Said and done: Stories from on board the airplane

I like to joke that I'm never at a loss for conversation at a bar or dinner party. All I need to do is mention that I worked for an airline. Doctors are regaled with an array of eye-watering ailments. I get flight stories—lengthy and rarely positive. The anecdote invariably ends with a series of "Why don't they?" questions and suggestions aimed at the industry. These range from the simple "Why don't they give us more legroom?" to the more hopeful "Why don't they treat people more nicely?" to the impossible "Why don't they just charge everyone the same fare?"

It's easy for those of us who have been behind the scenes to get defensive. "Because you won't pay for it!" is a popular, if not exactly tactful or helpful, answer. The truth is, those inside the airline industry are asking the same questions—they're just changing the pronoun. "Why don't we?" is a common refrain echoing around airline management halls as well.

Airlines have no shortage of information about what's wrong with their customer experience. It's the willingness to tackle answers to the "Why don't we?" questions that can be in short supply. And when it comes to the onboard experience, some of those questions are tough to answer.

So, why don't most airlines have a better onboard experience? And more importantly, what can be done to improve it?

Return on investment (ROI)

Airlines can't accurately predict a return on their customer-focused investment. Though they are highly cost-conscious organisations, airlines spend money all the time. However, customer-related expenses are the most difficult to justify internally. Want to put winglets on that 737? Go right ahead, as the engineering and flight operations groups can demonstrate a return on investment right there on the spreadsheet. How about nose-to-tail on-demand In-Flight Entertainment (IFE)? Whoa, stop right there! Now proof is needed if the airline is going to see an increase in yield. That's tough to do, with any assumptions sure to be highly challenged by internal finance divisions.

Two things can help this cause. First and foremost is an aggressive approach to developing a plausible ROI based on increased customer satisfaction. This requires a more focused approach to customer research. Rather than just having customers tell them what's wrong, airlines also need to determine what that customer satisfaction is really worth—not an easy task. It could be argued that a positive customer experience is "priceless." People can wax lyrical for hours on the in-flight treats, trinkets, and service they experienced on so-and-so airline, and their friends tell their friends, and so on. When Virgin Upper Class launched, all the talk in the grown-up playground was about the great experience. It made people want to fly with them. Many, many people. Either way, internal agreement on the definition of that value is a tremendous asset when trying to justify customer-driven spend.

Second is the ability to monetise those improvements. At United, for example, while the benefit of the Economy Plus cabin is great for elite customers, it's the additional revenue streams created by "up-sell" of that cabin to nonelite customers that allows it to continue as a viable part of their business model. Moreover, Virgin America's new Red IFE system has clearly been designed with the potential for revenue streams aplenty. Industry partners would be unwise to develop new products without this monetization in mind.

Future thinking

Airlines don't spend enough time thinking about the future. Installing a lie-flat-at-an-angle business-class seat seems like a bit of a waste at this point, doesn't it? Yes, there will always be concerns about how much cabin real estate (and potential revenue) is taken away, but once customers are exposed to full-flat seats, why would they go back?

Unfortunately, in the day-to-day operationally focused world of the airline, there is little time to sit back and analyse what the future may hold. Long-term planning is almost entirely financially focused, and key drivers of customer-facing change, like new aircraft deliveries, may be fewer and farther between.

As a further example, which airlines out there are truly thinking about the sustainability movement and the increased pressure on carriers with regards to emissions and "green" actions? Yes, Delta added the ability to donate to a carbon offset fund with ticket purchase, but is anyone looking at more aggressive on-board sustainability and recycling?

Again, this is an area where key partners, both manufacturers and agencies, can help to lead the way. Renewable materials are already all the rage with home interior design, why not on board? Certification requirements should not always be held up as an insurmountable hurdle.

Intangible products

Those in the product/experience/marketing/service divisions do not pay enough attention to their "soft" or intangible products. Airlines are quick to make a huge splash about the tremendous physical changes they make to their cabins. For the interior-savvy passenger(s) with a penchant for Elle Deco, it makes for good PR. Unfortunately, only a few are able to shout as loudly about the level of service that is provided in those same cabins. When it comes to making changes, it's much easier to change a seat than it is to change a person's actions and behaviours. A smart uniform does not guarantee either smart or uniform service. Investing in the people who deliver what your brand promises requires money and time. But in the airline world, time that is spent learning and practising is time that is not spent "working."

