|
There's a great article at Fast Company by way of 37 signals about Alaska Airlines' proactive attempts to rethink the check in experience. This is really a great case study that illustrates a point I try to make to my own clients, students and colleagues....
 You don't always need fancy research, study and expensive agencies to help you improve experience. Often, you can find the really innovative solutions yourself. Here's how:
Identify the challenge/opportunity
Select a mix of your smartest, most enthusiastic, hardest working people
Give them a reasonable amount of uninterrupted time within which to problem-solve
Encourage them to talk to other people who have solved similar problems - even outside of your own market
Give them the ability to brainstorm, model and experiment
Have them create a prioritized list of improvements, based on business and customer value
Test each improvement and adjust as necessary
Roll out solid solutions across the board
In this case, Alaska Airlines assembled a team of its own people. They read books, interviewed and visited theme parks (like Disney), hospitals and retailers to find innovative solutions to expediting check-in. They created models for the redsign using cardboard boxes... they built test podiums and refined the designs.
The article will tell you more. In summary, the outcome has been improved customer service, streamlined check ins for customers and a heckuva lot of cost savings.
A+ to Alaska for its grassroots approach to resolving customer experience challenges from both the customer AND the business side. This seems a heckuva lot smarter than cutting out meals, beverages and peanuts...
|
Comments
Nice post Leigh.
Also great case study for looking inside your existing organization for rising stars. We all to often get caught up in titles and role playing that we forget to give employees the freedom to get outside of these confinements and collaborate to solve problems.
Posted by: Chris Wilson | 06.24.08
Right on, Leigh. Too often I hear about insider ideas that fall on deaf ears until an outside consultant comes in and validates them. No one knows your company/brand better than your own peeps.
Posted by: Paul Ten Haken | 06.24.08
Yes, A+ to Alaska Airlines for setting such a precedent.
Posted by: Stacey | 06.24.08