Airport Business - 10

SAFETY

AUTHOR Melissa Lucas Singer

THE FBO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Beyond COVID-19

FBOs are taking steps to provide the best customer
experience possible in the midst of the pandemic.
THERE IS an old saying, "necessity is the mother
of invention." It means when put in a difficult
situation, one is likely inspired to create a solution.
In 2020, COVID-19 is the difficult situation, FBOs
are most definitely inspired and the entire aviation
industry is coming together to create solutions.
This is a historic time that FBOs
are operating in, and they are having to
innovate the FBO customer experience
to deliver "high touch" luxury service
in new ways. The FBO looks, feels,
sounds, tastes and even smells different
for today's customers. The way it was
is different than the way it is now, and
FBOs everywhere are on their way
to transforming into the best versions
of an FBO customer experience they
have ever delivered - all driven by
COVID-19.

The Way It Was
FBOs have been delivering luxury
services and a customer experience
to both crew members and aircraft
passengers. That FBO customer
experience is known for its high touch
service, friendly faces, tasty treats

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MELISSA LUCAS SINGER
Melissa Lucas Singer is the Founder &
CEO of Moxie Global Consulting. She has
served in executive leadership roles at
Signature Flight Support, Flight Options/
FlexJet and the Walt Disney Company
in Operations, Customer Experience,
Business Development & Vendor
Relations.

like popcorn and cookies, hot coffee,
cold beverages, luxury magazines,
newspapers, the coordination of hotels,
rental cars and limousine reservations.
FBO customers who spends the
most time in FBOs are crew members.
They have been significantly impacted
when it comes to their FBO customer
experience. Crew members had
a unique and comprehensive lens
through all of this because they had
to simultaneously adapt to the "new
normal" of both aircraft operators
and FBOs implementing new ways to
operate safely in the wake of COVID-19.
They had the responsibility of
educating passengers on those new
policies and procedures to keep everyone
as safe as possible. Private aviation
travel went from being an extremely
comfortable, fun and enjoyable when
traveling both onboard the aircraft
and through FBOs, to one filled with
anxiety as states across America began to
implement mandates for people to selfquarantine and businesses to shut down.
It has been a scary and difficult time for
most people to navigate through and it
is not over yet. The aviation industry
is still learning and adapting to best
take care of their customers and team
members.

10 \ AIRPORTBUSINESS / AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2020

Line service crew all masked
up for duty at the Sonoma Jet
Center (STS) in Santa Rosa,
Calif.
SCOTT HARROLD

The Way It Has Been
So Far
The FBO customer experience
became riddled with anxiety for both
FBO customers and team members as
COVID-19 cases increased back in early
March. FBO management teams were
entering unchartered territory filled
with uncertainty.
By the end of March, day-to-day
operations at FBOs started to feel very
different in that airplanes had reduced
f lying as self-quarantining measures
increased. News of furloughs traveled
fast as many aircraft operators and FBOs
made difficult decisions to position their
businesses to weather the storm.
Everything at the FBOs began to
look different. FBO lobbies and ramps
were visibly less busy. There were many
instances of how the FBO was looking
different, including the absence of the
comforting smells of fresh baked cookies
or fresh popped popcorn. In some
instances, the new scent one could smell
was that of an alcohol based cleaner
or hand sanitizer that was becoming
common place.
There were now people wearing
masks, signs posted on doors and
counters with all kinds of information



Airport Business

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Airport Business

Inside the Fence: Statistically Speaking...
Industry Update
The FBO Customer Experience Beyond COVID-19
Switching Seats: COVID-19's Impact on the Terminal
Data Security and Privacy at Commercial Airports
A Private Affair
Creating Quality Customer Service
Designing the 'Airport of the Future'
Will Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing be the Next Disruptor?
An Airport Takes Off
Totally Boggus: Clearing the Air
Proactive Technology Strategies for Airlines to Succeed Post COVID-19
Looking to Upgrade Your Sustainability Practices? Ask These Questions First
Product Profile: Runway Reliability - Stable Soils Make the Difference
Airport Business - 1
Airport Business - 2
Airport Business - 3
Airport Business - 4
Airport Business - 5
Airport Business - Inside the Fence: Statistically Speaking...
Airport Business - 7
Airport Business - Industry Update
Airport Business - 9
Airport Business - The FBO Customer Experience Beyond COVID-19
Airport Business - 11
Airport Business - Switching Seats: COVID-19's Impact on the Terminal
Airport Business - 13
Airport Business - 14
Airport Business - 15
Airport Business - 16
Airport Business - 17
Airport Business - Data Security and Privacy at Commercial Airports
Airport Business - 19
Airport Business - A Private Affair
Airport Business - 21
Airport Business - 22
Airport Business - 23
Airport Business - 24
Airport Business - 25
Airport Business - Creating Quality Customer Service
Airport Business - 27
Airport Business - Designing the 'Airport of the Future'
Airport Business - 29
Airport Business - Will Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing be the Next Disruptor?
Airport Business - 31
Airport Business - An Airport Takes Off
Airport Business - 33
Airport Business - 34
Airport Business - Totally Boggus: Clearing the Air
Airport Business - Proactive Technology Strategies for Airlines to Succeed Post COVID-19
Airport Business - 37
Airport Business - Looking to Upgrade Your Sustainability Practices? Ask These Questions First
Airport Business - 39
Airport Business - Product Profile: Runway Reliability - Stable Soils Make the Difference
Airport Business - 41
Airport Business - 42
Airport Business - 43
Airport Business - 44
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