How do you inspire excellent service from airline employees? This is a crucial question for airline managers who want to create a positive customer experience and a loyal brand reputation. In this article, we will explore some strategies and tips to motivate and empower your staff to deliver outstanding service in the competitive and challenging airline industry.
The first step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to understand what they need and expect from their job, their manager, and their company. You can do this by conducting surveys, interviews, focus groups, or feedback sessions to gather their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. By listening to your employees, you can identify their strengths, weaknesses, goals, and challenges, and tailor your training, coaching, recognition, and reward programs accordingly. You can also use this information to create a clear and compelling vision and mission for your service culture, and communicate it effectively to your employees.
The key is seeking feedback and embracing it. Everyone is a leader in some way. A leader who doesn't listen is eventually surrounded by people who have nothing to say.
How to inspire excellent service from your employees? ‘If you want to build a ship, don't teach people to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, give them a yearning for the vast and endless sea.’ A leader I worked closely with used this quote very often, and this captures the essence very aptly indeed. Give your team a clear and succinct view to the value that they bring to the organisation and to the end customer by every action that they take ( or don’t ) on an everyday basis. This vision along with the trust and faith that you will support them on the things where they need you (professional and otherwise) are extremely important for them to deliver, day on day in a demanding profile like Customer Service Operations.
The second step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to provide them with ongoing training and development opportunities. This will help them acquire and update the skills, knowledge, and attitudes they need to perform their tasks efficiently, safely, and professionally. You can offer various types of training, such as online courses, workshops, simulations, mentoring, or peer learning, depending on your budget, resources, and objectives. You can also encourage your employees to pursue their personal and career goals, and support them with coaching, feedback, and career planning. By investing in your employees' learning and growth, you can enhance their confidence, competence, and commitment to service excellence.
The third step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to empower them to make decisions and solve problems on the spot, without waiting for approval or instructions from higher-ups. This will allow them to respond quickly and effectively to customer needs, requests, and complaints, and to create memorable and personalized service experiences. You can empower your employees by giving them clear guidelines, authority, and accountability for their actions, and by providing them with the necessary tools, resources, and information. You can also foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where your employees are encouraged to suggest and implement new ideas and solutions to improve service quality and efficiency.
The fourth step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to recognize and reward them for their service achievements, both individually and as a team. This will boost their morale, motivation, and loyalty, and reinforce the desired service behaviors and standards. You can recognize and reward your employees by using various methods, such as verbal praise, thank-you notes, certificates, badges, trophies, bonuses, incentives, or perks. You can also celebrate your employees' service milestones, such as anniversaries, promotions, or special projects. You can also create a system of peer recognition, where your employees can nominate and appreciate each other for their service contributions.
The fifth step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to lead by example and model service excellence yourself. This means that you should demonstrate the same values, attitudes, and behaviors that you expect from your employees, and treat them with respect, trust, and care. You should also show your passion and enthusiasm for service, and share your stories and best practices with your employees. You should also be accessible and approachable, and provide your employees with the support, guidance, and feedback they need to succeed. By leading by example and modeling service excellence, you can inspire your employees to follow your footsteps and emulate your service standards.
The sixth and final step to inspire excellent service from your employees is to create a positive and supportive work environment, where your employees feel valued, engaged, and happy. You can do this by promoting a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and communication, where your employees can share their ideas, opinions, and feedback, and learn from each other. You can also create a culture of fun, joy, and humor, where your employees can enjoy their work, have fun with their colleagues and customers, and celebrate their achievements. You can also create a culture of wellness, where your employees can balance their work and personal lives, and have access to health and wellness programs and benefits. By creating a positive and supportive work environment, you can enhance your employees' well-being, satisfaction, and retention, and inspire them to deliver excellent service to your customers.