Business lessons in AIR

The word “Business” gets a lot synonymous to the word “Customer” instead of the term “Money”. While lots of us might relate our businesses with the amount of money we are earning, it is all the more important to keep your customers happy from where the money is pouring in. Over the last few years, we have been noticing a sudden change in the customer service and the quality of the products being offered. Is it some kind of competition they are doing or is it out of compulsion due to federal rules or what? One might imagine hundreds of reasons behind it but the fact is the CUSTOMERS. The growing importance of customer service to retain them is the major reason behind the changed atmosphere.

It takes a steady pace of good services that will be good to handle consumer’s demand and supply factor. I especially bought this article today because of the some clean cheat lessons an airhostess taught me while I was flying from NY to Washington DC. The past few years we have seen lots of players entering the field for domestic as well as international flights. I got to learn some very important BUSINESS LESSONS from her while I was just in the flights for over 2 hours:

• Customer service: This was one of the most amazing experiences of customer service I ever had in my life. As I hopped on to the plane, she greeted me and directed me towards my seat. In no time she was right besides my seat asking if I need some assistance adjusting the baggage, as it was too long. While the plane took off, we were served with beverages and cold drinks. We all know, the basic reasons behind all of these to make the customers happy, isn’t it? And if they like the airline way too much than there are sure chances of we flying with the airways again.
• You would laugh at me hearing this, but the fact is that we know the customers aren’t very smart as they think of themselves to be. From the very time, you step inside the aircraft till the time you move out of the plane. You see that that airhostess gives you step-by-step instructions. Even while taking off, they check with the seat belts and while getting down. Even if you try to fool them they are smart to let you do what they want in a very polite manner. If you still resist doing what they say then they might use a little firmer voice to do things that are RULES in the airlines.
• You see, there are so many options available in the airlines for beverages but they mention just few options provided you ask them and stress on what you want to drink. There are surely some optimal results why they do this:
  • First, giving more options would mean higher costs to the airlines. While a 12 pack of a beverage would cost far less than buying different flavors of a soda.
  • As you value time, they value time too. By offering many options, they would be wasting their time opening different tins. A few handy options are good as it takes less time deciding as well.
  • Giving too many options is not going to increase your customer’s satisfaction either ways. The best way to satisfy your customers is by not giving them too many options but offering them the best options and the best services.
• Business means following strict rules, you must have noticed how tempted you were to switch on the cell when your flight was 10,000 feet above. When you tried doing things that are not allowed, the airhostess would come and request you once or twice and the third time they would be in a more stricter voice and if circumstances get way too out of their control, they might even call in other air hostess or their superior.

Here, the important point to learn is that in a business you cannot just let your customers walk on to you. Of course, you want to keep them happy but the fact is “Customers may not always be right”.

Sometimes, the most premium happiness quotient lies in small things. It may sound very simple but it really works. You get to learn big lessons even from our very own toddlers or just traveling in a bus. You never know, what may come next to teach or bring a major change in your life or business.