.
With our global network, we transported medicines, facemasks and medical equipment anywhere they were needed most. And soon, KLM Cargo, one of the world’s largest transporters of pharmaceuticals, will play an important role in the global distribution of Corona vaccines.
All of these initiatives show how KLM is dedicated to playing its part in the global recovery from this pandemic. We take our responsibility to society very seriously, and are very grateful for the trust you place in us.
Looking ahead at 2021, I expect COVID-19 will continue to keep the world in its grip for the foreseeable future. Yet we are optimistic: the news of highly effective vaccines is encouraging, and flight by flight, we are rebuilding our network. Today, we already fly to some 160 destinations all over the world, around 80% of our total network. We work closely with our partner Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to optimize the safe, smooth and comfortable transfer process at our hub, allowing us to connect you to the world.
At the same time, we are hard at work building a new KLM – one that is more sustainable, more efficient and innovative, and one that has even more focus on you, our customer. So that in 2021, you can continue to travel with us safely and confidently.
That is why I’m confident about the future. We are ready, and look forward to welcoming you on board again soon. For now, I’d like to wish you happy holidays and a happy, and above all healthy, 2021. The past year has shown us how incredibly important that is.
Sincerely,
Pieter Elbers
President & CEO
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
A report by John Alwyn-Jones
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