My cathartic blog....

I have vowed to never talk about work in my blogs.  I very much dislike it when people talk negatively about their workplace in their private social sites.  My thoughts are: if I am so happy to make it a status, then I clearly need to move on.  I mean, I know we have tough days, but there are expressing stress or frustrations and then there is bad mouthing your company.  Its tough for me, I work for an airline, and I pretty much treat my facebook friends as guests or potential guests.  I love my company and I don't want to say stuff in my status that our guests and potential guests could see and form an opinion on.  If I put stuff in my status saying negative stuff, then I can only assume my friends are thinking "Geez, if one of their own talk like that, imagine what everyone else says, must be a poor company".  I don't know if you are like me, but I will not use a business based on what my friends say.  Word of mouth is the BEST way of advertisement and if the advertisement from the employees is that they are stressed, frustrated and mad...then why would I give them our business?


That being said, I want to talk about my work.  Bare with me, I am building....


Almost one year ago (tomorrow)  was the day we shut down our reservation system  to "upgrade" to a new system.  What followed was chaos. Insanity. Heartbreak.  Stress beyond stress.  Frustration levels.  All which lead to many tears.


Our old bookings weren't speaking to our new system (well not exactly, but I think that helps the general public understand) and altho we were trained all summer long, the learning system to our live system were nothing really compareable.  


This resulted in our guests holding for HOURS.  Some of our finest employees would work 12 hr days just to be able to take 4 more calls that day.  To help 4 more people.  After all, calls were taking 1 to 2 hrs to resolve.  We would often answer the phone to hear people snoring, waking them hours after they had called in.  In an 8 hr shift, we would talk to maybe 5 or 6 guests.  Compared to taking 6 to 10 calls in an hour before.


I wish I could put into words how we felt.  But I don't think I can.  When I try, my eyes well up with tears. I met some amazing people at work that I had never met before.  It was traumatic and we all bonded over it.  I made so many new friends and some bonds will never be broken.   


The support on the floor was tremendous. We had so many guests who were so understanding and kind.  They made it worth while.  


We went from 8 hour holds, to 6 hours, to 4 hours, to 2 hours, to 1 hour, and then to none.  We finally broke through our hold times in March.  I wasn't there that day, but the cheers and tears that occur is a true sign of measurement. 


Today, we still have hiccups, but wow, what a difference.  Our new system has opened up so many doors and my companies success feels like it has no boundaries.


So today, in my heart are so many who shared so much with me.  We succeeded because we cared.


Cheesy, I know.