the ba way in the marketplace customers - British Airways

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ON THE GROUND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTSCustomer RelationsWe have focused heavily during the last three yearson improving service and interaction with customerswho experience service failures.In dealing with complaints, the Customer RelationsTeam now aim to call customers when responding totheir enquiries rather than write. Customer researchshows that 41% of customers contacted by telephonerated Customer Relations’ handling of their enquiryas excellent, up nearly 10% from the previous year.Customers’ overall satisfaction levels with the way inwhich complaints were handled rose from 50% to65%. Satisfaction with staff professionalism hasalmost doubled in the last two years to 60%.Executive ClubBritish Airways’ customer loyalty and rewardprogramme, the Executive Club, has been runningfor 20 years.It is designed to recognise the airline’s most regularand valuable customers and rewards them by givingthem frequent-flyer points (BA Miles), priority checkin, access for Gold and Silver members to 250airport lounges worldwide, flight upgrades andspecial offers.During the last year, we have introduced a system bywhich we track Executive Club members’ recentjourneys and update customer service groundstaffand cabin crew before their next flight. For example,if a customer had been recently upgraded from Blueto Silver, a member of the Special Services teamwould greet them at the airport and show them to thelounge. If it was a customer’s first time travelling inClub World or First for some time, the cabin servicedirector would welcome them back when theyboarded their flight.Results from a trial of 1,000 Executive Clubmembers showed that satisfaction rose by 14%among those members who received this morepersonalised service.Customer satisfaction for the timeliness of responsesto complaints also increased significantly from 30%to 55%. In part, this reflected a rise in the proportionof responses sent by email this year – from 15% to25%.SMS alertsUnfortunately, from time to time flights aredisrupted. Following a successful trial, we introducedthis year an SMS messaging system to alertcustomers if their flight is delayed or cancelled.Customers who register their mobile phone numberon ba.com will receive a message to alert them to anychanges to their flight.BaggageSometimes luggage goes missing or does not travelon the same flight as its owner. We understand theinconvenience this causes its customers and haveimplemented a number of initiatives that helpcustomers track and recover their bag more easily.In North America, for example, a dedicated baggagehelpline has been set up so customers can accessspecific assistance rather than rely on airport generalcustomer service teams who may not be able to givebaggage inquiries consistent priority.LoungesIn July 2005, a new Molton Brown spa was opened inthe Terraces Lounge at New York’s JFK airport. Theairline now has a total of five spas in its internationaldeparture and arrivals lounges in HeathrowTerminals 1 and 4 as well as JFK.A major refurbishment of lounges in India took placein 2005, and an overhaul of lounges in Heathrow’sTerminals 1 and 4 was completed in March 2006.2005/06 Corporate Responsibility Report Page 4 of 6
Customer service improvements for India flightsBritish Airways has increased the number of flights itoperates between the UK and India from 19 perweek to 42, including the introduction of a new routebetween Heathrow and Bangalore.Service enhancements have included the formationof a ‘Special Services’ team who greet customers asthey enter the airport in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore,Chennai and Kolkata and help speed them fromcheck-in to the gate with greater ease. Dedicatedcheck-in areas with automated kiosks have beeninstalled and airport lounges refurbished.The airline has a team of Indian cabin crew whooperate on each flight between the UK and India.Improvements have been made to the food served inthe economy World Traveller cabin.HEALTHWe have reviewed the information and advice on airtravel and health we provide for customers on ourwebsite. The content has been simplified to make itclearer and more easily understood, with links torecommended external websites providing moredetail. Health information provided to passengersthrough onboard announcements, video and in-flightmagazines has also been reviewed.Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)In December 2005 the UK Department for Transportannounced the results of the World HealthOrganisation WRIGHT study, which examined therelationship between travel and Deep VeinThrombosis (DVT). The results were consistent withprevious studies in demonstrating that seatedimmobility is a risk factor for DVT in all forms oftransport. The studies confirm that the risk increaseswith duration of travel and is greater for those peoplewith other risk factors for DVT such as heart disease,family history of DVT, hormone treatment,pregnancy or recent major surgery. See www.ba.comAvian fluOver the past year the outbreak of avian flu causedby the H5N1 virus has spread beyond Asia, withinfected birds reported in many areas includingWestern Europe and Africa. As yet there has beenno indication that the virus can be transmitted readilyfrom human to human, but the threat of a humaninfluenza pandemic remains. A pandemic would beexpected to have a major impact on internationaltravel. We have a contingency planning group whichhas been working in partnership with local, nationaland international organisations.Heathrow capacityTo ensure Heathrow airport offers customers a globalnetwork of direct routes comparable with hubs inContinental Europe, BA strongly supports thesustainable development of the airport’s capacity.In 2005-2006 the Government and BAA plc havecontinued with preliminary studies related to theproposals of the 2003 Air Transport White Paper tobuild a third runway at Heathrow (subject to meetingenvironmental conditions) and to consult on full useof Heathrow’s existing runways. The Government iscommitted to producing a report on progress onimplementation of the White Paper by the end of2006.BA is actively contributing to these projects for thesustainable development of Heathrow by:- responding in detail to BAA’s consultation on adraft interim master plan for Heathrow, andsupporting proposals that protect local propertyvalues in areas potentially affected by Heathrow’sthird runway- participating in ‘Future Heathrow’, a broadlybasedcampaign embracing all the mainHeathrow trades unions, and local and nationalbusiness organisations seeking Heathrow’ssustainable modernisation and expansion- discussing with local authority representativesand regional organisations (including the SouthEast England Development Agency and theLondon Development Agency) the strategies forlocal and regional plans that would best secure2005/06 Corporate Responsibility Report Page 5 of 6
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