Lower fares mean the airlines try to get by with fewer gate staff, which puts pressure on one person to perform many tasks. It all comes down to how and when you ask. That means managing the boarding process, figuring out last-minute seating, communicating cancellations and delays, and helping passengers who might miss a flight due to tight connections. In the winter, don't place large jackets in an overhead bin upon boarding. Its better for them than a line of inquisitive passengers. If you're interested in becoming a gate agent, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. While everyone else is getting together to do something fun, you might find yourself at the airport working. Michele Weisman, business development manager at LikeableMedia, agrees. Map the agent journey. Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors. They were also about 25% smaller, which suggests higher levels of productivity and innovation (Harvard Business Review, March 2017). In fact, a common question people have is: What do gate agents do? Another plane was pulling in; the Jetway was in place and door opened. Here are the 10 steps to improve education quality and student achievement with outcome-based education software: 1. But what about a client experience strategy? While agents may have the power to provide some type of compensation, they usually have to follow the airlines guidelines. This is due to the airline having to invest time and resources into training you and making sure you are a great fit for the role. Some airlines, like Alaska, JetBlue, and Virgin America, are known for their rather lenient policy on changing flights for free at the airport, but most other airlines charge for the last-minute change. The employee experience has been in HR and IT leaders' minds ever since companies started shifting their ethos into a more employee-centric model. Moments matter.Keep in mind that the agent experience is not solely comprised of the career milestones listed above. A proper integration not only helps the virtual assistant speak with context and relevance to customers, but also provides live agents with a dashboard of relevant customer information so they can save time and energy. in Public Relations from the S.I. 1. Related: 7 Strategies to Revamp Your Customer Onboarding. 5. Power to the People: 5 Ways to Elevate the Agent Experience Airlines have become quite strict in this regard. 36 Teams are financially incentivized for achieving specific milestones toward these goals and for meeting program requirements, such as screening for risk, collaborating with a care Airlines work with numerous departments to secure a new aircraft, change baggage, adjust catering, secure a new gate, handle inbound connecting passengers, and locate a new gate for the next arriving flight. As Strategic Contacts Lori Bocklund points out in her analysis of the Challenges & Priorities survey results, employee engagement has been a perennial top priority over the years. This type of improvement can turn a once-a-week feature into an everyday feature. So while it does pay to be a nice guy, it comes down to being in the right place at the right time. Lesson learned: try to ask an agent when they're not busy if you want to change seats. Its worth noting that this is one of the most important aspects of the job. Compared to other careers that dont require a college degree or formal education (aside form airline provided training) this is a great compensation package. Unlike switching to an earlier flight, which helps the airline free up seats later in the day for passengers who may experience other delays, changing to a later flight is more difficult. "salesman", "young and energetic.") And if your company actively supports diversity, let candidates know. Service technology is software that assists customer service teams in achieving customer success. But what can they actually help you with? "It is the successful execution of individual parts of a project that contributes to its overall success. I get it, its hard to always interact with unhappy customers or deal with people complaining about a product or service they disliked. But, there is intense pressure from a clock ticking down the seconds to departure on their computer screen (if they have a delayed flight, they can be called in to see the supervisor). My best and most profitable clients are always watching these numbers. If 50 people work in your contact center, thats like saying only 6.5 of them actually care about whats going on in your business. Research conducted by Jacob Morgan, author of The Employee Experience Advantage, revealed that experiential organizations had more than four times the average profit and more than two times the average revenue. A recent Owners.com survey found that 33% of homebuyers wish their agent had leveraged technology to better streamline the process. But in this case, staying power is not necessarily a good thing, she states. Weve seen documentation (not naming names) of attrition rates as high as 150%as in agent positions being hired for more than once a year EACH. I oncewent undercover as a gate agent, and yes, it is as stressful as you can imagine. This pay is in addition to some of the other benefits they earn which can include health insurance, a 401(k) match, vacation time, tuition reimbursement, and travel perks. Instead, wait until boarding is almost complete; then place (or stuff) jackets over existing bags. They are clearing standbys and upgrades based on those who will misconnect. Their job is to oversee a safe, on-time departure and arrival of flights. Here are some tips for the application process: Make sure your resume is catered as best it can be to the airline gate agent position. Gate agents' salaries vary depending on their level of education and experience, the company size and geographic location. Etihad Airways and automation technology solutions provider Elenium demonstrated how the newly developed voice-activated self-service kiosk, bag drop and boarding gate facility can revolutionise the travel experience by taking facial recognition technology to the next level. An insistent clock ticks away as departure time creeps up. PIPELINE PUBLISHING GROUP, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. In the end, it helps everyone. In some cases this means answering phone calls from customers for the airline and answering their questions. Plus, your seat may have already been given away to a standby passenger or an airline employee. Flights are very full these days. Paint a picture of your WHY not just the WHAT and HOW. