How can you train your crew to build long-term relationships with customers?

1 Identify your customer segments

The first step is to identify your customer segments and understand their needs, preferences, and expectations. You can use data from your booking system, CRM, surveys, or feedback forms to segment your customers based on factors such as travel frequency, purpose, destination, spending, or satisfaction. By knowing your customer segments, you can tailor your crew training to address the specific pain points and desires of each group and provide them with personalized service.

2 Set your service standards

The second step is to set your service standards and communicate them clearly to your crew. Your service standards should reflect your brand values, mission, and vision, as well as your customer segments' needs and expectations. You should also define the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that you will use to measure your crew's service quality and customer satisfaction. For example, you can use Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Effort Score (CES), or Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) to gauge how likely your customers are to recommend your airline, how easy it is for them to interact with your crew, or how happy they are with your service.

3 Train your crew on soft skills

The third step is to train your crew on soft skills that are essential for building long-term relationships with customers. These include communication, empathy, active listening, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. You should provide your crew with practical scenarios and role-plays that simulate real-life situations and challenges that they may encounter with different types of customers. You should also encourage your crew to use positive language, body language, and tone of voice, as well as to express appreciation and gratitude to your customers.

4 Empower your crew to delight customers

The fourth step is to empower your crew to delight customers by giving them the authority and flexibility to go above and beyond their regular duties and expectations. You should encourage your crew to use their creativity, initiative, and judgment to surprise and delight your customers with gestures such as personalizing their service, offering complimentary upgrades or amenities, or recognizing special occasions or milestones. You should also reward and recognize your crew for their efforts and achievements in delivering exceptional customer service.