About the writer: Curiosity coupled with a natural talent for story-telling and a keen interest in technology and innovation, has led Claire Marshall's work to be published in places as diverse as the Huffington Post to millennial-focused global site Collectively (funded by the Future Forum). Claire has a background in economics and marketing and is an experienced content producer for film, television, online media and social channels.
Let’s face it, who wants an economy class experience? Not many of us. In fact, Companies that lead in customer experience outperform those that lagged behind by nearly 80%.
Today on the blog, we’ll look at the 5 ways to upgrade your customer’s experience from run of the mill to first class.
1. Mobile Optimisation
Gone are the days when travellers would be issued with paper tickets.
Today flying is a very digital experience with travellers having the ability to check in online, by swiping a mobile phone, or even by using a custom built app.
If your website doesn't offer a mobile-friendly web experience, not only are you not providing the best customer experience but you could be missing out on a huge potential customer base.
In a study published in the International Business Times it was reported that 1 in 5 millennials’ use their smart phones exclusively to access the internet. So if you haven’t already it’s time to get your site looking good on every device.
2. Upgrade Your User Interface
We’ve all had that airport experience of waiting in enormous lines as we watch the business and first class passengers effortlessly move to the front of the queue. Well, its time to make sure that your website site does the same by being fast to load and easy to use.
But a good user interface doesn’t just stop at your website, you also need to consider all of the touch points a customer may have with your company.
Here’s how you can level up your user interface and create a consistent, engaging experience across all customer touchpoints:
Website Optimisation
- Speed Matters: A slow-loading website can cost you customers. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to assess your site’s performance and identify opportunities to improve load times.
- Mobile-First Design: Ensure your site is fully optimised for mobile devices. Responsive design is no longer optional—it’s expected.
- Intuitive Navigation: Simplify your menus and categorise information logically so users can find what they need with minimal effort.
Social Media Channels
- Be Active and Responsive: Keep your content fresh and engaging. Reply promptly to comments and messages to show customers you value their input.
- Use Visuals Effectively: Incorporate high-quality images, videos, and infographics to make your posts more compelling.
- Leverage Social Proof: Share user-generated content, testimonials, and success stories to build trust and credibility.
Customer Support Touchpoints
- Easy-to-Find Contact Details: Prominently display your phone number, email address, and other contact options.
- Automated Help: Implement chatbots to assist customers with frequently asked questions, offering immediate support even outside business hours.
- Proactive Communication: Send confirmation emails, follow-ups, and appointment reminders to keep customers informed and engaged.
A great user interface doesn’t stop at aesthetics—it’s about creating a frictionless journey for your customers at every stage. By optimising these touchpoints, you’ll ensure every interaction leaves a lasting positive impression.
3. Personalise the Experience
“Window or aisle?”
As a first class customer you are rarely asked the question – why – because the airline already knows.
Each time a customer interacts with your brand they provide both explicit and implicit information about themselves. By utilising this information effectively you can make the customer feel like they are having a personalised experience.
So consider doing a content audit and looking for all of the points in the customer journey where you could be delivering a more tailored, personalised message and help convert prospects into customers.
4. Use Big Data
Rumours abound of big airlines testing everything, down to the flavours of the chocolates in the flight lounge.
In today’s data centric world you can also harvest the data of your potential customers thanks to a range of big data repositories like Google Analytics, Marketo, Hubspot and Microsoft.
Using the data gleaned from these tools in conjunction with analytics platforms that track interactions and behaviours, allow you to develop important customer insights and tweak your customer experience to perfection.
5. Customer Service is Key
At last you make it onto the plane, settle into your first class seat and sip on the complimentary champagne you have been given.
An ‘upgraded’ customer experience is ultimately about the ability to make your customers feel special. This feeling can be created in many different ways from well trained, friendly staff to a website that answers a customers questions before they even think to answer them.
Whichever way you choose to ‘upgrade’ your customer’s experience it’s worth the effort because we all love flying first class.
Related reading
We also have a helpful guide to help you create personalised, seamless digital experiences that captivate and convert your audience.
This guide also comes packed with ready-to-use templates to help you with customer journey mapping, measuring CX success and a CX improvement action plan.