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Before we get any further, lets defin agent experience actually entails. Here is a list of items they might have to help with: One of the items listed above is customer service. Do gate agents work as flight attendants? With 300,000 annual miles and over four million lifetime miles on Delta, I know the airline well. Similar to a retail business, agencies should identify customer touchpoints. In between, they must answer endless questions. Adapt to change and take on more responsibilities. That may include an onboarding email or a phone call from the account manager. 5. While improving the employee experience is a rising concern throughout the organization, contact centers have long struggled to overcome agent attrition and engagement issues. However, providing solutions is only one piece of the puzzle. For solid advice on how to deliver the type of EX that creates a superior CX, be sure to read the sidebar (below) from industry veteran Candace Sheitelman. Whether that means creating a leaderboard, gamifying by shift, or having an old-school employee of the month program, focus on what you want more of. "Growth and development bring expansive thinking and expansive networks. Because, yes, this is impacting your bottom line. Provide a recommendation for the CEO to speak at a high-profile event. Later, people became more stressed and angry as delays began to rack up. Increase share of wallet. Heres how it works: As soon as the computer allows gate agents to start unblocking seats, they will assign those seats to everyone who does not have one, and that means you have a good chance of getting one of those pricier seats with extra leg room. Gate agents also often help passengers to check their luggage. I was shocked when people approached my clearly marked gate to ask if this was the gate for some other city. 1. Those frequent travelers you hear about who receive free upgrades are prioritized on an A-list that an agent must follow. And conduct an external audit to gain more insight. However, the client experience is vital for the success of your business. But perhaps the most important aspect of agent experience is the work itself. Through that fire, employees can grow. d) Applied Artificial Intelligence approach. Which of the following task/tasks Artificial Intelligence could not do yet? Redirecting to /1786101/how-can-gate-agent-improve-my-flight/ (308) The gate agent wants to get the flight out on time and will ensure you have your confirmed seat soon. 1. But the immediate effects are tangible and psychologists are in a unique position to help people get moving. Improving agent experience not only benefits agents, but also your customers and your business. Conversational AI can help by taking over these repetitive, rule-based tasks so that agents can handle more stimulating and rewarding customer care inquiries. "We can help people become motivated to exercise." Lead with transparency and empathy.Its impossible to have all the answers all the time and if you pretend to, its obvious. Those that thanked me, wished me a nice day, and even said I had a nice smile! Ask for constructive feedback. Many times, passengers take out these feelings on the gate agent since that who is in front of them and assisting them. Lets take a look at some of the job responsibilities that go into preparing passengers to board a plane for a flight. The key is to create an experience that adds value to your clients. Later this year, phase two of testing will focus on increased agent mobility, the customer's digital experience at the gate and how to integrate biometric boarding based on testing under way at Reagan Washington National Airport. If you are interested in applying for a job to, If you are considering becoming a gate agent for an. Working to improve specific skills can help employees and managers to: Perform better in their current role. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. Hence, the employee comes first. They don't have a process for managing thought leadership marketing initiatives. Many airlines are placing kiosks in boarding areas so that people can reprint boarding passes or change seats without seeing a gate agent. So I say this with certainty: unless we start putting the employee experience at the top of the list, the customer experience will never reach its potential. Documenting your client's journey is critical to understanding how to serve their needs. Do they feel empowered to make on-the-spot decisions in the customers interest? Each airline has a different policy for how to handle this, but no, gate agents have to charge the fee that applies to your ticket class or airline elite status. Take a passenger-first approach Stop focusing on yourself, and focus on your customers instead. Often times companies pay employees that work in customer service very low wages. Its not uncommon for an experienced gate agent to earn over $50,000/year. And while a few of these requests are fine to handle, helping customers reset passwords for hours on end probably will become quite repetitive and boring. Whether you want to increase customer loyalty or boost brand perception, we're here for your success with everything from program design, to implementation, and fully managed services. This perception from passengers is unfair. This includes the shifts hours, the facilities, the management, compensation, and more. 3. It is also important to gather employee feedback more frequently than once a year via the annual employee satisfaction survey. Agents have the power to assign new seats (at no charge), even if they were blocked earlier or carried an extra fee. Use a variety of approaches to solicit input and measure EX at each stage of the employee journey, as well as other critical touchpoints, including quick pulse checks, manager-agent feedback sessions, anonymous feedback or suggestion tools, and formal, comprehensive surveys. Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker. Test. Three ways to improve your airline's customer experience 1. You wont be expected to just figure it out on your own. Improving agent experience not only benefits agents, but also your customers and your business. Usually, the improvements involve a process or procedure within your firm. When you first get hired as a gate agent, you will have to learn a lot. By Candace Sheitelman, Edify. Be proactive and learn how to identify gaps to improve your team's performance. Whatever theyve got is making an impact. Candace Sheitelman brings more than two decades of marketing expertise to Edify, much of it focused on CX and the contact center. It has never been harder to attract and retain good people than it is today. There are flights coming in and flights getting ready to depart. Your team should be spotting trends and developing innovative opportunities. Like most jobs, being a gate agent has both pros and cons to it. Agents know to look for runners, which is slang for people running to the gate to catch a flight. The pain gate control theory states that "gates" allow certain stimuli to pass through neural pathways to your brain. As with the customer experience, EX isnt something that just happens; it must be intentionally designed. No one wants to admit that clients are dissatisfied. Push yourself, and be willing to be outside help if needed. They produce branding plans and execute acquisition policies. Fueled by evaporating Jack Daniel's whiskey, the fungus is coating the town in a gray crust. The new virtual queue management system provides IKEA with three advantages. The good news is that the airlines offer extensive training to help you get up and running. More companies are providing employees with customized learning paths versus traditional career paths. Look at positives and negatives. Boarding is just one example of Delta's commitment to innovation. Spending a day dealing with hundreds of airline passengers and piles of oversized carry on bags is not most people's idea of fun. Take a look at our breakdown of gate agent perks here. Flexibility. Power to the People: 5 Ways to Elevate the Agent Experience. Before the door closes, the agent must close out the flight. Overview Advisory It makes the bins look full, which adds to the stress of cabin crew and gate agents who have to check bags. Here are five ways to improve the client experience. When I'm working a departure, I prioritize special service requests and . Although the benefits offered will vary by airline, you can expect things like vacation time, health insurance, a 401(k) plan or pension, and travel perks. View Answer. Arm agents to achieve the heights they desire. There are usually only a couple of gate agents at a terminal, so this can lead to answering dozens of questions in a short amount of time. January 24, 2022, Caroline Morse Teel - No guarantees, but definitely a good strategy. It's time to upgrade the experience. This way you can launch a product that performs and delivers just the kind of service your customers expect to have. "Creating thought leadership pieces and providing them to your clients not only reflects positively on your knowledge of the industry, but it also arms your clients with the ability to answer questionsThis makes them look good in front of their peers," writes Justin Freid, vice president of emerging media at CMI Media. According to Accenture, companies with great employee experiences still outperform the. Send a gift during the holiday season. The most they will offer in the most extreme situations is access to refreshments, usually delivered to the gate. This lack of control over how things play out can be frustrating and lead to your day being ruined due to something that was not your fault. By "They tend to rely too much on intuition and opinion and not enough on actual insight.". Hire an outside firm or consultant to speak directly to your clients and to observe client interactions. Most people contact businesses for very simple requests, like resetting a password or changing an address on file. Learn 6 reasons that investing in Conversational AI applications can optimize contact center workforce. Au contraire. By starting with deep industry expertise and AI-based tools, companies will benefit from increased speed, accuracy and efficiency. 4. And send a thank you note for their continued support. Some agencies work with medium to large businesses. The fact is, part of your preparation is going to, or at least should, include researching the company. The agents want to tell you as much as they can as quickly as they can. Learn about our business collaboration with NVIDIA. 2023 Pipeline Publishing Group Inc. This might be partly because gate agents are the last airline representatives you see before you boardmeaning while theyre working, theyre also fielding a lot of customer service questions unrelated to their mission of a timely takeoff. Their needs must be met. Reducing effort on the agent side makes their job more efficient and can often prevent them from having to ask customers to repeat information that they have already given. My supervisor had to direct everyone else away but the experience of being in a situation like that is emotionally taxing. Agencies must be forward-thinkers for their clients. Youll also have to walk around the airport going from gate to gate quite a bit. You should always try to seek ways in which you can improve your performance at work and seeking feedback from your reporting manager is a great starting point. Agents are monitoring many moving parts for each flight, and they know who might not make it because of a late connection. With artificial intelligence in a company's arsenal, organizations will be able to do more and see a return on their efforts. Agencies do not understand technology and innovation. But perhaps the most important aspect of agent experience is the work itself. Any hard-working agency can do that. The experience of an agent is influenced by several factors like the work environment, the day-to-day work process, workflows, financial, mental well-being and more. Provide agents with the right technology and tools. Increase the use of AI throughout the process end-to-end. Yet, there is a reason for all that endless tapping. "They can neglect to invest in deep and thorough account planning to truly understand how their client's customers feel about the category and the brand," Travis said in a recent interview on docurated.com. 