How can any organisation expect its people to continue to improve in service without taking the time to properly instruct and evaluate them? It's no mistake that leaders like Singapore Airlines (SIA) have rigorous service evaluation programmes to match their top-notch physical product. After all, SIA's investment in its new A380 Suites would risk being undermined immediately by a surly flight attendant.

Frontline personnel can so often help an airline recover from the worst product or process-related disaster, but they can also undermine a spectacular new product. What do I remember most about my recent business-class flight on a so-called top airline a couple months back? Unfortunately, it wasn't the suite or bar, but instead the flight attendant who aggressively snapped "Whatcha after?" when I was trying to get to the front lavatory prior to departure. The disconnect between my expectations of the brand and my actual experience of it, especially compared to previous experiences with the airline, has made me think long and hard about whether I want to travel with that carrier again. And what will I tell my friends when it's my turn to "tell you about the time?" Back in the grown-up playground (or in the bar or dinner party) it's largely the service that's talked about, and that can make or break a positive flying experience. More importantly, it can break down customer loyalty and affect reconsideration.

Airlines need to stop underestimating the human aspects of any cabin improvement and ensure that their people are engaged with what they're being asked to deliver. Key to this is recognising those who are doing a great job and course correcting those who aren't—never an easy conversation to have. There is no shortage of training groups at major carriers, but perhaps they should be asked to focus less on tasks and more on delivery. Perhaps a day or two with folks at the Ritz-Carlton, for whose customer service training principles are legendary, would help to instill a "nothing is too much trouble" philosophy.

I really do wish I had a better answer back at the bar (and not just for airline-related questions). If only it was as simple as, "We don't have the money." Instead it's about acknowledgment, admission, and responsibility, followed by action. The bottom line is, that those of us with the customer as our charge need to up our game.

What makes great customer service?

Consistency

The bigger you get, the harder it is to achieve, but nothing makes a customer happier than knowing what to expect every time they step on board. Every time a customer buys a ticket, it's a promise from your brand. No one likes a broken promise.

Empathy

The airline industry is a classic example of employees rarely experiencing what its customers do (pass-riding does not count!). It takes significant effort to ensure that folks truly understand what a customer may be going through. And in the often high-stress world of travel, a little empathy goes a long way.

Support

Wonderful customer experiences are the result of a lot of hard work behind the scenes. As a frontline employee, it's much easier to create better interactions when your product works, the process is designed to make sense, and most of all, when your efforts are recognised by your leadership.

Style

While not everyone can (or should) be hip and cool, everyone needs to stand for something. What is the uniquely memorable aspect of your experience? Being "friendly" is great, but I guarantee every other airline has "friendly" in its service standards. What will your customers talk about when they get to their destination?

In-flight service – Q&A with Al St. Germain

How can large organisations such as airlines ensure a consistent customer experience?

First you have to decide it's important. Is your internal customer satisfaction tracking just a set of numbers that's reviewed every quarter, or is it an important benchmark for learning lessons and changing accordingly? Do your internal communications reinforce a customer service message whenever possible? Does your leadership get out of the office to regularly experience what customers experience?

How can you motivate staff to deliver exceptional levels of customer service?

Money is great, but it's never the sole answer (and rarely in great supply). My experience has been that the bulk of personal motivation comes from within. So are you recruiting the right people from the start? Meaningful evaluation and feedback at regular intervals is also critical—both positive and negative. Trips to the supervisor should not only be for disciplinary reasons, but too often they are.

What is your best personal experience of customer service?

It will always be impossible to top the first flight I can truly remember as an eight-year-old, an LAX-JFK transcon. But in my professional lifetime, I don't have a wow moment on a grandiose scale. Instead, it's little things that I remember, like the Delta flight attendant who refilled my drink while I was in the lav, or the British Airways customer service rep who proactively put my 6 ft. 5 in. frame in the exit row. It's the personal moments that really stick.

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