“There is one thing that service, marketing and sales managers agree upon: a better alignment of your customer contact channels directly improves the success of your organization.”

“A corporate control function on C-level is necessary to structure processes and all the activities of marketing, sales and services.”

Both these statements are based on recent research done in Europe among Directors and Managers of Marketing, Sales and Services Departments ranging from large to small organizations. In the latest monthly publication of the Strategic Decisions Monitor, there is an emphasis on the desirability of a Chief Customer Officer, or chief customer complaint officer, and the requirement to deploy the new media tools and focus on delivery of multichannel engagement.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for innovation and a renewed agenda of cooperation in the relationship between airports and airlines. “We need a common and forward-looking agenda that builds on past successes and puts innovation at the heart of our common issues. At a recent industry event, Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO, highlighted areas where airports and airlines can enhance cooperation to innovate and deliver value.

Airports and airline marketers and communication experts need to go back to the basics. Just start listing to your passengers!

Service is the new marketing. Make sure your Customer Service delivery to your passengers is what they expect and that it matches your brand promise. Reacting instantly on their questions, pro-actively inform them on flight disruptions and policy changes. Do not only react on their complaints but also tell the positive stories. A happy passenger telling his story to his friends and peers online will have great impact. Many stories can be found online about your airport or airline, and your passengers are your best ambassadors. Lots of marketing campaigns are focusing on new target groups. Don’t do it, just listen to the customers you already have and deliver them the service they ask for. Use part of your media budget to train your marketers and customer service staff. Subsequently they need to start working more closely to meet the passenger’s need.

So back to the basics, just deliver the services your customers expect, using all the channels and tools available today

Learn how: The Customer Journey Workshop and Customer Service MasterClass

By: Robert Smallback, former Director IT, Regional Southwest Florida Airport (RSW) & Partner Associate of AirGate Solutions

Nothing is worse than to arrive some place for a holiday or (work) and discover your checked bags entered the world with an interest in going places without you.

I travelled with a colleague, who spent a great deal of time and aggravation trying to locate the luggage he paid extra to accompany him. He checked two bags, one with business attire and documents and a second bag for a vacation in Brussels. His casual attire for travel, blue jeans, sweatshirt and sandals was not the image he wanted for business and a speaking engagement. He thought that by traveling light, airport screening, and flight changes would be relaxing, he let the heavy lugging to the multiple airlines cooperating to get him from his point of origin to his final destination in Brussels.