Flight school customer service

[Ken Ibold]

OK, so this is more or less an actual transcript of a phone conversation yesterday. I called to ask about renting the flight school's twin, at which point I was connected to a flight instructor.

Me: I'm calling about your rental Seneca.
FI: Oh, yeah, it's a great airplane. Top condition.
Me: Your web site says you allow solo rentals, and I'm just curious about its availability. Is it usually possible to rent it for 2-3 day trips or is it always booked for training?
FI: Well, right now the schedule is completely clear. No one's got it reserved at all. Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks.
Me: What happens in two weeks?
FI: That's when we expect they'll finish the engine overhaul and it will be flying again.

The guy clearly needs his transponder repaired.

 

[SkyHog]

haha Ken - that's a guy thats been sitting around the airport too long this week.

 

[ScottM]

Sounds like he has a sense of humor.

 

[The rogue]

I remember the long, boring, slow days watching the desk too. Every once in a while you get the opportunity to have fun at someone else's expense....



--Matt

 

[Arnold]

OK, so this is more or less an actual transcript of a phone conversation yesterday. I called to ask about renting the flight school's twin, at which point I was connected to a flight instructor.

Me: I'm calling about your rental Seneca.
FI: Oh, yeah, it's a great airplane. Top condition.
Me: Your web site says you allow solo rentals, and I'm just curious about its availability. Is it usually possible to rent it for 2-3 day trips or is it always booked for training?
FI: Well, right now the schedule is completely clear. No one's got it reserved at all. Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks.
Me: What happens in two weeks?
FI: That's when we expect they'll finish the engine overhaul and it will be flying again.

The guy clearly needs his transponder repaired.

I have always thought that if the people who run aviation businesses actually had any interest in running a business they might one day make money. I 've moved about the country a fair amount and it has always been a struggle just to find an FBO that wants to have you as a customer. Generally they are either rude (50% by ignoring you 50% by trying to show you how superior they are) or they are clearly more interest in money than your well being - (we understand that you are an ATP CFI, but we will require that you spend 5 hours with our instructors before you can rent and fly our piece of junk skyhawk). If GA ever gets its act together it might propser, right now it survives despite itself.

 

[Ken Ibold]

I remember the long, boring, slow days watching the desk too. Every once in a while you get the opportunity to have fun at someone else's expense....



--Matt

I like to think I am not humor-impaired. There was no hint that this was a joke, either before the punchline or after.

 

[SkyHog]

But aren't those the best jokes? I love doing that to people. Play a prank and never explain it. Let them figure it out.

Or this guy could just be nuts too.

 

[The Old Man]

OK, so this is more or less an actual transcript of a phone conversation yesterday. I called to ask about renting the flight school's twin, at which point I was connected to a flight instructor.

Me: I'm calling about your rental Seneca.
FI: Oh, yeah, it's a great airplane. Top condition.
Me: Your web site says you allow solo rentals, and I'm just curious about its availability. Is it usually possible to rent it for 2-3 day trips or is it always booked for training?
FI: Well, right now the schedule is completely clear. No one's got it reserved at all. Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks.
Me: What happens in two weeks?
FI: That's when we expect they'll finish the engine overhaul and it will be flying again.

The guy clearly needs his transponder repaired.

Lighten up, Ken. I use this form of humor all the time.

If the other person has left ambiguity in the conversation by not stating the specific direction, take it in the direction you think is opposite of the intended direction. The caller never asked about a specific rental, only about how crowded the schedule was.

The desk jockey responded:"Well, right now the schedule is completely clear. No one's got it reserved at all." which is undeniably true.
Then added:"Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks.", giving the caller a clue than there may be some reason other than the caller's original supposition.

Had I been the caller, when the lightbulb went on, I would have laughed my head off.

 

[poadeleted1]

Lighten up, Ken. I use this form of humor all the time.

If the other person has left ambiguity in the conversation by not stating the specific direction, take it in the direction you think is opposite of the intended direction. The caller never asked about a specific rental, only about how crowded the schedule was.

