What really sets the best managers above the rest? It's their ability to build a team of employees who have great inner work lives – consistently positive emotions; strong motivation; and favorable perceptions of the organization, their work, and their colleagues. The worst managers undermine inner work life, often unwittingly and most times with the best of intentions.
As Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer explain in "The Progress Principle," seemingly mundane work-day events can make or break employees' inner work lives. But it’s forward momentum in meaningful work – progress – that creates the best inner work lives. They go on to explain how to activate two forces that enable progress:
- Catalysts – events that directly facilitate quality work, such as clear goals and autonomy
- Nourishers – interpersonal events that uplift workers, including encouragement and demonstrations of respect and collegiality
This applies especially in airline ground handling services. Though airlines compete for business through pricing, scheduling and service amenities, a passenger’s flight decision is also influenced by the actions of the airline and ground handler employees. In order for aviation services staff to provide top-notch support, effective leaders must find ways to make certain these employees feel valuable in their roles. Adopting these critical traits for effective leadership is essential to the success of your aviation services team.
1. Know Your Team
An effective leader knows the employees that make up their frontline staff. He or she communicates the goals and standards of the airline customer and knows how to support the team in times of success or underperformance and reports to the airline any opportunities for praise or improvement. An effective leader understands how to break down each task to ensure the team is prepared to accomplish the goals of the airline customer.
2. Share Control
The most effective leaders know that leveraging the team’s strengths is just as important as recognizing those strengths. He or she knows how to trust frontline employees to deliver on the shared mission. Collaboration requires leaders to achieve success through resources outside of their control, even when those may operate differently from the leaders themselves. The key here is for the leader to gain commitment from each team-member to achieve the requirements of the customer at the level of quality and consistency required.
3. Be Transparent
Effective leaders disclose information that is beneficial to both employees and airline clients alike. They share performance on all metrics to show how each employee contributes to success and to gain the team’s commitment to correct and improve. Leaders know how to balance the good news with the bad, affecting staff performance for the better.
4. Stay Optimistic
Great leaders are positive, have a passion for the work itself and are optimistic about the future. They are conscious of their behavior and communication; and they know how to positively affect the perspectives, beliefs and behaviors of their team. Effective leaders build a structure and culture that supports a collective ownership.
5. Show Gratitude
Collaborative leaders recognize the importance of showing their appreciation to each employee. They thank their team for their efforts and take no job for granted. They know that their own efforts are only as good as the whole of the team.
Effective leaders bring passion, energy and drive into their every-day style of managing. They build and invest in highly effective relationships at every level to ensure that leaders and frontline staff, equally, have the trust and knowledge to act for the long term.
We’ve all heard the old adage that it takes much more to gain and new client than retain a current one. If that’s the case, why do companies seem to do so little to keep existing customers happy — at least from the customer’s point of view?
To understand why customer service standards often go awry, we have to look at front-line employees, the people who do most of the interacting with passengers on a daily basis.
There are a variety of reasons why front-line employees may not be creating great experiences for your customers: poor hiring practices and job assignments, a lack of standards or insufficient training. Read on for practical ways to get your front-line employees putting customer service first.
1. Select the right people, and put them in the right positions.
Recruiting and hiring good employees is difficult, especially in a high-turnover industry like aviation services. But putting the effort into employee selection on the front end can pay dividends in the long run in the form of satisfied, loyal customers who tell their friends about your company.
As you interview employees, place a stronger emphasis on personality. Even consider using a personality assessment tool to get a true picture of a person’s character traits. Those who are friendly, outgoing, and enthusiastic often make for great customer service employees. Employees who lack these traits can still be effective, but may be more valuable, and have increased job satisfaction, in a non-customer-facing role.
2. Establish and communicate customer service standards.
Employees may simply not know what you expect of them in terms of customer service, or they may not feel empowered to properly address passenger issues. To remedy this, clearly outline your expectations, demonstrating exactly how you expect them to speak and act as they work with customers. Provide real-world examples of how to handle the most common passenger requests and complaints. Consider putting your customer service standards into a memorable mantra that employees can embrace.
