Want To Run Your Business Better? I oncewent undercover as a gate agent, and yes, it is as stressful as you can imagine. . In my one-day experience, I encountered two medical emergencies, one soiled seat, one mechanical delay, four upset customers (who arrived off a delayed flight and proclaimed "I will never fly this airline again," a phrase gate agents know all too well), and two unfriendly Detroit flight attendants who accosted the agent for not opening the door fast enough. Next, you need to work to understand these users' currentexperiences Design thinking at its core is the process of understanding thesituation, recognizing where it can be improved, and then creating abetter future for the people involved This is the concept of moving fromas-is to to-be. If you can, travel in the morning since the evening takes the brunt of the day's irregular operations. And while I'm no glutton for punishment, I jumped at the chance to learn what takes place on the other side of the counter as a Delta Air Lines gate agent at the world's busiest airport, Atlanta Hartsfield. World-class advisory, implementation, and support services from industry experts and the XM Institute. Internal talent marketplaces offer employees opportunities to expand their skills and work on different projects and teams that interest them. Improving agent experience not only benefits agents, but also your customers and your business. 2. (www.edify.cx), Susan Hash served as Editorial Director of Contact Center Pipeline magazine and the Pipeline blog from 2009-2021. Overcome your fears Fear can prevent you from growing and progressing. Before we get any further, lets defin agent experience actually entails. Therefore, it should be a big focus in the contact center. Download our whitepaper for a crash course. There is always something to do at the airport. Their success = yours, after all. 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. In addition, companies that invested in EX consistently topped best of lists, such as Fast Companys Most Innovative Companies (listed 28 times more often than other companies), Glassdoors Best Places to Work (11.5 times more often), and Linkedins list of North Americas Most In-Demand Employers (4.4 times). Usually, the improvements involve a process or procedure within your firm. ), just make sure everyone . Know that they are simply the messengers with often limited information. One even yelled at me to pick up his child's toy! "Growth and development bring expansive thinking and expansive networks. Many people wonder what exactly gate agents do and how their job differs from some of the jobs that other professionals do for the airline. Shes responsible for Edifys go-to-market strategy and execution. 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. "salesman", "young and energetic.") And if your company actively supports diversity, let candidates know. Check out this video to learn about who we are, what we do, and why we love working here. To someone outside of the aviation industry, gate agents seem to do a little bit of everything when it comes to getting passengers ready to board the plane before a flight. However, the client experience is vital for the success of your business. That bar code is hard to scan properly especially when rushing. Most Common Skill Reservations - 25.1% See All Skills Ticket Agent jobs As you do this research, you do not want it to be one-sided. Writing skills. Gate Agent Salary & Outlook. It makes the bins look full, which adds to the stress of cabin crew and gate agents who have to check bags. 4.The later in the day you travel, the less friendly the skies get. With one minute to spare, we closed the door. This means providing the captain with a printout of vital information, including the total of passengers, bags, and cargo onboard. As you can see, there are many pros and cons to being a gate agent. If your friends arent at the gate within 15 minutes of pushback, agents have the right to cancel the seat, although they will likely do their best to hold it. If youre a people person, one of the best parts of being a gate agent is getting to meet a ton of interesting people. Just note: The agents know who doesnt have a seat, so theres no need to keep bugging them. Flights are very full these days. No one wants to admit that clients are dissatisfied. Additional Resources On This Topic:. In the long run, I'd love to start taking on more responsibilities as a leader. Scarabee Aviation Group, Platinum Sponsor of FTE Europe 2016, explained to FTE how a number of solutions are helping to improve the passenger experience, ranging from its security solution which promotes "security as a service" to Bagdrop's self-service baggage solution, which can be found in the likes of Amsterdam and Haneda airports. When I'm working a departure, I prioritize special service requests and . Your agency can't solve your client's problems with a broken relationship. Customer frustration often translates to agent frustration, which leads to dissatisfaction in their job. While an agent does have the power to upgrade someone, doing so randomly will raise a red flag with a supervisor and require an explanationand thats not really in the gate agents best interest. Gate agents are often times are on their feet for a majority of their shift. Clients expect you to earn their loyalty. The 8 Most Important Travel Tips for Couples, Airline Hub Guide: Which U.S. Cities Are Major Hubs and Why it Matters. Agencies must be forward-thinkers for their clients. "We're experts in behavior change," he says. Its not easy being a contact center agent. In the end, it helps everyone. They excite the inhibitory neurons, "closing" the gate and preventing . And conduct an external audit to gain more insight. Passengers should remain seated or clearly out of the way of the Jetway door to allow a constant flow of boarding passengers. Au contraire. In fact, a common question people have is: What do gate agents do? Hire an outside firm or consultant to speak directly to your clients and to observe client interactions. But with an increasing focus on