|
Virgin has a novel way to promote their new discount airline...create a reality show around it.
The brainchild of British billionaire and provocateur Richard Branson the focus isn’t just selling cheap tickets; it is selling an experience — and one that few other domestic airlines are trying to match. When Virgin America launched in 2007, it promised to make “flying good again,” by offering, among other perks, in-flight live concerts, Wi-Fi, MP3 players, mood lighting, music in the bathrooms, and even absinthe on the menu. But 'trendiness' aside it is still all about the customer service experience.
Fortunately Virgin is doing something right, last year being ranked first in Zagat’s annual global airline survey of midsize carriers and won best cabin staff in North America from the World Airline Awards. What about the not-so-glamorous aspect of the flying experience with delays, grumpy passengers, etc? Virgin’s solution is twofold: Hire people with an independent streak, and then stress test them with one of the most rigorous training programs in the industry. If they cope with that then you get the winners to spend four and a half weeks in training — considerably longer than the two and half week FAA minimum, and the three weeks required at Southwest and JetBlue. Sure, they learn the standard safety lessons and how to wield the heavy drink cart. But the bulk of Virgin’s unique training program is more like a mini-course in psychology, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence.
Virgin’s trainers emphasise empathy above everything else. In heated situations if words don’t suffice with unhappy customers, attendants have free drink coupons, free upgrades, and free flights at their disposal — no corporate sign-off required. Training sessions even push crewmembers to bend some policies, such as letting late passengers make a run for the plane, rather than telling them to get on another flight.
Employees must also develop their own creative strategies for dealing with customers, especially during flight delays and other situations beyond their control. It’s not uncommon to see Virgin agents try to distract grounded passengers at the gate with impromptu games of bowling, basketball, ring tossing, or volleyball.
As for the need to keep to flight times, Virgin America has dedicated 24/7 staff monitoring Twitter feeds, so that within minutes, concerned customers are kept in the loop at all times.
|
