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Changi Airport Group believes that the Changi Experience requires the commitment of all 28,000 staff |
SINGAPORE. Changi Airport Group (CAG) today unveiled a series of service initiatives to be rolled out at the airport as part of its Changi Experience programme.
Changi Airport is one of four service excellence icons identified under the city state’s multi-agency Customer-Centric Initiative (CCI). The operator was also the first to unveil its service breakthroughs in an event held today.
In the Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore 2010, CAG improved its score from 71.6 to 73.7, beating the transport and logistics industry average of 68.7.
At a CCI Icon showcase held at Changi Airport today (28 September), CAG’s senior management presented to key stakeholders various projects that promise to enrich the experience of passengers and visitors.
The event was graced by Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office and NTUC Secretary-General, and Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Manpower.
CAG said its CCI Icon journey began in late 2009 when personnel came together to redefine Changi’s service DNA, in a bid to create an airport experience that is “personalised, stress-free and positively surprising”.
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Changi’s CCI Icon initiatives are powered by innovation and technology including a mobile application for iPhones |
The airport group explained: “The success of CAG’s total service transformation lies within its active engagement of key stakeholders, namely its airport partners, tenants, contractors and government agencies, including their respective employees. CAG believes that enhancing the Changi Experience requires the commitment of all 28,000 airport staff from the more than 200 organisations operating at the airport. Guided by the Changi Service DNA, project teams drawn from the broader Changi community (including staff of CAG and airport agencies) developed, refined and tested many ideas before arriving at the initiatives presented today. The outcomes demonstrate the transformative power of CAG‟s collaboration with its partners.”
It continued: “Changi’s CCI Icon initiatives are powered by innovation and technology, but recognise the importance of having an engaged and committed frontline team at the airport – in other words, hardware and heartware.”
As part of the initiatives, which will be ready by the end of 2011, customers will be able to give instant feedback, and implementation will be carried out in phases.
Personalised service
Care@Changi is one example of service personalisation. “CAG believes that every customer is unique, with different needs, and that providing excellent service means not treating each person as just one of many. So, from a signature Changi greeting, to personally welcome and greet each passenger, to a priority service for those with special needs, Changi Airport is placing focus on engaging its guests, with frontline staff that are welcoming, interested and attentive.”
Under this initiative, passengers such as expectant mothers, those with infants and reduced mobility travellers will be given more assistance. For example, they will find it convenient to locate a stroller or wheelchair and, in addition, will enjoy priority queue lanes at security checkpoints and taxi stands.
Another initiative, iChangi, empowers passengers to access information on flights, retail and dining options and airport services through easy-to-use platforms such as a mobile application for iPhones and iPads, and interactive kiosks located around the terminals. Airport users and travellers can also sign up for notifications of changes in flight times or gate changes on their mobile devices.
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The VOTES pilot scheme empowers patrons at Changi’s food & beverage outlets to assess their dining experience |
Instant feedback
Recognising that air travel can be stressful for passengers, CAG is implementing SWIFT (Service Workforce Instant Feedback Transformation). This system enables issues on the ground to be identified quickly and rectified promptly. Passengers are also empowered to give immediate feedback.
A less stressful experience is promised for tourists seeking refunds on the Goods and Service Tax (GST) when shopping. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore is developing a new Tourist Refund Scheme which will provide tourists a seamless GST refund experience at Changi. The new electronic, paperless process simplifies data capture at point of sale anywhere in Singapore, and makes it much easier for tourists to receive their refunds, whether in cash or through their credit cards.
The third element of the Changi Service DNA is to create fond memories in customers. Changi Airport has pursued this fervently for many years through its wide range of activities such as celebrity meet-and-greets with the likes of Lady Gaga, and new and interesting facilities like the Slide@T3, the operator said.
A number of the CCI Icon initiatives aim to boost a sense of belonging to the Changi community among the airport workforce, and providing an environment that promotes employee welfare and incentivises staff to do their best for customers. These projects include new uniforms for airport staff and workforce surveys.
The new VOTES (Valuing Our Tenants’ Excellent Service) scheme is designed to empower patrons at Changi’s food & beverage establishments to assess their dining experience and the service they have received and, through their ratings, determine whether the staff deserve a monetary incentive.
This scheme is being piloted at two Japanese restaurants – Sakae Teppanyaki and The Pasta Shop by Sakae – with the staff incentives jointly funded by CAG and the restaurants.
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Left: The VOTES pilot scheme; Right: Passengers with infants will be given more assistance | |
Partnership and collaboration
In his address at today’s showcase, Lee Seow Hiang, CEO of Changi Airport Group, said: “CAG’s participation in the CCI Icon journey has provided us with the perfect reason to take a step back and relook, rethink and re-strategise how we can continue to wow passengers and visitors at Changi. We are proud of the Changi Experience, but do not take it for granted. It is a continuing journey for all of us at Changi Airport. With the collective leadership of CAG and its partners, an engaged Changi workforce and constant dialogue with our customers, we can look ahead, with confidence and anticipation, to many more years of innovation, improvement and keeping our customers delighted.”
Lee thanked partners and airport colleagues involved in conceptualising and putting into operation the various CCI Icon initiatives. He said: “Your leadership and enthusiasm have made today’s showcase possible. I look forward to your continued contributions as we transform the Changi Experience together.”
Yeo Guat Kwang, Co-Chairperson of the GEMS Up/CCI Working Committee and NTUC Director (Quality Worklife) said: “Changi Airport is the first CCI icon to showcase its initiatives and it has taken CCI a step further by engaging its key partners to create a seamless experience for its customers. By involving every stakeholder, CAG shows that everyone can play an important role in delivering excellent customer service. We look forward to more service breakthroughs from CAG that other industry players can emulate.”
Choy Sauw Kook, Co-Chairperson of the GEMS Up/ CCI Working Committee and SPRING Assistant Chief Executive said: “Changi Airport Group’s twinning of technology and innovation has allowed it to enhance the customer experience even further. It has created service touch points with the customers in mind, by making them feel welcome and attended to. By obtaining real-time feedback from customers, CAG is able to respond swiftly to provide instant customer recovery, where necessary.”
The Changi Experience has consistently received favourable feedback from travellers all over the world. In August and September 2010 alone, Changi Airport received another six Best Airport awards, bringing its total to 360 since its opening in 1981. The six awards include Business Traveller (UK)’s Best Airport In The World accolade which Changi has won for 23 consecutive years.
About the Customer-Centric Initiative (CCI)
The CCI is a multi-agency initiative spearheaded by SPRING Singapore and the NTUC with representatives from the Workforce Development Agency, Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore National Employers Federation and the unions. The CCI is part of the Go-the-Extra-Mile for Service (GEMS) movement to transform Singapore’s service quality in the retail, food & beverage, hospitality, healthcare and transport sectors.
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By obtaining real-time feedback from customers, CAG is able to respond swiftly to provide instant recovery |
