Last week, I set off on a trip to France with great enthusiasm to meet a new contact at a major international client. After a smooth flight, I arrived at my destination, Nice Airport. Everything went well until I reached the car rental desk to pick up my reserved car. What I encountered there was beyond what I expected: absolute chaos.
A Queue Full of Frustration
At the counter, dozens of people were waiting. Some tried to remain patient, while others were visibly angry and disappointed. The problem? An internet outage. The reservation systems of the car rental company, one of the largest in the world, were down. Without access to these systems, nothing could be arranged. No cars, no departures, no vacations.
It felt as if time had come to a standstill. Everyone had plans, schedules, and destinations to reach. All those plans were falling apart. The rental company switched to a manual system, but even that was far from flawless.
The Wrong Car
When it was finally my turn, a solution seemed within reach. I was assigned a car and headed to the parking garage, relieved. But even there, things went wrong: at the exit gate, I discovered I had been given the wrong car. Back to the counter I went, where the line had only grown longer.
What started as a relatively small issue, an internet outage, escalated into a chain reaction of delays, frustrations, and inconveniences for all the affected customers. In the end, I was able to continue my journey, but only after more than an hour.
A Missed Opportunity
For me, as an IT professional, this was doubly frustrating. I know that these kinds of problems are easily preventable. Bundling two different internet connections with a failover system ensures minimal chances of outages. This isn’t rocket science but a basic solution that has been standard in many industries for years.
The most disappointing part? This didn’t happen at a small, local rental agency but at a global player with vast resources and expertise. If even they are unprepared for an internet outage, what does that say about the rest of the sector?
Customer Experience and Reliability
What struck me most about this incident is how significant the impact on the customer experience can be. That single outage, which may have been technically easy to resolve, likely left hundreds of customers with a negative impression. It’s highly likely that some of them will choose another rental company in the future and I can’t blame them.
Lessons for Businesses
If I’ve learned anything from this experience, it’s that a reliable IT infrastructure is crucial. Not just for the company itself but especially for its customers. It’s the backbone of any organization, particularly in a world that’s becoming increasingly dependent on technology.
At Wanscale, we work every day on solutions that help businesses prevent these kinds of problems. From bundling internet connections to implementing redundant systems: the technology is available; now it’s just a matter of willingness to invest in reliability.
It’s my mission to raise awareness among companies about the importance of a robust IT infrastructure. Because let’s face it, a seamless customer experience starts with a stable internet connection.
Jos Beckers
