Changi Airport Needs Buzz... And So Does LJ Support?
CHANGI NEEDS MORE BUZZ
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THE recent survey by British-based consultancy Skytrax placing Changi Airport third behind South Korea's Incheon International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport should set us wondering why.
Many of us would have been baffled, considering Changi's impressive facilities, efficiency and convenience. The new Terminal 3 that opened last year boasts the state-of-the-art in design and technology.
Without a doubt, Changi is comparable if not better in many ways. For example, Incheon is too far from the city, and Hong Kong can be quite a maze for the less frequent visitor. Yet, why have we become less preferred?
It has to do with the impact of the impressions formed by air travellers of the airport, whether they are active or passive.
Changi scores in the passive department, best delineated by its architecture and design, the generous space for relaxation, the variety of shops and restaurants, impressively clean washrooms and facilities that you may not find in most other airports, such as a swimming pool.
Even the excellent service standards that have set Changi apart from the competition belong to the passive department. For example, for the frequent traveller, seeing the bags on the belt as soon as you arrive is not something that excites but expected. That's the price you pay for leading the pack - your customers become less forgiving.
By comparison, Incheon and Hong Kong create more active impressions. There is a certain buzz. The airport staff exude lots of enthusiasm as they go about their business. They are proactive, reaching out to customers rather than wait to be approached.
Sometimes they seem to be forward and loud, but by engaging the customers, they leave lasting impressions. More than the facilities, it is this high level of energy that keeps these airports vibrant round the clock.
Changi operators seem more reticent and retreating. Their presence may not be felt, whereas in Incheon and Hong Kong, workers whose jobs entail servicing and interacting with passengers almost always "announce" their availability simply by being there.
NOT JUST A NUMBERS GAME
Of course, Changi has its record of brilliant performers. But you cannot thrive on exceptions. The challenge is how to consistently permeate this energy throughout such a large airport.
In fairness, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has introduced various customer service initiatives as well as training programmes for airport agencies.
It is important to uphold the high service standards that Changi is already reputed for, but the competition among the top ranking airports goes beyond the critical numbers reflected in measurements such as check-in service times and wait times at immigration, customs and elsewhere.
It is not enough to have efficient service if it is perceived to be cold and unfriendly. Perhaps it is time to focus on not only doing things right but also doing them with gusto. It is how you execute the task that matters.
By engaging them, Incheon and Hong Kong have projected genuine interest in their customers. The first step to achieving this is for the workers to look enthusiastic themselves. It helps if they are amiable, approachable and proud of their uniform.
A Korean airport manager once confided in me his impression of our workers as preferring to stay away from the action. That did not sit well with him even though we could complete our tasks quickly and without problems. The crux of the issue is the perceived absence of interest.
In the race to become "airport cities" as a means to attract traffic, Changi offers a gamut of facilities worthy of the hub status. Many visitors wow at its physical attractiveness, especially its gardens complete with waterfalls and the sound of bird whistles. The play of natural light in Terminal 3 is an architectural feat. But its appeal lacks the character that Incheon and Hong Kong exude.
Changi's charm lies in its international flavour, the kind of appeal that five-star hotels target to maintain class consistency around the world. This may have been influenced by the desire to satisfy the diverse tastes of visitors from around the world.
However, it is less exciting than the ethnicity of Incheon. Even Hong Kong has a certain touch of the Orient about it that is quite unlike any other airport.
Changi can offer five-star international creature comforts, but they do not have to neutralise its individuality. It is what the American Idol judges would call "playing it safe": It impresses, but it is not unique and, therefore, not inimitable.
The writer is a management consultant.
I thought that this was quite a timely and appropriate article. I haven't been to the Incheon and Hong Kong airports so I'm not in the position to make direct comparisons, but I would really appreciate the buzz and proactiveness that the author suggests.
When I came back from Paris, it was on a weekday afternoon and the airport was really really really empty. What did make my day though, was when one of the immigration staff came up to me and asked if I were PR, and redirected me to the Residents queue. I was previously under the impression that it was for citizens only. That, and the "Welcome" sign above that Residents queue made me a little teary-eyed, and it would have been great if only the officer at the immigrant desk had told me "Welcome back" to let me outpour my sudden overwhelmed emotions at homecoming. Ah well.
Hmm the main reason I wanted to post this (here), was because it reminded me of the conflict I felt when I started out volunteering with LJ Support. I wanted to make it personal, and warmer, but I was told that LJ wished to keep it professional (and what I perceived as, aloof). I did just that, since after all my main interest was to be involved with LJ, but I always wished that things could be a lot more spontaneous.