Amity School of Hospitality, Amity University Haryana, Gurugram Organized Online Lecture on Airport Customer Service in Post Covid 19 Period on 15th May 2020 by Mr. Rahul Thapliyal - Deputy Training Manager - Delhi International Airport Retail Services (Certified Life Coach, an Image Consultant and a L&D Professional).Total 30 students participated the online lecture.
The main aim of this event to provide education about airport customer service in post covid 19 period in terms of passenger service, customer service, non-touchable service & social distancing. The students learnt about how passenger service, customer service, non-touchable service & social distancing would be with respect to airport customer service in post covid 19 period.
Mr. Rahul Thapliyal - Deputy Training Manager - Delhi International Airport Retail Services (Certified Life Coach, an Image Consultant and a L&D Professional) Talked about forced airport customer experience and customer service teams to rethink the meaning of customer care. Now more than ever, they are finding how it is crucial to put themselves in the customer’s shoes. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, airport customer experience management was focused on promoting and fostering positive customer emotions and perceptions through all of their interactions with an airport community. These interactions could be delivered in person, online, through self-service booths, or other channels and the focus was on journey mapping and adapting the experience to different passenger personas.
He mentioned that according to ACI World’s Airport Service Quality (ASQ) programme, in 2019 the most important drivers of satisfaction were the airport ambience (including infrastructure and cleanliness), passengers’ discretionary time (including food and beverage, retail areas), and entertainment activities such as the Wi-Fi, followed by the security processes and, of course, the human factor. For airports that still have some passenger traffic during this time, the importance of understanding passengers has become more crucial than ever. Amid these awful and unpredictable circumstances, those passengers still able to travel expect very different things from the airport experience.
Along with the usual promotion of the many services an airport offers, passenger that are still travelling at this time also expect a heightened feeling of safety, of wellness, of cleanliness and sanitation. For airports that have stopped or slowed operation, a focus on care and connection is still important to keep customers engaged and involved with the airport through ongoing communication. The health and safety of customers remains paramount for airport operators. Understanding what customers are living through and what their fundamental needs are is a must.
Customer experience managers and airport employees must seek to empathize with passengers who will likely be in a heightened sense of anxiousness. To address this, passengers should be provided with extra information, guidance, and support to navigate a new set of challenges, and also reassurance that all measures are in place to keep them and their families safe. They want a resource they can trust, that can make them feel safe in uncertain situations, and that offers support when so much seems to be overwhelming.
He shared in detailed about the customer journey that starts before they arrive at the airport, passengers look for information on airport website and social media so airports should leverage these channels to document all the hygiene and health measures taken. The first step in caring is to reach out, not in marketing or overt attempts to gain a competitive edge, but to offer genuine support. These experiences are critical for customers in the short term, and the impact will build positive relationships that are bound to last long after the crisis has ended. It is less about profit and more about taking care of customers. Customers will gravitate toward businesses that provide safety and create confidence. Communication with passengers and the public is key in order to ease customer anxiety, engage the passenger, strengthen relationships, and to promote efforts within the community. Furthermore, by stepping up their efforts to embrace passengers’ feelings and sentiments in this uncertain time, airports could increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.