Qantas Airline Management Service Marketing †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Qantas Airline Management Service Marketing. Answer: Introduction Qantas Airlines describes itself as one of the most worlds most experienced airline that offers unique services all over the globe. The airline has flight routes all over the world and its success has been attributed to business techniques that are used to manage service quality and customer demands that keep on increasing (Qantas, 2016, P. 1). Through its complementary airline brands of Jetstar and Qantas, customers the airline gives customers different service qualities based on their affordability. This essay analyses Qantas airline business and the techniques used to manage quality and demand from customers. Critique of the airlines service blueprint, A service blue print is an operational tool for providing guidance on how services within the organization are provided. This specifies physical evidence, staff actions and other support systems required to provide quality service (Flieb Kleinaltenkamp, 2004, P. 395). Some organizations use the service blue print to dragonize operational efficiency and develop solutions. Qantas airline operates on a service blue print with five main areas of physical evidence, customer and actions, on stage employee contact, backstage employee contact and support processes (see appendix 1.). This blue print shows different activities that take place within the process of service the customer. However, it lacks appraisal systems where customers can give feedback about the service that they receive. However, it would have worked better if the customer was requested to give feedback before they alight the plane. This will avoid biases and ensure that customers dont forget to give their feedback. On the other hand, all the activities are linked to top management rather than linking to line managers who then link to the top management. This eases decision making and ensures that customer problems are resolved on time. Servicescape strategy Servicescape strategy is a model that focusses on the impact of the environment and the way the behaviour of people within the business context leads to accomplishing of business goals. This has organizational benefits through influences on customer perceptions about the service that they receive (Hoffman,, et al., 2010, P. 2010). This can also influence the nature and quality interactions that exist between employees and customers. Qantas Airline servicescape strategy exists in several business areas that suit customer needs. First, the airline offers two unique services Jetstar and Qantas which have different services. The customer can choose any service according to the amount of money that they have. Bookings can be done online through an online portal that enables the customer determine the flight that suits their needs. With this, the customer keys in the amount of money that they have and allow the system to choose a flight for them that fits the needs that they have (Qantas, 2016, pp. 3). This improves efficiency and ensures that customers are conveniently served. As part of keeping up with technology changes, the company bought the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that is being used by many flight companies. This is the best flight in the market that gives customers quality service. As part of branding, the airline updated its Kangaroo logo to align it with the new flights system and give it a new look to the customer (World Airline News, 2016, pp. 4). The seats in the plane are designed to differentiate between the two classes of flights available. Further, the airline is designed well with enough ventilation to give customers quality flights. Customer waiting bays are spacious allowing customers to wait comfortably without overcrowding. The airline acknowledges the fact that it has many customers who will crowd at the waiting bay. This is reduced through online booking where customers can be informed of the exact time the flight is leaving to reduce waiting time and congestion in the waiting bay. Service quality Service quality compares the perceived expectations of a customer with the performance that they receive when engaging with a seller or a supplier. This meets the value for money need of the customer through ensures that what they pay for is what they receive(Ojasalo, 2010). According to Sultan Simpson Jr (2000, P. 190), organizations, that consistently meet customer quality expectations have an increased rate of return customers. Qantas airline lines serve its customers through personal attention and convenient timing to meet customer needs. All customers are treated equally regardless of the flight type that they are using. The employees have been adequately trained to ensure that the services they offer are in line with Qantas culture to meet all the five dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. Complaint process and service recovery, Complain handling and service recovery is a customer retention tool that can be used as a competitive advantage in the organization (Bendall-Lyon L.Powers, 2001, P. 280) Qantas airline achieves this through an established customer services program to ensure that lost customers are recovered. Through the customer chatter, clear processes for solving problems have been laid down. Further, customers have accessed to the chatter that shows what they expect when being served and how to raise complains in case any of their rights has been violated (Qantas, 2016, pp. 3). A customer feedback form is used to give feedback responses which are then analyzed by management and proper solutions put in place. Managing supply and demand Management of supply and demand is plan management strategy that allows a business to balance its resources against the demands of customers. This allows the business to meet the needs of the customer by putting adequate strategies in place (Obeng Sakano, 2012, P. 43). For example, an airline has to ensure that the number of bookings do not exceed the available flights to minimize congestion and delays. Supply management is achieved through inbound and outbound logistics that includes route selection, yield management system, flight scheduling, crew scheduling and aircraft acquisition to ensure that they meet the needs of the organization. The airline has a target needs to be achieved for business objectives. Demand management is achieved through scalable operations that match the demand with the supply to reduce system bottlenecks. Demand is managed through flight management strategies that display available flights for the customer. To minimize overbooking, Qantas schedules its fl ights so that customers know when the next flight leaves to allow them plan well. Integrated marketing communications Integrated marketing communications usesmarketing strategies to optimize communication of the companys brands to its stakeholders and improve the benefits of each channel (Vladmir,, et al., 2012, P. 142). Qantas adopted an integrated marketing management platform to improve operational efficiencies and increase customer satisfaction. This allows incorporating of marketing operations, campaign management, customer data management and marketing analytics to improve communications between the airline and the customer. This system allows data and campaign to take place at the same time through an automated end-to-end system. This will thus lead to operational efficiencies that will reduce operational costs. Conclusion Service quality management is a key component of business success that every organization must learn to deal with. As a leading airline, Qantas has developed service quality management strategies that have seen the airline become one of the leaders in Australian airline industry. References Bendall-Lyon, D. L.Powers, T., 2001. The Role of Complaint Management in the Service Recovery Process. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality Improvement, 27(5), pp. 278-286. Flieb, S. Kleinaltenkamp, M., 2004. Blueprint the Service Company: Managing Service Processes Efficiently. Journal of Business Research, 57(4), pp. 392-404. Hoffman, K. D., Bateson, J. E., Elliot, G. Birch, D., 2010. Service Marketing. Concepts, Strategies and Cases. Asia-Pacific Edition ed. s.l.: Cengage Learning Australia. News, W. A., 2016. QANTAS refreshes its brand and livery, unveils the upcoming Boeing 787-9 cabins. [Online] Available at: https://worldairlinenews.com/tag/syd/ [Accessed October 2017]. Obeng, K. Sakano, R., 2012. Airline fare and seat management strategies with demand dependency. Journal of Air Transport Management, pp. 42-48. Ojasalo, J., 2010. E-Service Quality: A Conceptual Model. International Journal of Arts and Sciences, 3(7), pp. 127-143. Qantas, 2016. Customer Charter and Frequent Flyer Customer Commitment. [Online] Available at: https://www.qantas.com/travel/airlines/customer-charter/global/en [Accessed 11 October 2017]. Qantas, 2016. The Qantas group at a glance, s.l.: Qantas Airlines. Sultan, F. Simpson Jr, M., 2000. International service variants: Airline passenger expectations and perceptions of service quality. Journal of Services Marketing, 14(3), pp. 188-216. Vladmir, M., Miroslav, K. Papic, T., 2012. The necessity to adjust traditional integrated marketing communications tools and techiques to new global trends. Journal of Marketing Communications, 61(4), pp. 141-154.