My first flight from the quaint little Mysuru airport was a pleasurable experience. Right from the moment we got out of our car until the time we boarded the aircraft, the one common thing that made the difference was the ease of access to a human being who was not harried, harassed, stressed, or rushed. This resulted in a quality of attention and care that made for a nice service experience.
In conversation with the person at the check-in desk, I learnt that the airport currently has only two flights that operate every day. One goes to Hyderabad and the other to Chennai. This explains why the staff can smile and be so attentive. There were plenty of seats available to sit, clean bathrooms, and readily available wheelchairs with enough attendants truly attending to every need of the person in the chair.
The one place that this extra attention and care did not work in our favour was during baggage screening and checks. Every nook and corner of every bag was investigated by the equivalent of a Sherlock Holmes or a Ms. Marple. I was not aware that coffee, tea, and powder are not allowed in hand luggage. So, after some repacking, we were on our way, wiser for the next trip.
When I went to buy something from the solitary snack bar, there was no queue and once again a smiling person behind the counter. I asked him which was better in his stall “Tea or coffee?” And he recommends the coffee. I got chatting with him and learnt, the flip side of this demand-supply equation which works in favour of passengers makes it difficult for business in the airport.
My new coffee friend told me that his company pays Rs. 1.4 lakhs a month rent and with just two flights they are losing money hand over fist. The original tender had committed to 5 flights minimum and the business plan had been built around those numbers. On the other hand, our flight (an ATR) which had 78 seats was absolutely full. I paid a lot more for the ticket from Mysuru to Chennai (in my head it’s still Mysore to Madras) than for a Delhi-Chennai flight. The flying time of that sector is nearly double, so the demand-supply equation is working in favour of the airline in this case.
Economics aside, the quality of our experience was made special by many of the people we engaged with. Fraiezi and Shrub asked if they could take a family photo and then were kind enough to share it with me. The station manager Ashwati who I met outside the aircraft as we were waiting to board, obliged me when I asked her to take a few photographs for us.
These micro moments of “the human touch” are sadly lost in large airports that are bursting at the seams struggling to deal with the massive passenger load. It’s these moments that made the experience different and pleasurable, that helped us make memories. How to do this when it’s most difficult? How to do this at scale? How to deliver service with genuine care and a smile? The brands and organisations that figure this equation out will be the ones where the business will build and whose reputation will shine strong.
In a world racing into the arms of technology, AI, and the need for relentless growth, the human touch in service delivery, still holds the potential to be a key differentiator. Micro moments of meaningful human interaction when delivered consistently with genuine care will be a big win for any organisation. Technology and process are enablers, but a culture of kindness and compassion elevate the ordinary and make for extraordinary moments of truth in service delivery.
When people connect, amazing things happen. Tech can be a great enabler, CRM, loyalty programs and other great process will enhance speed, efficiency and profitability. But the heart of service will still be people connected to people with a smile and that is what I was reminded of at the Mysore Airport.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
A trusted coaching and communications professional, Nikhil Dey is a certified life and leadership coach (International Coach Federation - ICF). Nurturing talent and helping clients achieve their goals is what makes him happy. He loves learning from students of communication, teaching courses and guest lecturing at various educational institutions. When he is not working you will find him on the tennis court or out for long walks with his family and four legged friends.
Previously he has held senior leadership positions at Weber Shandwick and Genesis BCW.
He can be reached on twitter @deydreaming
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