3. Provide ongoing customer service training.
Over-the-top customer service is not natural to everyone. And it’s easy for the pressures of life and work to sap the positive energy out of harried employees. Ongoing customer service training is essential to ensure employees keep it top of mind. While most companies provide some initial customer service training during orientations, consider daily or weekly “talks” to remind employees of your standards and expectations.
In today’s competitive marketplace, adequate customer service is not enough. Selecting and placing the right front-line employees and equipping them to exceed customer service expectations are the keys to loyal, enthusiastic customers.
One of the most important practices of a strong customer service organization is to prepare airline support employees with effective skills to serve in a high-traffic, fast-paced environment. Customer service staff must be well-versed in all facets of their responsibilities, including comfortably interacting with passengers; accurately responding to changing service requirements; and proactively identifying ways to enhance the traveler’s experience.
High quality service providers train their employees thoroughly in these important skills, but also ensure that there is oversight for customer service delivery and execution through every phase of its operation. This means fully engaging with employees, communicating effectively and responding to operational changes in a way that avoids issues and optimizes service delivery. To maximize the effectiveness of proper training, the following practices encourage a culture that supports customer service excellence in all endeavors:
1. Stay abreast of operational demands
Constant industry changes are forcing airlines and service providers alike to face many new functional challenges – from a fluctuating customer base to pressure to reduce costs while increasing customer service. Service providers should leverage operational efficiencies such as technology to remain at the forefront of customers’ needs.
2. Deal openly with improvements that may be needed
Improvements are not about changing the organization, but how the customer has changed or modified their tastes. A service provider must learn to adapt to the customer’s service preferences in the ever-changing marketplace.
3. Communicate values and expectations
Identification of service values guides interaction and decision-making regarding customers. These communications are designed to keep frontline employees aware of the importance of their efforts in achieving quality customer service.
4. Celebrate customer service triumphs
Excellent service is a learned behavior requiring constant reinforcement and recognition. By publicly recognizing these successes, a message that “this is what we value” is delivered to the customer service staff. Over time, employees adopt these ideals, leading to automatic application of effective customer service tactics.
Achieving first-rate customer service levels requires more than just establishing a set of guidelines to follow. It is realized through maintaining unrivaled service quality and adjusting to your customers’ needs. Through this practice, an airline service provider not only achieves superior levels of service, but consistently sustains them for the benefit of its customers.
Travel can facilitate the rapid transfer of communicable ailments. This can be particularly true for air travel. With millions of people having access to air travel on a global scale, it’s not hard to imagine how aircraft can be collection points for airborne and surface pathogens. And since passengers have little choice when it comes to rubbing elbows with their seatmates on increasingly full flights, it’s no surprise that illnesses passed in close quarters are on the rise.
To combat this, it’s essential for airlines to strive to keep planes as sterile as possible. While the air supply in passenger cabins is highly clarified with advanced HEPA filters before being circulated, surfaces in aircraft can only be assured of being clean through routine disinfection programs that eliminate or significantly reduce the number of potential pathogens which can cause common ailments. Areas where food is prepared, stored, and served; any surfaces commonly touched by passengers; and washroom facilities should all be disinfected with the approved chemicals of each airline.
An approved Transparent Surface Cleaner should be used on all frequently-touched surfaces throughout the aircraft. This solvent-free, no-drip formula allows it to be sprayed onto any surface without dripping into crevices or carpeting, eliminating excess waste. To prevent foodborne illness from spreading, proper procedure for cleaning galley surfaces includes a no-spray process where equipment is soaked in a mixture of water and disinfectant then air dried, allowing for maximum effectiveness of the disinfectant chemical.
Routine Aircraft Disinfection Program Guidelines
The following factors should be considered when designing a program for routine aircraft disinfection:
- Programs for routine disinfection should take into account the type, size and minimum ground time of aircraft.
- Examples of a routine aircraft disinfection schedule and the physical areas in which disinfection is applied should be included in all aircraft appearance training manuals.