technology, it can seem like live agents are getting left behind. However, this delays boarding and leads gate agents to become more anxious as the clocks tick down. 6. Passengers thought we were twiddling our thumbs, but a half-dozen people were working hard behind the scenes to get them on their way. Learn about our business collaboration with NVIDIA. Standardization of Service Behaviors and Actions. Show and tell whats at stake for your team when they do their thing. in Public Relations from the S.I. Long wait times, outdated automated systems, and other inefficiencies add to that frustration. Infusing AI throughout the insurance customer journey can significantly increase customer satisfaction and retention, according to the IBV report. January 24, 2022, Caroline Morse Teel - Identify current gaps between customer expectations and the actual services offered at different stages of service delivery. What's missing from your client experience? 3. 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. Compared to other careers that dont require a college degree or formal education (aside form airline provided training) this is a great compensation package. In some airports, gate agents also handle multiple roles like working the ticket counter or even handling late baggage. We started all over again. Requirements to be a Gate Agent (Age, Education, Complete Guide). Define your organizations higher purpose. Hopefully, 2020 will be the year that more companies turn an eye to satisfying the needs of their most valuable assettheir employees. Gate agents are tasked with driving the Jetway, opening the door, arranging for wheelchairs and unaccompanied minors, directing passengers to connecting gates, clearing standbys, checking the new crew, boarding new passengers, gate checking bags, closing the door, and pulling the Jetway all within about an hour per flight. More than one person handed me their boarding pass with their teeth because their hands were full. Delve deeper into each stage to understand the companys existing assumptions about the current process compared to how agents navigate each stage and, importantly, how they view the experience, whether they feel that it meets their individual needs, and how it could be improved. If youre like most people youve probably found yourself at a busy airport talking with a gate agent while travelling at some point. This means that you can potentially work shifts at times and on days that most jobs wont allow. Customer-centric brands have put considerable time and resources into honing their ability to track, understand, manage and differentiate the customers experience. Gate agents are busy folks. If you love the aviation industry, youll be pleased to know that there are many opportunities for advancement if you work hard and do a good job. It makes the bins look full, which adds to the stress of cabin crew and gate agents who have to check bags. And they communicate this belief with their . 1. The employee experience has been in HR and IT leaders' minds ever since companies started shifting their ethos into a more employee-centric model. While working, youll likely get to know the other gate agents and customer service reps at the airport. How can you help them reach secondary objectives? The new virtual queue management system provides IKEA with three advantages. Changing seats requires entering a series of seemingly random symbols. Each is important, and combined, they can have a marked effect on an employees engagement and productivity, the report states. Hollywood loves to portray gate agents who tap away endlessly into a computer with a blank stare. 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. These tools improve workflow efficiency and make it easier for companies to provide effective solutions to their customers. Any hard-working agency can do that. Although each airline has its own policies that determine what you can get and how often, its not uncommon to be able to take advantage of these benefits. Ask your gate agent or ticket counter employee and don't be afraid to check in more than once. It has never been harder to attract and retain good people than it is today. If the flight appears to be full, approach the agent nicely to volunteer your seat and take a later flight if needed. Start with one. It equals a huge number of interactions -- each a chance for miscommunication not only in in content but intent as well.". The ability to communicate clearly when working with customers is a key skill because miscommunications can result in disappointment and frustration. Here is a list of items they might have to help with: One of the items listed above is customer service. Sure. Study the stand-outs.What are those award-winners doing that everyone else isnt? "But the true value of having an agency partner is making the brand feel uncomfortable in a good way," Wiseman says. They produce branding plans and execute acquisition policies. Gate agents are tasked with driving the Jetway, opening the door, arranging for wheelchairs and unaccompanied minors, directing passengers to connecting gates, clearing standbys, checking the new crew, boarding new passengers, gate checking bags, closing the door, and pulling the Jetway all within about an hour per flight. I was asked where the restrooms might be, how to get to the escalator, where to find an electrical outlet, and what time boarding would begin all day even though signs are plastered all over the airport. Most people contact businesses for very simple requests, like resetting a password or changing an address on file. 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. Sign up today. In the winter, don't place large jackets in an overhead bin upon boarding. 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. Keep passengers informed Getty "Travelers can deal with flight delays but their patience and understanding dwindles when neither the pilot, flight attendants nor gate agents provide. Large jackets in an overhead bin upon boarding a big focus in the contact Center, I & # ;. 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