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

of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing poor customer service.13

       Consumers are 2 times more likely to share their bad customer service experiences than they are talking about positive experiences.14

       A 5% increase customer in retention increases profits by up to 95%.15

       For every customer who bothers to complain, 26 other customers remain silent.16

       More than 70% of buying experiences are based on how customers feel they are being treated.17

Summary

      Majority of today’s airlines offer similar facilities on their flight. As such, they are competing with one another based on travel fare and the services offered. Excellent customer service is essential in securing customer repurchase intentions. Airlines use different strategies to turn satisfied customers to loyal customers so as to retain profitability.

Applying the knowledge

      True or false?

      Are the following statements true or false? Put a tick in the right column.

Statement	True	False
1. Customers are satisfied when their expectations are met.
2. Service environment refers to the service landscape in which customers are in direct contact with airlines’ products.
3. Ambience refers to the social environment that influences customers’ perception of an airline.
4. Limited leg space between seats in an aircraft does not impact a customer’s level of satisfaction.
5. Deploying adequate service agents help to increase customers’ level of satisfaction.
6. Loyal customers make repeat purchases with an airline.
7. Today’s airlines are competing against one another based on customer service.
8. When customers are happy with an environment, they have a tendency to stay put longer in the same location.
9. Intangible customer service mainly focuses on service agents’ abilities and skills in providing services.
10. All customers are willing to pay more money for better services.

      Short-answer questions

      1 How is customer satisfaction created in the airline industry? Explain your answer in full sentences.

      2 What are the three elements make up the basics of minimum customer expectations?

      3 How does a first-time flyer judge the quality of an airline? Explain your answer in full sentences.

      4 What is customer service and why is it important to the airline industry? Explain your answer in full sentences.

      5 Identify and explain the differences between an internal and external customer.

      6 Write a list of the different characteristics of business and leisure customers.

Endnotes

1. Airbus. 2016. Commercial aviation accident 1958–2015. Airbus.

2. Karten, N. 1994. Managing Expectations: Working with People Who Want More, Better, Faster, Sooner, NOW!. Dorset house.

3. Lucas, R. 2011. Customer Service Skills for Success (Connect, Learn, Succeed). McGraw Hill.

4. Albert Mehrabian, James A. Russell An approach to environmental psychology Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 1974.

5. Ghee, R. 2015 Mar 15. Creating a unique cabin environment—airlines investing in distinctive design and customer service. Future travel experience: http://www.futuretravelexperience.com/2015/03/creating-unique-cabin-environment-airlines-investing-distinctive-design-customer-service/

6. Bitner, M. 1992, Apr. Servicescapes: The Impact of Physical Surroundings on Customers and Employees. Journal of Marketing. Vol. 56, No. 2 pp. 57–71.

7. Flynn, D. 2015, Feb 12. Qantas to enforce dress code at Qantas Club airport lounges. Australian Business Traveller: http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-tightens-dress-code-at-qantas-club-airport-lounges

8. American Airlines. 2015. Conditions of Carriage. American Airlines: http://www.aa.com/i18n/customerService/customerCommitment/conditionsOfCarriage.jsp#acceptanceofpassengers

9. Skyscanner. Bangkok to Hong Kong. http://www.skyscanner.co.th/routes/bkkt/hkg/bangkok-to-hong-kong-international.html?langid=EN

10. Hall, Edward T. October (1963). A System for the Notation of Proxemic Behavior. American Anthropologist.

11. White House Office of Consumer Affairs Washington, DC.

12. Zendesk. 2013. The impact of customer service on customer lifetime value. Zendesk: https://www.zendesk.com/resources/customer-service-and-lifetime-customer-value

13. Oracel. 2011. 2011 Customer Experience Impact Report. Oracel Cooperation: http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/cust-exp-impact-report-epss-1560493.pdf

14.