By Arina Smith
Traveling by air is a huge part of modern life, whether you travel for personal or professional reasons. While some may make the mistake of viewing the industry as a practical necessity, the reality is that times have moved on. Airports are now as much about hospitality and customer experience as they are about logistics. In fact, when deciding which airport to fly from, many customers will consider what their customer experience is likely to include alongside the duration of the flight and the costs. When travelers have to battle lengthy queues, dirty restroom facilities and dismissive staff, they are not only going to think twice about using that airport again, but they are likely to tell all their friends and family to avoid you as well.
4 Public Relations Tips for Airports:
Here are 4 tips that can help airports to achieve a balance between efficiency and positive customer experience to improve public relations.
1. Improve communication:
One of the most common complaints from travelers is that they do not have enough information from their airline when changes are made to their flight. The airport and airlines should be working in unison to ensure the passengers have the information they need and where they can locate relevant facilities or advice. Providing passengers with regular updates via text messages can help them to plan their activities more accurately so they are not waiting around unnecessarily or without any idea what’s going on.
2. Use technology to improve the customer experience:
Modern technology should be used to improve customer experience where appropriate. This could include automated text messages with flight information, digital boarding passes or digital kiosks that speed up the boarding process. You can also use technology to identify weaknesses in your customer journey. For example, HappyOrNot is a leading customer experience solution providing innovative technology that enables you to gather customer feedback from key points in their journey and use that data to improve your service.
3. Simplify directions and signage:
Airports are confusing places at the best of times, but when passengers are tired and/or in a rush, they can become frustrating and stressful in the blink of an eye. To combat this, try to improve signage and directions at the airport. Using emotionally intelligent signs, including walking distances and how long it may take to travel from one point to another is the perfect solution.
4. Provide clean and comfortable rest areas:
Airports are not always relaxing places; however, if you can provide your passengers with a waiting area where they can feel relaxed and comfortable, you will be well on your way to providing an excellent customer experience. This includes plenty of comfortable chairs, electrical outlets and locker facilities which enable people to rest without worrying about their luggage. Some even install massage chairs and offer mini-spa treatments as well as TVs and video games to help people to unwind. Dirty restrooms and waiting areas are big issues for passengers and it should be a top priority with airport management. Hygiene teams should be working efficiently and effectively and in some cases, it may be worth investing in hiring more cleaning staff. A clean and tidy terminal does wonders for the way customers will perceive your brand.
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