Sales and Marketing in Airport Management (Outcome 1.10) — Business Operations & 21st Century Skills

Who is your customer, and what are they trying to achieve?

A fundamental question in airport management sales and marketing.

Determining customer needs

Identifying the outcomes customers want and the constraints they face.

Customer segments at an airport

Different groups such as passengers, airlines, retailers, and regulators.

Multi-sided market

A market where various customer groups have different needs, such as at an airport.

Stated needs

What customers say they need.

Revealed needs

What customer behavior shows they need, often different from stated needs.

Non-negotiables

Safety and regulatory requirements that cannot be compromised.

Root causes

Underlying issues that must be identified to solve customer needs.

Voice of the Customer (VoC)

Feedback collected from customers through surveys, interviews, and social media.

Behavioral data

Data reflecting customer behaviors like queue times and purchase data.

Operational data

Data related to the airport's performance metrics like on-time arrivals.

Stakeholder input

Feedback from involved parties like airline managers and concession managers.

Consultative selling

A sales approach focused on understanding customer needs and offering tailored solutions.

Sales promotions

Short-term incentives designed to spur immediate customer action.

Public relations (PR)

Managing a company's reputation and relationships with stakeholders.

Measurement tools

Instruments used to gauge customer expectations and satisfaction.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

A metric indicating customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend a service.

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

A measure of how satisfied customers are with a specific experience.

Closed-loop feedback process

A method to ensure customer feedback leads to real improvements.

Product mix

The total set of products and services an organization offers.

Product line

A group of related products within a product mix.

Product item

A specific offering within a product line.

Tiering in product mix

Offering different tiers of products (good-better-best) to capture a broader market.

Upselling

Encouraging customers to purchase a higher-tier option that better meets their needs.

Cross-selling

Adding related products or services to increase overall sales.

Follow-up in sales

The process of ensuring customer commitments are documented and next steps scheduled.

Common sales mistake

Focusing on features instead of benefits.

Customer experience surveys

Tools used to capture customer satisfaction trends over time.

Operational resilience

The ability of airlines to perform predictably under various conditions.

Quality management practices

Methods ensuring services meet predetermined standards.

Risk assessment

Evaluating potential issues before implementing operational changes.

Marketing messages

Communications designed to convey the value of products or services.

Promotional mix

The combination of advertising, sales promotions, PR, and publicity to achieve marketing goals.