FBO Survival Series - Survival Tip #9: Avoid the Status Quo
/By John L. Enticknap and Ron R. Jackson, Aviation Business Strategies Group
Welcome to the next installment of our continuing AC-U-KWIK FBO Connection Series: FBO Survival. This series focuses on the various strategies and tactics needed to survive the daily rigors of running a successful FBO operation.
"Status Quo, you know, is Latin for ‘the mess we’re in.'"
- Ronald Reagan
About the time you think you’ve got your FBO running smoothly, that’s the time you need to step back, reevaluate, get back out on the floor and see what’s going on. If you are willing to accept the status quo, chances are you’re becoming a little too complacent and that can spell disaster in any business.
Case in Point
Recently, an independent aviation consulting firm conducted a fuel-brand phone survey of FBOs. In most cases, the person answering the phone was a customer service representative. The consulting firm simply asked: “What brand of aviation fuel do you sell?”
Shockingly, more than 30 percent of respondents did not know the answer. That’s one in three!
This begs the question: What else don’t your employees know about your business?
Knowing the basics of your business is essential. However, a greater understanding of some of the technical points of fueling and servicing an aircraft by all employees instills greater customer confidence.
One of the best ways to help a new CSR understand your business is to cross train the employee beginning with line service. Let them get out on the ramp and learn firsthand from your most experienced line service technician. And, alternatively, have your line service technicians spend some time observing and helping out at the front desk, in the lounges, and even cleaning bathrooms.
Some business modelers call this job enrichment. They’ve observed an increase in employee morale when horizons are expanded and other skills are experienced and learned.
If you are running an FBO that does more than sell fuel, like maintenance, flight school and perhaps charter, you would probably want your frontline employees equipped with enough information to help solve any customer problems by offering the right solutions.
As we teach in our Don’t Forget the Cheese! customer service training course, it’s not the elephants and hippos that cause the most problems, it’s the little gnats that buzz around constantly giving you fits.
That’s why it’s important to standardize your customer service delivery experience. If you’re like most FBO owners and operators, you don’t tolerate mishaps on the ramp! Why, then, would you tolerate a misstep at the front counter, the very point of customer transactions?
Therefore, put it in writing and make sure every employee receives the proper training required to competently represent your business interests.
So go ahead and shake up the status quo. Get your employees more involved by getting yourself more involved. Challenge your employees by developing a little pop quiz. Correct answers get some string cheese or other healthy treat. Keep them on their toes, always thinking and learning.
If you like this series, please ‘Like Us’ by clicking the icon below. Also, let us know your thoughts by e-mailing us at:
John Enticknap: jenticknap@bellsouth.net
Ron Jackson: rjacksongroup@earthlink.net
About the authors:
John Enticknap
John Enticknap founded Aviation Business Strategies Group in 2006 following a distinguished career in aviation fueling and FBO management, including President of Mercury Air Centers network of 21 FBO locations. He is an ATP and CFI rated pilot with more than 7,800 flight hours and is the author of “10 Steps to Building a Profitable FBO”. John developed NATA’s acclaimed FBO Success Seminar Series and writes an industry blog for AcUKwikAlert.com titled: The FBO Connection.
Ron Jackson
Ron Jackson is Co-Founder of Aviation Business Strategies Group and President of The Jackson Group, a PR agency specializing in FBO marketing and CSR training. He has held management positions with Cessna Aircraft and Bozell Advertising and is the author of “Mission Marketing: Creating Brand Value” and co-author of “Don’t Forget the Cheese!” the ultimate FBO Customer Service Experience. Ron co-developed NATA’s acclaimed FBO Success Seminar Series and writes an industry blog for AcUKwikAlert.com titled: The FBO Connection.