Vistara CEO apologises for fall in service standards in email to fliers

Time and again, we have spotted brand leaders writing apology letters. Why? Well, it is because there is severe social media backlash against their brands. Or, when a particular brand is under public scrutiny, as it has not complied with certain expected standards.

However, what’s not common is a brand taking note of its customers’ grievances and humbly apologising before the brand’s inefficiencies become the talk of the town.

Sharing an apology letter with Vistara’s customers, CEO Vinod Kannan admitted that the Gurugram-based airline had fallen short on its commitment in the last few months. It did not live up to its customers’ expectations, he added.

Kannan said that these grievances won’t go unnoticed, regardless of the medium used to voice them, and that a positive change is underway.

A copy of the email:

The first step in solving a problem, is realising that there is one. Kannan’s letter clearly implies this. It seems that Vistara’s senior management team is trying to get rid of these quality service gaps.

But how does a pre-emptive apology impact a brand? Can such brand communication help avoid a bigger PR crisis in future?

Archana Jain, managing director & CEO, PR Pundit, says, “It’s refreshing to see an organisation proactively engage their customers in an honest acknowledgment of service lapses. While one view could be: why draw attention to an issue among many who may not have experienced the lapse? But the other more progressive view is, why wait for issues to blow up into a crisis!”

She believes that loyal customers will certainly appreciate Vistara’s humble admission, as well as its humane and transparent approach to taking them into confidence on the corrective measures being put into place.

“Customers want to be heard and the airline has demonstrated what many tend to ignore. I believe this will go a long way in reassuring faith in the brand.”

Vistara’s recent social media posts are also in line with Kannan’s communication.

“A brand should be ready to accept its mistake. Accepting failures and challenges, is the first step to mitigate a crisis,” says a senior PR professional, on condition of anonymity.

He points out that in this case, Vistara may not be trying to evaluate its parameters according to industry standards. This is because it has transparently acknowledged its shortcomings, and customers tend to like such gestures.

Waiting for a bigger PR crisis to happen, should not be an option for brands. He mentions that good news will always be covered by the media. However, brands should be upfront and never wait for the right time to announce bad news.

Asif Upadhye, director, SPRD, and a veteran PR and communication professional, states, “It is both surprising and encouraging to see a brand like Vistara to come out and talk openly. It is trying to stay ahead of the narrative and take things head-on."

It shows that Vistara is service-oriented and customer-focused, adds Upadhye. Also, the brand comes from Tata Group, and aligns with the way the parent company operates.

“The letter tells us that Vistara has taken the customer feedback very seriously. It highlights how Vistara is taking concrete steps to deliver on some of these complaints. Also, hats off to the brand, since it is also quite pre-emptive,” Upadhye concludes.