The desk jockey responded:"Well, right now the schedule is completely clear. No one's got it reserved at all." which is undeniably true.
Then added:"Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks.", giving the caller a clue than there may be some reason other than the caller's original supposition.

Had I been the caller, when the lightbulb went on, I would have laughed my head off.

:"Of course, I'm sure that will change in about two weeks."

Yes, I am sure it will. For one thing, I won't be lined up waiting to gove you my money. Thanks for your help.

 

[The rogue]

Ken and Birdman,
If the guy was just being jovial, that's one thing, but it does indeed sound like this guy was being a little smart with you.
Is this the beginning of a trend at your airport, or was this an isolated incident?

What do you others think about this? Are FBOs lacking in basic customer service? (I don't mean this to hi jack the thread, but this really is the core issue here, right?)

--Matt

 

[bbchien]

Ken and Birdman,
If the guy was just being jovial, that's one thing, but it does indeed sound like this guy was being a little smart with you.
Is this the beginning of a trend at your airport, or was this an isolated incident?

What do you others think about this? Are FBOs lacking in basic customer service? (I don't mean this to hi jack the thread, but this really is the core issue here, right?)

--Matt

Yes it is. It is the reason Adama is/was successful.

 

[SCCutler]

And, by the way, from my (admittedly limited) exposure to Ken, I think he would have rcognized a reaonably-humurous approach. He's married to a lawyer, has to have a bucketload of patience and a sense of humor to match (for proof, read his sig)!

Any of you ever read Gordon Baxter's column (reprinted in one of his books) in which he assumed a pseudonym ("Hank Snee"), flew around to various airports, parked where no one noticed, and maneuvered to enter the local flight school from the land-side, inquiring about learning to fly. He was disheartened at the often stand-offish responses, the clubby and exclusive attitudes he encountered.

But he did get one nice place to take him on one of those Cessna $5.00 rides (remember those?), and cajoled the instructor into letting him land the plane, made one of his best landings ever. Instructor knew he was being played then, got a proper introduction and laughter ensued.

I actually saw this exact sort of thing happen at a flight training operation a few weeks ago when, having already transacted my business, I was awaiting the opportunity to pay (really), and a young fellow (maybe 20-23-ish?) wandered in from the construction site nearby, had been watching the aircraft coming and going, had some money burning a hole in his pocket, and wanted to inquire.

He was about ready to leave for lack of expressed interest (these people are nice, but were busy, and I guess did not spot the visitor, or maybe they did not take him seriously), but I engaged him in conversation, talked up the place and the magical act of flight, made the introduction very directly, and he pulled a C-note out for a first ride. They oughta give me a commission!

Maybe he looked young and poor, but he had a spark of interest,and it is up to each of us (and especially the people in the business) to nurture that spark into a flame.

Good topic, Ken, and something we all need to work on!

I'll speak well for Classic, at ADS; they are a nice bunch, and are not afraid to welcome a visitor with enthusiasm.

 

[mikea]

I actually saw this exact sort of thing happen at a flight training operation a few weeks ago when, having already transacted my business, I was awaiting the opportunity to pay (really), and a young fellow (maybe 20-23-ish?) wandered in from the construction site nearby, had been watching the aircraft coming and going, had some money burning a hole in his pocket, and wanted to inquire.

He was about ready to leave for lack of expressed interest (these people are nice, but were busy, and I guess did not spot the visitor, or maybe they did not take him seriously), but I engaged him in conversation, talked up the place and the magical act of flight, made the introduction very directly, and he pulled a C-note out for a first ride. They oughta give me a commission!

Maybe he looked young and poor, but he had a spark of interest,and it is up to each of us (and especially the people in the business) to nurture that spark into a flame.

Good topic, Ken, and something we all need to work on!

I'll speak well for Classic, at ADS; they are a nice bunch, and are not afraid to welcome a visitor with enthusiasm.

I've seen visitors get eh royal treatment at our place, but knowing how they work it's the the luck of timing. The hangar lounge can be empty for long periods of time beucase the stasff of one or two is busy elsewhere. It's good that the walls are full of stuff to keep you entertained.

