Here is an excellent example of masterful mistake management!  We pulled it from the archives in celebration of Mistake Management Month.

A much heralded hero at University Directories was Jim Wilcox who was a travel agent at Viking Travel.  We did quite a lot of business with them throughout the year, but it always peaked during May when it was time to fly our sales reps into Chapel Hill for training. 

For several years, we had had a large group coming from the Midwest and so instead of buying plane tickets from Viking, we hired a private bus company to pick up in Chicago or in Indianapolis.  It was a long trip, but it saved a lot of money.  It also helped that these were college students and they thought this trip was fun!  Well – usually. 

One Saturday in May, one of our intended bus passengers called at 5:00 pm saying the bus did not show up at 10:00 am as scheduled.  We unsuccessfully tried to reach someone at the bus company.  We had to do something quickly.  Training started the next morning. 

We called the emergency number for Viking Travel.  Jim Wilcox picked up the call.  He was at home hosting a dinner party.  When we explained that 45 of our student sales reps were stranded at the airport, waiting for a bus, Jim took immediate action.  It is important to note that this is before we had computers at home, before the internet and before e-ticketing.  Jim left his dinner party, went to his office and within an hour, had booked and paid for 45 plane tickets to the RDU airport.

Our sales management staff then did an excellent job of gathering a 10 car caravan and welcoming party for our frustrated and weary travelers when they finally arrived at the airport at 11:00 pm. 

We had already been very pleased with Jim Wilcox and Viking Travel, which was obvious by the length of time we had worked with them.  But Jim’s action on this particular Saturday night made him one of our heroes.   He handled a mistake and it wasn’t even his!

Note:  Jim is no longer with Viking Travel but is an independent agent.  If you would like to contact him, please let me know.

Related Articles: 

• Quote of the Week:  It’s Not Our Fault
• 10 “Mistakes” to Maximize
• Hooray for Viking Travel
• Hooray for Zane’s Cycles
• Brainteaser of the Week #46

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