Summary: The article explains the most prevalent challenges in the aviation industry and the ways to overcome these challenges to ensure business continuity for sustainable growth and expansion.
Customer experience is the prime factor that decides the success of the airline and helps the company earn better revenue. In the aviation industry, customer experience is the combination of what the customer expects and what it perceives throughout the departure and arrival stages at airports.
It’s crucial to understand the difference between a business’s will to deliver an excellent customer experience and providing the ‘right’ customer experience. There are different ways to map customer journeys, such as before take-off, mid-flight, and post-landing.
You can never undermine customer experience in the airline industry as it’s all about customers. Businesses nowadays are finding new ways to amplify their relationships with existing clients, new customers, and prospects. But what are the challenges before airline companies and how do they handle it all?
Challenges Before the Aviation Industry
Continuing Digital Transformation Adds Pressure
To keep up with the technology transformation, airline companies are moving to social media channels to interact with their customers, listen to their concerns and complaints, and resolve them in the best possible manner.
Based on the data and feedback that the airline collects from disparate channels, agile technology is implemented in the business to retrieve positive outcomes and personalize customers’ journeys.
Not to mention, the airline industry emphasizes more on profit-making rather than improving the customer journey. In the changing industry dynamics, it’s crucially significant to deliver a customer experience par excellence.
Higher Levels of Competition, Low Conversion Rates
Aviation has emerged as a phenomenal segment of the industry that has undergone drastic changes. With ballooning deals from the competition, airline companies are facing the challenge of attracting and converting customers more than ever.
The passenger’s perception of an airline changes quickly with the launch of new in-flight deals and discounts. Travel websites are using new tactics to attract, retain and convert customers; however, the success rate is as low as 4% only.
New Travel Restrictions & Security Risks
Regulatory authorities impose new restrictions on airlines, due to which airlines have to suffer immense revenue loss. According to the most recent COVID measures, airlines will have to fly with fewer passengers as they need to keep the middle seats vacant. If the situation persists for longer, the airlines will have to make a 35% cut in passengers’ seats.
It can affect the airline industry severely as load factor plays a significant role in aviation, and a 35% cut-off in passenger reservations means huge revenue loss in the long run. Not just that, cybercrimes can rob the airline industry of millions of dollars daily. To prevent cyberattacks, airline companies must deploy proven CRM Solutions to add security to data and make it available for authorized access only.
But what should the airlines do to deliver a premium-level customer experience?
Well, there are many feasible ways to improve customer services to deliver a better customer experience.
Ways to Improve Customer Services in the Aviation Industry
Take Passenger-Centric Approach
Minimize your profit-making efforts and focus more on customers. Interact with your customers in a personalized manner to make them feel friendlier. With quick access to real-time data, both businesses and customers will be able to make better, informed decisions. Leave no stone unturned in serving your customers beyond their expectations.
Track customer preferences and take note of their purchase history to anticipate future trends. Also, to follow a customer-first approach, ensure that the customer’s voice is heard accurately. Never make your customers repeat themselves. Using the Microsoft Dynamics 365 solution, airline businesses can maintain customer history as it will help solve customer problems expertly with improved response times.
Employ Integrated System Over Siloed Software
With siloed software applications, all the business data is stored in disparate locations across various departments within the company. To access a particular set of information, the employees will need to search through large chunks of data to find the right one. Switching to the integrated business system will allow the business to access crucial data from a single repository.
Having an integrated system will allow access in the eyes of customer information, so when a customer calls, it is relatively easy to see his previous conversations and other history and work properly. The airlines can improve customer service manifolds by replying quickly to customer queries using integrated Dynamics 365 solutions.
Clear Communication & Collaboration Between Teams
Keep your teams and team members in the loop to facilitate healthy communication and foster better collaboration. A strong bond between different teams is crucial for sustainable growth and success. Linking applications with each other can be feasible, but can’t be an optimal choice for fast-evolving companies.
Implementing CRM like Microsoft Dynamics in the airline office can bring together sales, customer service, marketing teams, and other departments for better collaboration. By implementing Dynamics 365 into the airline business, information can easily be accessed by different departments and teams can take quick actions as required.
How Microsoft Dynamics 365 Helps Business Grow?
In today’s competitive era, customer data is the most valuable asset for businesses, and organizations are adopting new technology that helps to turn this data into useful information. Microsoft Dynamics 365 implementation helps the aviation industry to take appropriate actions as it brings together sales and customer data across disparate channels.
Mobile capabilities of Dynamics 365 enable businesses to deliver excellent customer service right from anywhere, anytime. In-depth, integrated, AI-driven analytical and reporting capabilities allow organizations to fetch more information from airline data. Airlines, after employing Microsoft Dynamics 365, can make better, more informed decisions for business growth and expansion as well as respond faster to changes.
Dynamics 365 can be deployed on the Cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid environment (also known as Cloud and Edge). Among all three, Cloud and hybrid are the best options for high-growth companies as they allow for business continuity, unstoppable functionality, and sustainable growth. Based on the functional requirements of the business, it’s easy to scale up and scale down the resources.
10 things you did not know about MS Dynamics in the Aviation industry
Microsoft Dynamics, specifically Dynamics 365, has been increasingly adopted across various industries, including aviation, to streamline processes, enhance customer experiences, and improve overall efficiency. Here are ten lesser-known things about the use of MS Dynamics in the aviation industry:
- Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Management:
- MS Dynamics in the aviation sector facilitates MRO management by providing tools for tracking and scheduling maintenance activities. It helps optimize maintenance processes and ensures compliance with regulatory standards.
- Supply Chain Optimization:
- Dynamics 365 supports supply chain management in aviation by providing real-time visibility into inventory levels, order processing, and logistics. This helps organizations optimize their supply chain operations and reduce costs.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM):
- Dynamics 365 offers robust CRM capabilities tailored to the aviation industry. It allows organizations to manage customer interactions, track leads, and enhance customer relationships, contributing to improved service and loyalty.
- Integrated Financial Management:
- The platform includes financial management tools that streamline accounting processes, budgeting, and financial reporting for aviation organizations. It provides a comprehensive view of financial data for better decision-making.
- Regulatory Compliance:
- MS Dynamics helps aviation companies stay compliant with industry regulations by providing tools for tracking and managing compliance requirements. This is crucial for ensuring safety and meeting aviation standards.
- Fleet Management:
- Dynamics 365 supports efficient fleet management by offering tools for tracking and managing aircraft, including maintenance schedules, performance monitoring, and documentation management.
- Data Analytics and Reporting:
- The platform’s analytics and reporting capabilities enable aviation companies to derive insights from data. It supports data-driven decision-making, performance monitoring, and trend analysis in areas such as flight operations and maintenance.
- Crew Scheduling and Management:
- Dynamics 365 assists in crew scheduling and management, optimizing the allocation of crew members based on flight schedules, qualifications, and regulatory requirements. This contributes to efficient workforce planning.
- Asset Lifecycle Management:
- For aviation organizations with complex assets like aircraft, MS Dynamics supports comprehensive asset lifecycle management. This includes procurement, utilization tracking, and retirement planning for optimal asset performance.
- Collaboration and Communication:
- The platform facilitates collaboration and communication among various departments within aviation organizations. Whether it’s coordinating maintenance activities or managing customer interactions, Dynamics 365 promotes seamless communication.
The integration of MS Dynamics in the aviation industry underscores its versatility in addressing the unique needs of this complex sector. By providing solutions for regulatory compliance, maintenance optimization, and overall operational efficiency, Dynamics 365 plays a vital role in supporting the growth and success of aviation organizations.
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