I've watched, desparately holding my straining tonque, while they as all of the wrong questions, like "How much does it cost?" and "How long does it take?" They do a great job handling those questions.

I remember when it was me asking it took a long time before there were any signs of my grin fading down ever so slightly.

 

[Len Lanetti]

I like to think I am not humor-impaired. There was no hint that this was a joke, either before the punchline or after.

Ken,

I'd bet that it wasn't humor and it wasn't intentionally either...I'd bet that the plane has been down for awhile to the point where it stopped getting marked on the schedule as being out for maintenance...all the usual folks working on their multi or the few that rent the plane know it is down. The fellow on the phone either forgot or didn't know 'till someone reminded him while he was on the phone with you.

Len

 

[The rogue]

My day job is selling carpet in the midwest, and you learn very quickly that the farmers in forty year old John Deere hats, driving a ten year old beat up truck are the customers that you really want. The guy who rolls up in a big SUV wearing a designer suit is not where the money always is. It has happened to me so many times that you just have to learn to treat everyone with respect, all the time.

More often than not, the farmer walks over to the softest, most expensive carpet, says "How much" and pays with cash. The other guy wastes three hours deciding on the lowest priced "stuff" and then can't get the $500 financing because he is maxed out everywhere else.... Grubby linemen, stinky pig farmers, dirty construction workers: these are generally the good customers, the ones that really appreciate the 10% off or free pad upgrade....

Now, they are doing this "secret shopper" thing, and it works really well. (E.g. bonuses are awarded for scoring highly on the secret shopper's criterion.) Maybe FBOs could try this out a bit, like Gordon Baxter's "experiment" way back when. I think that if we repeated this experiment today, it would have similiar results, which is really, really sad.

Customer service in aviation is definitely sub-standard considering the amount of money that is involved in purchasing/maintaining any aircraft, let alone the cost of fuel! Any pilot walking in to any FBO should be greeted with a smile and a cup of coffee when gas is $3.50 a gallon and they take 10-20 gallons. Any grubby construction worker walking in should be shown the new leather interior of the newest plane on the line, you never know which future maintenance customer has a $20,000 down payment in their bank account.....

I'll get off my soap box now....

--Matt

 

[bbchien]

Now, they are doing this "secret shopper" thing, and it works really well. (E.g. bonuses are awarded for scoring highly on the secret shopper's criterion.) Maybe FBOs could try this out a bit, like Gordon Baxter's "experiment" way back when. I think that if we repeated this experiment today, it would have similiar results, which is really, really sad.

Customer service in aviation is definitely sub-standard considering the amount of money that is involved in purchasing/maintaining any aircraft, let alone the cost of fuel! Any pilot walking in to any FBO should be greeted with a smile and a cup of coffee when gas is $3.50 a gallon and they take 10-20 gallons. Any grubby construction worker walking in should be shown the new leather interior of the newest plane on the line, you never know which future maintenance customer has a $20,000 down payment in their bank account.....

I'll get off my soap box now....

--Matt

I listen to my receptionist. If I don't like what I hear, I change it. If it doesn't correct, I change receptionist. My staff right now- is very, very good

 

[mikea]

I listen to my receptionist. If I don't like what I hear, I change it. If it doesn't correct, I change receptionist. My staff right now- is very, very good

Waiting my turn, I listened in to my GP practice's receptionist as she greeted a poor woman and her daughter with the grandaughter who walked in with no appointment and asked for my doc. I guess they had seen him once. The office rep was amazingly patient and understanding as she said the doctor would not be available. When they said she was having trouble breathing she asked if they wanted her to call an orderly from the hospital to take them to the ER. They did and she did. I don't think I could have handled that so well.

Some people are worth their weight in gold. I should have told the doc about how impressed I was when I saw him.

 

[AdamZ]

I listen to my receptionist. If I don't like what I hear, I change it. If it doesn't correct, I change receptionist. My staff right now- is very, very good

I have done that as well . But I have also fired client's because I don't like the way they treated my receptionist.