Airport Business

APR 2013

The airport professional's source for airport industry news, articles, events, and careers.

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fueling/lineops/safety three times, or not at all?" The more that is known about a customer's basic needs, wants and preferences, the better you can be of service. Maintain a Servant's Heart It was once just a requirement for anyone working the flightline to be safe and know the basics of proper ramp operations. That too is different today. With reduced staff and increased profitability demands, it is critically important that individuals charged with meeting the aircraft converse with passengers and coordinate with flight crews and fellow team members. These individuals must be ready, willing and able to be of service to others. It is not about being anyone's servant, however. It is about being a professional and assisting those without your expertise to help them navigate your employer's operation with safety and ease. FBOs should want their customer's experience to be pleasant and maybe even memorable. No one will describe their experience as, "WOW, you will never believe the great fuel we received today!", but they might say, "You will never believe the wonderful service we received today at XYZ FBO. We saw five FBOs over the course of three days of travel, and what a different experience we had at XYZ FBO." Check Your Appearance and Your Attitude A study by New York University researchers revealed we make 11 major decisions about one another in the first 7 seconds of our first interaction. This research shows that in business interactions, first impressions are absolutely crucial. On the flightline, appearance can offer an at-a-glance view of the level of professionalism and the anticipated level of service that can be expected. As one taxis onto an FBO ramp, if the facility is in disarray, the employees look like they have been rolling around under a greasy fuel truck, equipment is dirty and in poor condition, and no one looks very happy to be there, that first impression is not a positive one. Once inside, if customers see that the person behind the front counter never picks up his/her head to make eye contact and greet them, they may feel their presence is an imposition. SMILE! Let customers at least think that you are happy to see them and happy to be of service. Welcome the customers, ask them their names, share your name, and begin a relationship! Be Professional Line service technicians often lament, "Those pilots … they never pay attention to my hand signals!" But when they are observed marshaling, it looks like they are swatting flies or fanning themselves. No wonder pilots fail to follow their hand signals, they are either uninterruptible or indistinguishable! Customers can quickly determine an FBO's level of professionalism by what line service technicians are doing and how they are doing it. Sometimes simple things like just wearing PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), speaks volumes. If employ--NYU ees show they care about their own safety, it gives the impression that they are also safe with aircraft. Using proper equipment like wands or flags to marshal, direct and park aircraft, including both day wands and lighted wands at night, adds another level of professionalism. Driving equipment safely and professionally on the ramp, especially around aircraft, speaks volumes about an FBO's professionalism. Each interaction with a customer provides an opportunity to make a positive and memorable first impression. If all tasks are performed proficiently and professionally, FBOs will find customers returning not just for fuel, but for the service they provide. First impressions count. We make 11 major decisions about one another in the first 7 seconds of our first interaction. about the author Greet customers like you're happy to see them. Walter Chartrand, Training Instructor Walter Chartrand is a training instructor with Aviation Training Academy, a firm dedicated to the training and continued education of professional aviation ground support personnel. More information on the training offered by Aviation Training Academy can be found at: www.aviationta.aero. April 2013 www.AviationPros.com 21

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