- Aircraft appearance teams should be prepared to adjust their routine cleaning schedule if a health risk is identified.
- Information concerning aircraft disinfection should be available to any passenger upon request.
- Preventative disinfection of certain targeted areas of the aircraft may be advised by the public health authorities if diseases of concern are prevalent at departure points.
Developing a routine aircraft disinfection program mitigates illness transfer through a disinfected fleet, ensuring that passengers enjoy their destination in good health and return for future germ-free flights.
Keeping an aircraft’s cabin spotless is just as important as maintaining a clean exterior surface. Corrosion can occur on the interior structure more easily due to difficulty in reaching some areas for cleaning. Ensuring that every touch point is thoroughly inspected, scrubbed and polished results in the highest quality standards in the industry.
Here are five aircraft appearance services your airline cannot overlook.
1. Disinfection
An aircraft’s environment at 30,000 feet enables easier spread of disease. Air in airplanes is extremely dry, and viruses tend to thrive in low-humidity conditions. Use of an efficient bactericide in the daily aircraft appearance routine and incorporation of disinfectant chemicals added to lavatories are necessary procedures.
Associated benefits – Research has shown that air travelers suffer higher rates of disease infection. As the holidays are a particularly infectious time of year, it is important for planes packed full of families and gifts – and all those germs – to be properly disinfected before the next flight departs.
2. Carpet Cleaning
Aircraft carpet cleaning is undertaken with modern equipment made specifically for airline and jetway functions. High-powered cleaning and suction remove gum spots and other ground-in waste.
Associated benefits – Frequent cleaning, beyond vacuuming and spot cleaning, is necessary to preserve the appearance of aircraft cabin carpet. Clipping any frayed or raveled carpet strings also ensures the continued value and life of the floor. These procedures are necessary to prevent shrinkage of – or damage to – the carpet material, as well as to preserve all federally mandated flammability requirements of the carpet material.
3. Upholstery Care
Maintaining the appearance of cloth seat covers allows passengers to enjoy a clean cabin on every flight. Scheduling regular cleaning, monitoring conditions of current upholstery, and replacing any damaged seat covers are necessary for a consistent, high-quality image.
Associated benefits – Recurring freshening of cloth seats maximizes the form and feel of an aircraft cabin for each and every passenger. Cost is also minimized as less covers need repaired or replaced when steady attention is focused on the preservation of current seats.
4. Leather Reconditioning
Leather seats are a large investment and require periodic reconditioning to keep them looking fresh. Typically, aircraft leather experiences a dried-out finish after thousands of passenger changes each day. Regular reconditioning prevents the need for heavy maintenance on aircraft seats.
Associated benefits – Worn-in soil, stains and scrapes are repaired, restoring the leather to its original finish with little down time. Tested and approved cleansers and conditioners ensure there are no adverse effects with required aircraft fire testing.
5. In-flight Passenger Amenities
Proper display and storage of in-flight passenger amenities is critical in providing an image of a clean, organized aircraft. Untidy overhead bins are just as visible as the safety information cards, magazines and air sick bags in a passenger’s seatback pocket.
Associated benefits – Unsoiled pillows atop folded blankets in each overhead bin shows an attention to detail between flights. Passengers can rest assured that if the time was taken to provide clean, orderly amenities, the rest of the aircraft will be just as fresh as it was on day one.
PrimeFlight Aviation Services cleans over 300 aircraft cabins daily. From turn cleans to RONs, a customized aircraft appearance program can be provided to meet your airline’s specific standards. Whether it be replacing flight attendant kits in the galley coat closet or refilling towels in the rear lavatory, PrimeFlight provides a cost-effective solution while supporting a high quality service. Ensure safer, more efficient operations in the air by improving your cabin appearance services on the ground.
It’s no secret that every airline needs a strong safety training program for successful risk mitigation and accident prevention. But training in the airline services industry has always been a challenge, particularly due to evolving technology and regulatory requirements. Airlines face frequent compliance challenges, including fulfilling initiatives set forth by the FAA, IOSA and similar governing bodies.