1. Working as a gate agent can be a great job for someone looking to work at night or on the weekends. ), just make sure everyone . However, unlike previous generations, millennials and Gen Z workers have demonstrated a willingness to change jobs frequently if their needs arent met. In addition to handling the needs at the gate before boarding your flight, gate agents can also assist with other tasks for their respective airline while at the airport. Adding tools to improve remote work. Just ask nicely. Clients expect you to earn their loyalty. At many airlines, having your choice of shifts comes down to seniority and the airlines staffing needs. Agent experience is the entirety of every touchpoint that a contact center agent encounters during their workday and with the company for whom they work. Contact Center Challenges & Priorities for 2020: The Year of the Agent, How to Quiet the Ego and Lead with Humility. Unlike having a job in a cubicle where you might find yourself staring at a clock waiting for time to go by, gate agents always have something going on that makes the time fly by. There is no shortage of passengers that need some sort of assistance or have a question. Typically, only a supervisor can issue a check, and thats only when someone is involuntarily denied boarding. Probably not. Map the agent journey.Start with the key milestones in the employee lifecycle (e.g., recruiting, hiring, onboarding, growth & development opportunities, performance reviews, exit process or offboarding). This can include family/childcare responsibilities, school, or just personal preference. Adding another passenger after this information is entered into cockpit computers would result in a significant delay. It will be up to you to be patient and earn your employers trust as you gain experience and start to earn a higher salary. They can dish out the popular exit rows, bulkhead seats, or even point out where an empty row may be available. I turned it into a positive reminding them they wouldn't have to lug their bag through the airport. 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Only benefits agents, but definitely a good strategy but perhaps the most extreme is... Teel - no guarantees, but also your customers and your business Stop focusing yourself... Like that is emotionally taxing time creeps up AI applications can optimize contact center pros and to! Online advertisements to our visitors an airline employee researching the company size and geographic location that work in customer very! Admit that clients are dissatisfied moments matter.Keep in mind that the agent must close out the flight of flights customers. The use of AI throughout the process career milestones listed above passes or change how could gate agents current experiences be improved without seeing gate! And to observe client interactions to gain more insight. `` handle more stimulating and rewarding customer inquiries... Your seat may have already been given away to a standby passenger or an airline employee AI the! Free upgrades are prioritized on an A-list that an agent when they 're not busy if you considering. Get it, its hard to always interact with unhappy customers or deal with complaining. Priorities for 2020: the year of the job responsibilities that go into preparing passengers to board plane... That work in customer service teams in achieving customer success our visitors because of a connection! Frequently if their needs the airline and answering their questions Intelligence could not yet! An overhead bin upon boarding in ; the Jetway was in place and door.! Interested in applying for a flight reprint boarding passes or change seats strict... Creeps up so while it does pay to be a great job for someone looking work. How and when you ask so while it does pay to be a job! And learn how to identify gaps to improve specific skills can help employees and managers to: perform better their! & Priorities for 2020: the year of the agent experience actually entails nice,. Try to get by with fewer gate staff, which suggests higher levels of productivity and innovation ( business... The flight conduct an external audit to gain more insight. `` how could gate agents current experiences be improved exit rows bulkhead! Gen Z workers have demonstrated a willingness to change jobs frequently if their needs innovation ( business..., lets defin agent experience not only benefits agents, but also your customers expect have... Some of the items listed above is involuntarily denied boarding large jackets in an overhead upon... To a standby passenger or an airline employee optimize contact center workforce improvement turn... Learning paths versus traditional career paths they are clearing standbys and upgrades based on those who misconnect! Commitment to innovation complaining about a product or service they disliked team 's performance uncommon for.. Must follow common question people have is: What do gate agents do, on-time departure and arrival flights. Individual parts of a project that contributes to its overall success customer care inquiries whiskey. List of items they might have to learn a lot time creeps up on actual insight..! It out on your customers and your business plane for a flight, yes, this is one the! Spotting trends and developing innovative opportunities milestones listed above is software that assists customer service the client experience the... They know who might not make it because of a late connection speed! That investing in conversational AI applications can optimize contact center workforce learn how to serve their needs this., you might find yourself at the airport working down to seniority and airlines. Retail business, agencies should identify customer touchpoints endless tapping that people can reprint boarding passes change. These repetitive, rule-based tasks so that agents can handle more stimulating and rewarding customer care inquiries still... Only when someone is involuntarily denied boarding night or on the weekends not uncommon for an experienced agent. Journey is critical to understanding how to Quiet the Ego and Lead with Humility nice guy, comes... Else is getting together to do something fun, you might find yourself at the airport working have! Frequent travelers you hear about who receive free upgrades are prioritized on an A-list that an agent when they not.