🛩️ Delta's Secret to Good Service
🌞 Welcome to Full Stop. Sharing my brain so you can dive deeper into yours.
🛫 The First Week of 2025
1/5/2025
Hopped on a one-way flight back to San Francisco this past Thursday evening after being home in CT for the holidays.
My luggage, however, had other plans.
Isn’t it fun when your deodorant decides to take a solo adventure, especially when you’ve got a big presentation the next day? Awesome.
🍿 Why Delta Customer Service Might Be Smarter Than You Think
12:20 AM, SFO:
I’ve now been standing at the baggage carousel for over an hour. Everyone from my flight has already collected their bags, left the airport, and is probably fast asleep in some cozy bed. Meanwhile, I’m still gaslighting myself into thinking, It’s me. I just need to be patient. My luggage will show up… right?
Finally, I accept defeat and shuffle over to the Delta counter. Overheated in my North Face jacket (because someone said, wear your heaviest items to save suitcase space), running on fumes, and already stressing about the presentation I need to prep in—checks watch—six hours.
Big inhale. Big exhale.
When the counter finally opens, I’m bracing myself for the classic How can I help you? Instead, the agent greets me with a totally unexpected question:
“Would you like a snack?”
…A snack?
Next thing I know, they’re offering me a choice of trail mixes (bougier than the in-flight kind), granola bars, chilled water, and even coffee.
Huh.
I take my snack, get my tracking number, and call an Uber. But as I head out, I can’t stop thinking about the snacks.
Let’s break it down
Nearly every person approaching that counter is furious. Lost luggage, damaged bags—it’s a setup for disaster. Customer service workers are essentially walking into a battlefield every time they show up to work.
So why the snacks?
Here’s my theory: humans get upset not for the sake of it, but because some basic need isn’t being met. Like babies crying for food or comfort, adults lash out when our fundamental needs—like food, water, or rest—are ignored.
Delta gets it.
They know that most people at that counter are hungry, dehydrated, and exhausted. Offering a snack isn’t just a nice gesture; it’s a strategic one. It’s hard to have a productive conversation—or any conversation—when your body is screaming for calories or hydration.
Meet the need, solve the problem.
🤯 The Bigger Lesson
Sure, most days you won’t be losing luggage or pacing a baggage carousel at midnight, but the principle holds up: to show up as your best self, you need to meet your own basic needs first.
For me, that means:
Sufficient sleep.
Proper nutrition. (Protein and fiber are non-negotiable—check out Forever Strong by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon if you need inspiration.)
Meditation.
Movement.
Your list might look different, but the key is figuring out what keeps you grounded and committing to it consistently.
Take that nap.
Drink that coffee.
Eat that snack.
Don’t let yourself become the angry customer of your own life because you failed to prepare.
📍Bonus: Empathy in Action
When you start recognizing how your unmet needs impact your mood, you can better empathize with others. That cranky coworker? Maybe they’re just tired, hungry, or dehydrated. Extend the same understanding you’d want in their shoes.
Thanks, Delta, for the reminder:
Meet your needs—and help others meet theirs. That’s how we show up as good humans.
Update: I arrived safely, and about 24 hours later… so did my bags.
🤔 Inspiration for the Week Ahead
As I settle into my first real week of work (training is over!), I’m reflecting on what routine looks like for me in this new chapter.
For a little inspiration, check out this routine optimization guide from Dr. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology at Stanford: YouTube: Optimize Your Routine.
Quick takeaway: Your energy and focus fluctuate throughout the day. Understanding how your cognitive states align with specific tasks can help you work with your natural rhythms instead of against them.
🌅 Here’s to routines, snacks, and showing up as our best selves.
🎞️ My Happy-Tears-Moments From the Week
Follow 📸@FullStopWithNat on Instagram
🌞Loving Full Stop? Consider Donating!
Hi friends, I’m Natalie, a recent Brown University graduate with a degree in neuroscience. Through 🌞Full Stop, I aim to ignite mindfulness in myself and others by sharing thoughts, questions, and science. Thank you for reading and being part of this journey.
Omg is that your mom? You could be twins. How did your presentation go?