BA take the iPad flight path to make passengers feel a bit more special
British Airways is aiming to do better by its customers - by using data delivered by iPad to "create much more personal and convenient interactions" between consumers and the airline.
BA: How to butter up passengers
Simon Talling-Smith, exec VP-Americas for BA, spelled out the airline's "Know Me" programme at AdAge's Digital West Conference in San Francisco this week.
For almost 10 years BA has been trying to pull all its passenger data from 200 sources into one database. The aim: to use the information to make customers' experience with the airline "more convenient and rich with value", reports AdAge.
The key, Talling-Smith said, is to present that personalisation to passengers in a way that impresses them rather than spooks them.
"When we get it right," he said, "our customers don't like it -- they absolutely love it."
The hard thing Mr. Talling-Smith said is getting the plane crews to recognise the importance of reading notes about passengers and then delivering them a particular message.
For example, if the crew is aware a passenger is flying business class for the first time, they should welcome the customer, show him/her how to use her seat and then note the reaction.
Or maybe a traveller who normally flies business is on a personal holiday with his family in coach.
"Flight staff would thank him for flying with BA, maybe offer him a glass of champagne and make a fuss over him in front of his family, which always wins points," Talling-Smith said.
Onboard iPads have made sending passenger-specific communications to in-flight personnel easier- but getting the staff to make use of the tablets is still a challenge, he admitted.
"Probably half of the messages don't even get delivered," he said.
Even if it's bad new that has to be delivered, the personal touch still counts.
So , British Airways passengers whose bags don't make it on to the plane before takeoff may get that news on the plane.
"You should never be the last person standing at the carousel," said Talling- Smith.