Expedia’s executives were not oblivious. They were aware of the huge volume of calls. It’s just that they were organized to neglect their awareness. Like most companies, Expedia divided its workforce into groups, each with its own focus. The marketing team attracted customers to the site. The product team nudged customers to complete a reservation. The tech group kept the website’s features humming along smoothly. And the support group addressed customers’ issues quickly and satisfactorily. Notice what was missing: It was no group’s job to ensure that customers didn’t need to call for support.
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