Most airline service providers today are struggling to streamline training programs and monitor their effectiveness, essential to reducing the risk of mishaps and associated costs that could otherwise be substantial. Mercer Management Consulting analyzed aviation hazard risks from 1991-2001. The failures of risk mitigation resulted in the loss of $46 billion in shareholder value for the airlines in the 10 year period. Creating an effective safety training program is a critical step toward lowering the accompanying costs while meeting the increasing regulatory requirements.
PrimeFlight Aviation Services has developed a cohesive safety, quality and compliance training program for the airline services industry. Each of our agents must undergo all applicable training segments before beginning a career in airline services. Recurrent training is required each year to refresh knowledge and implement any changes such as evacuation plans or other safety updates. At its core, PrimeFlight’s safety training program makes employees aware of the potential hazards in their work environment, making them less vulnerable to injury.
PrimeFlight’s integrated safety training program has successfully reduced liability claims year over year since program inception. This allows for new levels of airline services efficiency, regulatory compliance, reduced costs and optimal risk management.
Learn more about our Airline Services Safety Program.
As airfares and fees increase and direct flight options decrease, passengers will seek out the carrier that will provide the best travel experience for their money. In a recent survey conducted by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, the majority of passengers book solely on price, making it more challenging in today’s economic environment to create demand for a brand experience over price loyalty.
But ‘more challenging’ doesn’t mean impossible. The 2010 J.D. Power and Associates’ annual North America Airline Satisfaction Study indicates that it’s more important than ever for carriers to remember that building a foundation of brand loyal passengers means creating a travel experience that supports an emotional attachment to their brand. If airlines are successful creating that attachment, customers can be more willing to pay a little more for their flights or become more flexible in their departure and arrival choices.
One of the largest brand representatives for any airline is the aircraft itself. Having a clean, tidy aircraft interior can increase customer recall and dramatically affect future passenger choice in air carrier. As a leading provider of cabin appearance services, PrimeFlight is keenly aware of how influential a clean cabin can be on a passengers perception of the airline’s brand. According to Mike Dillow, Aircraft and Facility Appearance Manager with PrimeFlight, “passengers are particularly sensitive to dirty lavatories, untidy seat pockets, and unclean windows and tray tables – the most critical areas passengers notice. If you don’t have those areas sparkling, you are starting at a deficit relative to brand perceptions.”
Forming an efficient external aircraft cleaning program has long been a crucial element in brand image for every airline. Nothing creates a better first impression for travelers and airport staff than seeing a pristine aircraft. Because of the care and dedication involved with cleaning an aircraft crown to tail and everywhere in between, the attention to detail does not go unnoticed.
Regular corrosion of aircraft is not only caused by acid rain and sleet, but also through the use of de-icing chemicals, runway salt, and improper cleaning methods. A successful aircraft cleaning program eliminates this harsh weathering and solves the growing challenges of complying with waste disposal constraints of the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA).
PrimeFlight Aviation Services established PrimeFlight X-Wash as a specialized division of the company, developed to address this highly specialized need in the aircraft cleaning industry. Regular exterior aircraft cleaning extends paint life, enabling longer intervals between repainting. Exterior washing also maintains the integrity of the paint through processes that remove oxidants and potentially harmful chemicals. PrimeFlight’s application of a UV protective wax goes even further to protect the aircraft's skin. As travelers heavily invest in their airline preference, a sparkling brand image shows your commitment to provide the highest quality passenger experience.
PrimeFlight’s external aircraft cleaning processes — combined with their specialty services like the cleaning and disinfecting of cargo bins, wheel well cleaning, flap track and leading edge cleaning — all contribute to a clean, smooth aircraft; meaning less drag, increased fuel optimization and minimized corrosion. With an experienced leadership team and proven track record, PrimeFlight’s X-Wash program provides additional cost savings for your airline while ensuring a safe and happy passenger experience.
