Last week, I was supposed to travel from Frankfurt to Amsterdam to speak at the local meeting of the sales enablement society. As usual, I used the easy online booking capabilities of my favorite airline weeks ago.
Just as I was getting ready to leave for the airport, a message popped up on my airline’s mobile app. “Your flight has been canceled.” Oh no! And “Call our service center for alternatives.” The first friction of the day.
I called the service center and spent 19 minutes (!) on the line until a service agent took my call. I had already done my research and learned that there was another flight at 16:20, which wouldn’t be ideal but better than anything. Of course, I also checked the availability while I was waiting on the phone: only four seats left in economy class, and 3 in business class.
By the time I had explained the