For a moment I thought I was just dreaming. I awoke to the heavenly, unmistakable aroma of fresh-baked chocolate cookies at 32,000 feet.  It filled the air with the promise of a sweet treat for weary passengers to Boston, delayed for two hours. Was American Airlines (www.aa.com) trying to reverse the curse of relentless torture with a thoughtful gesture for its valued customers?  

I waited, glancing hopefully down the aisle, expecting any moment that an airline attendant in blue to magically appear with a big plate stacked with cookies.  Should I?  Of course, South Beach be dammed.  I watched and watched.  No one came.  Finally it dawned on me.  They would not come.  The cookies were baked for FIRST CLASS PASSENGERS ONLY. 

Don’t get me wrong.  I have absolutely no issue with the airlines give extra special treatment to first class passengers.  It’s part of the deal. Food that passes as a real meal on a china plates?  Naturally!  Napa Valley Cabernet served in real stem glasses? Of course!  My only request: just keep the curtain closed.  I know I’m not special in coach, I just don’t want to be reminded.

That’s why it struck me as odd that American would so flagrantly violate this long standing rule – and send out such a big, fat smoke signal.  It wasn’t just that we weren’t chocolate chip cookie “worthy” … it’s that they BROADCAST it to us – a kind of “in your face” message that made us feel like true second class citizens.

You can’t pull the curtain on the smell of fresh baked cookies.

And it strikes me that a lot of other businesses are doing the same thing.

A lot of businesses are sending the wrong signal to their customers … alienating them with the stupidest unintended messages.  Every time we give someone less than 100% attention or miss the mark we’re saying “You’re just not that important to us.”

It’s as if we’re going on the public address system on the airplane and saying, “Dear Customers, we want to be sure that you know how we really feel about you.  You are not worthy of our best.  You are not worthy of the special treat.  You can smell the cookies but you can’t have them.

I remember reading how American Airlines once saved $40,000 simply by eliminating one olive on salads in first class.  So I don’t expect the cookie.  It’s just that if you’re going to give it to some, and do it right in front of us, you’re going to alienate us. 

Now might be a good time to examine the question – are we making sure that all our customers know they are chocolate chip cookie worthy?

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