Air travel continues to change in response to the needs of the public it serves. Demand for the lowest possible fare has resulted in decreased services and amenities, with one exception: airline wheelchair services. Passengers with special needs are traveling in record numbers, thanks in part to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its requirement that special needs passengers be given reasonable accommodations.
Hub and spoke systems — and the high potential for passengers to transfer from one flight to another — and airline code sharing — when passengers transfer between two (or multiple) different airlines during their journey — mean that it can be difficult to track SSR passengers once they are downline.
Centralized wheelchair dispatching and tracking systems are the solution to providing continuity of service while assuring the right resources are dispatched based on each passenger's needs. One ongoing challenge is that different airlines' computer systems often do not communicate well with each other, if at all, causing a breakdown in the tracking and dispatching process. The result is that special services request (SSR) passengers may not have assistance waiting for them at their destination.
Primeflight Aviation Services has developed a technology platform that provides greatly improved passenger SSR services. We utilize a cloud based dispatch and tracking system that routes multiple airports through a single dispatcher, improving control over the process. The system holds data for five years, allowing airlines to respond to queries from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the ADA using real-time technology, thanks to timestamping of all services provided. PrimeFlight is also able to provide airline wheelchair dispatch services for passengers even when we aren't the company providing the service. When it is your family member traveling, this means everything; the last thing you want is for your loved one to be left stranded and unattended at a strange airport.
For airlines, partnering with PrimeFlight is a cost effective means of ensuring your passengers receive excellent customer care. PrimeFlight's automated system means improvement in SSR passenger response scores, which has positive impact on your airline's position within DOT rankings. The use of one dispatcher as opposed to separate dispatchers at each airport allows for smaller staffing needs, which produces a significant labor cost savings. PrimeFlight's software also allows for trend analysis which means you'll have greater control on adjusting your staffing grid to match seasonal needs, whether that means ramping up or ramping down.
In an ideal travel world, all fights would be non-stop. But in reality, increased operational costs for airlines has required the adoption of a more fiscally sustainable model of operations, including a reduction in direct flights and condensed operations at some airports. These approaches present a challenge to airlines and passengers alike when it comes to Special Service Requests.
Recently issued government statistics show more than 34,000 disabled flyers have complained about their treatment, and 54% of the incidents have involved wheelchair assistance. That’s nearly equal to 1 complaint per 100,000 passengers about inadequate wheelchair assistance. And, it’s estimated that by 2030 nearly 39% of the U.S. population will be disabled, resulting in about 53 million more disabled people than in 1997, of which around a third of fly at least once every two years. In all, the challenge of a better SSR approach represents one of the biggest opportunities for airlines.
But, can airlines meet and exceed disabled passengers' needs while also realizing increased operational efficiencies?
The simple answer is yes, through streamlining and centralizing the dispatching of wheelchair services and other SSRs.
Centralized dispatch services automate and consolidate the dispatch and execution of Special Service Requests (SSR) like wheelchair transport orders. With this model, wheelchair requests are received at a centralized location through direct requests from airports or through the airlines reservation systems. Utilizing a cloud based technology platform, dispatchers can look at a passengers entire travel day, including any connections, and dispatch wheelchair services across the entire reservation, even when a different wheelchair service provider performs the push from connection to connection.
A centralized dispatch platform automatically locates the wheelchair technician who is best positioned to fulfill the request. A dispatcher sends the request - including the passengers identity, specific location and pick up time - to a highly specialized Smartphone. Real-time updates go directly to the wheelchair technician in the event of a gate change. Pick-ups and deliveries are recorded on the Smartphone, which transfers all data about the push back to a central cloud-based server where it is stored for up to five years. Data is guaranteed to be accurate in case of a complaint, providing DOT Part 382 claim response in real-time. The streamlined workflow improves accuracy and efficiency, resulting in fewer flight delays. Most importantly, disabled passengers aren’t left wondering when and from whom assistance will arrive.
In total, a central dispatch platform eliminates the need for a dispatcher at each airport. It automatically adjusts for seasonal SSR demands or scheduling changes, and it reduces staffing overhead while improving coverage. The result is considerable cost savings to airlines looking for a better solution.