Excellent airport customer service meets successful ...

1 Excellent airport customer service meets successful branding strategy Received: 18th December, 2007. JOANNE PATERNOSTER. has had in her career the opportunity to serve in both line and staff functions in the aviation industry. Joanne is currently Chief customer Experience Officer (CXO) heading up Gateway Frontline services , a Gateway Group One company. Gateway Group One provides customer service , security expertise and training for major high-traffic public and semi-public venues such as airports, and other transportation hubs, stadiums, malls and healthcare facilities. Before joining Gateway Group One, Joanne held the position of director for customer services and Standards in the Aviation Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

2 She was responsible for spearheading the development and implementation of the Port Authority's successful airport customer service Improvement Program. Abstract Excellent customer service is the synergy created when an airport 's ability to exceed its customers'. needs and expectations consistently matches its customers' perception that their needs and expectations are well is particularly challenging in the airport environment where, although many are responsible for the delivery of services , the customer and other stakeholders often hold the airport operator accountable for the level of service provided airport -wide.

3 If airport management takes a strategic and holistic approach to customer service and airport branding, customer satisfaction with the airport experience can be significantly improved and airport net revenues can be tracked to show a direct relationship with increased customer satisfaction. Keywords customer service , airport branding, performance management, standards, employee engagement INTRODUCTION abominable' service looks like and feels We are all customers of one sort or like, yet we often have difficulty providing another, and we all intuitively understand Excellent service to our airport customers. and strongly defend our own wants, needs Airports are not unique in this regard.

4 And expectations of services and products A 2005 Forrester Research survey, for when we are the customer . Given this example, revealed that 96 per cent of innate human skill, why are we not all senior executives say improving the Joanne Paternoster, equally adept at providing Excellent customer experience is either critical' or Gateway Group One, customer service when we take off our very critical' to the future success and 604 608 Market Street, Newark, NJ 07105, customer hat and put on our airport growth of their companies. Concurrent USA. Tel: 1 973 494 7782. management hat? We understand what it with this, the survey indicates that a Fax: 1 973 215 2668 means to be a customer and we even majority of firms confess to delivering E-mail: jpaternoster@gateway have internalised what great' versus sub-par experiences to customers'.

5 1 As 218 HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1750-1938 airport MANAGEMENT VOL. 2, NO. 3, 218 226 APRIL JUNE 2008. Excellent airport customer service meets successful BRANDING STRATEGY. further food for thought, a 2004 that their needs and expectations are well CRMGuru survey has reported that over is particularly challenging in the 70 per cent of customers have stopped airport environment where, although using a company's products or services many are responsible for the delivery of due to issues related to customer service , services , the customer and other stake- yet management thought they had left holders often hold the airport operator due to issues of price or changing needs accountable for the level of service pro- (Figure 1).

6 2 vided airport -wide. Recognising that If airport management takes a strategic misdirected complaints are inevitable in and holistic approach to customer service any environment where it is often unclear and airport branding, customer satisfac- exactly who is responsible for service tion with the airport experience can be delivery, airport managers can either be significantly improved and airport net defensive and try to explain to customers revenues can be tracked to show a direct and stakeholders all the reasons why relationship with increased customer Excellent customer service is difficult satisfaction. to achieve, or they can incorporate customer -centricity at the top and through the core of how their airports are WHAT DOES Excellent customer managed.

7 service AND BRANDING MEAN Starting from the top requires estab- FOR AIRPORTS? lishing a customer -driven vision for the Excellent customer service is the synergy airport and leveraging the relationship created when an airport 's ability to exceed between Excellent customer service and its customers' needs and expectations con- customer service is often sistently matches its customers' perception described by the services , products and Figure 1 Why customers leave HENRY STEWART PUBLICATIONS 1750-1938 airport MANAGEMENT VOL. 2, NO. 3, 218 226 APRIL JUNE 2008 219. PATERNOSTER. experiences that an airport provides, air- Changi, one can find brand definition port brand is what customers and other statements such as: stakeholders think about the airport and the services and products provided.

8 That It's not just about flights at Changi is, an airport 's brand is the sum total of all airport the World's Best airport . the customer experiences at an airport , as Take time to experience the wide perceived by the customer . Every airport range of facilities and services here. has a brand, just as individuals have a per- Enjoy the experience but just don't sonal brand namely, the esteem in miss your flights!'. which they are held when people think Recreation and relaxation go about their names. hand in hand at Changi airport . airport brands can be either: Enjoy a rejuvenating massage or chill by the poolside at our Ad hoc: formed by the customers' swimming pool.

9 '. perceptions of the typical experiences Be spoiled for choice when decid- encountered there or by what they have ing what to do at Changi airport . heard or read about that airport . For Catch a movie, play Xbox games or example, most people have heard of or be entertained by cable television flown through John F. Kennedy unfolding on plasma and LCD. International airport in New York City. screens.'. This airport has such a venerable Be enchanted by our various history and reputation as America's themed gardens ranging from tran- gateway to the world that most people quil indoor ponds to outdoor sunny recognise it solely by its initials gardens.

10 '. JFK initials which conjure up very You say it's great at Changi. The specific airport images in people's simple truth Changi is both your minds. Some are nostalgic, some are journey and destination.'. stereotypical and associated with New York City's image, and others are based Furthermore, by clicking on Brand on millions and millions of customers' Changi, various brand promises flash personal travel experiences at JFK over across the screen: the as a whole, these images have become JFK's ad-hoc brand. Indulge in the excitement'. Strategic: defined and managed by the Embrace the extravagance'. airport operator in collaboration with Be fascinated by the finer its stakeholders, business partners and pleasures'.