VIRGIN Atlantic managing director Steve Ridgway urged airlines not to be afraid of being innovative in the face of increasing competition.
Addressing delegates on customer service, Ridgway said companies can reap rewards in the long term by adopting the most simple procedures.
“Do not reinvent the wheel. Look at other industries, apply what is happening in other sectors to your industry,” he said, stressing there was room in the market for high-value niche operators.
“Plagiarism is great and so is rebundling ideas. Look at McDonald’s, they have built up a successful and workable Drive-Thru facility for customers.
Ridgway added: “What was a four-and-a half minute transaction time for business travellers at Heathrow and Gatwick now takes just 45 seconds with Virgin’s Drive-Thru check-in facility.
“It is a small net cost for having such a facility generating immediate reaction, appeal and value.
“Bistros in business lounges and offering ice cream to passengers during an in-flight movie are other examples that are simple and work wonders.”
Ridgway added that often a hotel or airline is downgraded by one of the guest’s or passenger’s experiences, prompting the need for emphasis on greater customer service and attention to detail.