FBO Business Strategy: Get the Offense Rolling
/When operating an FBO in the Covid-19 pandemic era, it’s easy to get caught up playing defense. After all, the natural instinct is to preserve what we have. Apply for the PPP program, adjust operations and manage cash flow.
This conservative approach seems to have worked for many FBOs until the PPP program funds ran out. Now it is a wait and see game, hoping that business aircraft traffic will pick up and fuel sales will return to pre-pandemic levels.
For some FBOs in certain markets, this trend seems to be playing out. Reports of increased fuel sales approaching 50 to 80 percent of pre-Covid-19 levels are trickling in. However, for others, it is a slow and somewhat painful process.
That is why it is important to start thinking offensively. While other FBOs in your market are stuck in the defensive mode, take to the offense, perhaps increasing your opportunity to improve your market share.
Things to think about offensively include steps to advance your image and awareness in the marketplace such as:
- Improving your online presence
- Updating your database of customers
- Starting an active program to reach out to your current and past customers
- Making your customers aware of your commitment to keeping your facility clean and your employees healthy
- Promoting new services, such as aircraft interior cleaning/disinfecting
- Announcing new safety programs such as developing an SMS or, perhaps, your progress towards achieving a specific IS-BAH registration stage
Another area to look at offensively is creating awareness for your commitment to bringing Sustainable Alternative Fuel (SAF) to your facility. If you want to offer assistance in the ‘Book-and-Claim’ SAF program, let your customers know. It is no longer a question if SAF is coming, it is a question of when. As demand for SAF increases, so will the supply with more distribution channels helping to drive down the cost.
The steps above are just suggestions and a starting point to start thinking offensively. No doubt 2020 will likely go on record as a year full of unparalleled challenges. However, success will come for those FBO owners and operators who see opportunity and are willing to capitalize on related innovation while in the midst of the pandemic era.
Please leave any comments you have about this blog post below. If you have any questions, please give us a call or send us an email: jenticknap@bellsouth.net, 404-867-5518; ronjacksongroup@gmail.com, 972-979-6566.
ABOUT THE BLOGGERS: John Enticknap has more than 35 years of aviation fueling and FBO services industry experience and is an IS-BAH Accredited auditor. Ron Jackson is co-founder of Aviation Business Strategies Group and president of The Jackson Group, a PR agency specializing in FBO marketing and customer service training. Visit the biography page or absggroup.com for more background.
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