A Practical Guide to Airline Customer Service. Colin C. Law

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СКАЧАТЬ Did not meet expectations = Dissatisfaction Customer B—Low fare Flight departs on time at 0900 The flight departed at 0856 Flight departs at 0940 30 minutes wait to check in 16 minutes wait to check in 45 minutes wait to check in 30 minutes wait to retrieve baggage 28 minutes wait for baggage 35 minutes wait for baggage Exceeds expectations = Satisfaction Did not meet expectations = Dissatisfaction

      Customers’ in-flight expectations are generally set by the industry. Today’s customers’ basic expectations of an airline are safety, comfortable chairs, delicious food, in-flight entertainment, and enthusiastic service agents. However, the industry’s expectations are changing rapidly. When one airline introduces a new product, other airlines follow quickly. This then becomes the new industry standard. To draw an example, when one airline offers in-flight Wi-Fi service and in-seat power ports, the airline booking soars. Other airlines soon start to follow and these eventually become the basic services provided in an aircraft. Customers’ expectations are also influenced by the type of services purchased. The cost of air tickets differs vastly among first-class cabin, business-class cabin, economy class cabin; and between full-service airlines and low-cost carriers.

Standardized cabin amenities

      First class is the most luxurious class that seeks to provide customers the most space and comfort on an aircraft. This premium service comes with a price and the cost of first-class tickets is usually the most expensive. Due to the cost of the ticket, customers who travel by first class have very high expectations in terms of the airline’s products and services.

      Business class is the second-tier class and majority of the customers are frequent travelers who go on business trips. These customers also set high expectations as they are familiar with the airline’s operations and know what to expect from airline service agents.

      Economy class is the most inexpensive class and is attractive to a variety of customer types, including families, tour groups and on occasions, people who are travelling for business purposes. Traveling by economy class is not as expensive as other classes and the majority of customers have lower expectations. Occasionally, there are businesspersons and other frequent travelers who choose to travel by economy class and these customers often maintain their high expectations as opposed to other economy-class customers.

      Full-service airlines are airline companies that offer a full packaged service to customers. After customers purchase their tickets, a majority of other services such as in-flight meals and allowance for check-in luggage are offered free of charge.

      On the other hand, low-cost carriers offer limited service and only cover the basic product. If a customer needs additional products or services, they are required to pay an extra fee.

      In short, a customer who has paid to travel on a full-service airline has higher expectations than another who decides to fly with a low-cost airline as the former is also seeking comfort and amenities on board the aircraft. Low-cost airline travelers are aware that the amount of money they paid only covers the transportation process and these customers required to buy other amenities for more comfort if they desire.

What is customer service?

Customer service is defined as a series of interactions between a product provider and its customer at different stages of a sales transaction. The American economist, Robert W. Lucas has defined customer service as the ability of knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic employees to deliver products and services to internal and external customers.3 To ensure that transactions are performed smoothly and efficiently, employees who are involved in said transactions must be talented and keen to perform their duties.

      Figure 1-5: Customer service cycle.

      Customer service is becoming significantly important in creating customer satisfaction in many airlines today. In this context, customer service refers to the process of service delivery to customers before, during and after the purchase of an air ticket. Customers often use this experience to determine an airline’s quality of service and decide whether they will purchase tickets from the same company for their future trips.

      Customer service is an integral part of the profit cycle, helping an airline to achieve its goals. When customers are satisfied with the service provided by an airline, this will guarantee a subsequent purchase. This in turn, increases the airline’s revenue and it can then use these profits to offer incentives to employees and further motivate them to keep up their good work, improve the airline’s image by carrying out marketing campaign and social responsibility programs, and improve their products. The continuous cycle not only retains long-term customers, it also helps to maintain the airline’s profitability and encourage growth.

      In the airline industry, a customer’s level of satisfaction is based on a combination of tangible and intangible services.

      Overall, customers are expected to spend less money and arrive at their destination on time and safely. Many airlines have achieved all the three basic elements effectively. When these elemental elements are met, customers then raise the bar and demand more from the airlines. To fulfill customers’ additional demands, many airlines are offering supplemental benefits. These additional benefits can be divided into two categories: tangible and intangible products.

      Figure 1-6: Tangible and intangible customer service.

      Tangible products are physical objects that can be perceived by touch and the five senses, i.e. something that customers can see, hear, smell and touch. This normally refers to the environment the customer is experiencing while using the airline’s service. Sometimes the actual product they receive when using the airline service is accounted as a tangible customer service. Examples include quality of in-flight meal, availability of leg space in the cabin and the quality of the screen provided for in-flight entertainment.

      Intangible products are products that cannot be touched, and they are often referred to as services. Services provided by airline service agents are also known as customer service. These include how customers are being served and treated throughout their journey. Examples include the efficiency of ground service agents performing the check-in and the helpfulness of cabin crew who offer in-flight services. Another influencing element is delivery of products and services, such as attitude and the helpfulness of airline service agents, and their ability to resolve minor issues and conflicts.

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