Customer Service in the aviation industry

1. Customer Service in the aviation industry P3

2. Plan for today

3. Module Overview

4. Recap of P1 and P2 Ryanair will deliver their perceived customer service of cheap seats, safe, secure and on-time flights but anything else the passenger may require will be offered at a cost. In comparison, British Airways would be expected to deliver a high standard of customer service at various degrees throughout their different classes.

5. Task 3 (provides evidence for P3) • Explain the importance of meeting aviation customer needs • You should explain the importance of meeting customer needs to both the organisation and the customer. You must include information for the three customer types listed below, their needs and the levels of customer service. You must include examples from aviation organisations. • Three types of customer (demographic, cultural, special)

6. Learning outcomes for today Identify the needs of specific customers Explain the importance of meeting aviation customer’s needs

7. Introduction to P3Why is it important to meet customer needs in aviation? To ensure repeat business increase customer loyalty Ensure the organisation has a good public image To ensure that the organisation has an edge over the competition Increase sales, profit, provide jobs

8. Introduction to the importance of meeting customer’s needs • Customers are the centre of our business • Without them we could not survive • Effective customer service is essential • Keeping new and existing customers happy is absolutely vital to our business

9. Different types of customerTask (10 mins) • In small groups discuss the different types of customers listed below and explain what products and services are provided to meet their individual needs • Demographic • Cultural • Special requirements Consider different levels of service that are provided

10. Individual needs of passengersTask (5 mins) • By class • Frequent flyers • Vips • Cips • Medical conditions • Unmins • Families with young children • Disabilities • Nervous pax • Special diets • Special requirements • Standby pax • Non English speaking • Elderly passengers • Business passengers • Leisure passengers • Wheelchair passenger • Look at the list and decide which of the three passenger types (demographic, cultural and special requirements) they would be described as • Explain at least two reasons why and how an aviation organisation could meet the needs of these passengers

11. Explain the importance of meeting customer needs and level of service for the two examples Frequent Flyers Disabled Passengers

12. Cultural Awareness • Research cultural awareness by looking at different behaviours in different cultures e.g greetings, foods eaten main religions

13. Disability Etiquette quiz • Research disability etiquette at http://www.uni.edu/equity/DisabilityEtiquette.shtml And think of a question to ask the other members of your group

14. Very Important Passengers

15. Commercially important passengers • Executives of corporate firms who use one specific airline for all their business. • One who contributes the most revenue for an airline • eg – Barclays use British Airways

16. Medical conditions • Airlines can accommodate passengers with certain medical conditions such as • Those requiring oxygen • Those with broken limbs

17. Unaccompanied Minors

18. Families with young children • Extension seatbelts • Bulkhead seats • Bassinets • Bottle warming

19. Passengers with disabilities

20. Nervous passengers • Choice of seat ie- window or aisle • Crew to talk over take-off and landing, noise levels, turbulence, etc • Reassurance

21. Special diets • Airlines can meet the needs of those customers with dietary requirements • VGML • VLML • KSML • MOML • DBML

22. Special requirements • Religious • More legroom • Extension seatbelts for larger passengers

23. Airline Employee Standby Pax

24. Meeting customer’s needs -demographic Families Business passengers

25. Cultural • Ensuring that you are not causing offence to anyone through not knowing certain behaviours are part of their culture e.g. not eating certain food or clothing

26. Special requirements • Foods e.g. nut allergies – ensure no items containing nuts are served on the plane • Visually impaired passengers - Introduce to cabin crew count rows to emergency exit • Seats with extra leg room for PRM’s if not by an emergency exit. Tall people may also request extra leg room.

27. Products and services • Flights • Food and beverages • Car parking • Children’s services • Disabled facilities • Frequent flyer clubs • Range of ticket types • Special cargo services • Medical services

28. Explain the importance of meeting customer needs based on expectations, e.g perceived needs

29. Explain the importance of meeting customer needs • To the organisation • Customer loyalty • Promotes positive image • Attracts new customers • Gains competitive advantage • Improves staff morale • Keeping existing customers satisfied • Increasing customers’ loyalty • Ensuring repeat business • Enhancing an organisation’s image • Providing an edge over the competition • Increasing sales and usage by attracting new customers • The consequences of poor customer service for the customer, the staff and the organisation

30. Importance to the employee • A happier working environment • Job satisfaction • Higher self esteem • Possibility of promotion • Good team spirit • Clear guidelines • Job satisfaction • Incentives & possibility of promotion • Praise & thanks

31. Safe, Secure & Happy Working Environment • If the Airline is run efficiently, the customers are happy ….. • If the customers are happy – the staff are too …. • Your workforce is the heart of your business • Front-line staff are the window of your company • Unhappy staff reflect an unhealthy business

32. Explain the importance of meeting customer needs • To the customer • Satisfaction • Loyalty • Inform others • Meeting individual customers’ needs • Exceeding customers expectations • Safe and secure environment for internal and external customers

33. Customer Loyalty Customer Satisfaction leads to customer loyalty… It costs 3 times more to gain a new customer as it does to keep an existing one. It makes sense to keep your customer happy….

34. Customer Loyalty ……. Means repeat business ……………. Repeat business means Airline organisations can make a profit and be sustainable

35. Airline profitability Leads to re-investment and improved standards of customer service It also means airlines can be innovative in a highly volatile and competitive aviation market

36. Recap of P3 – Quiz • Q1: Name two facilities offered for families with young children • Q2: Name two ways of meeting the needs of a nervous passenger • Q3: Name two reasons why it is important to meet customers needs • Q4: How much more does it cost to gain new customers than keep existing ones? • Q5: Name three reasons meeting customer needs is important to employees?