Marketing is Everyone’s Job - Why You Should Treat Every Customer Interaction as an Opportunity

What is marketing? This may seem like a simple question, yet most people respond by describing marketing as things like advertisements, brochures and a Web site, or by saying something like, “Marketing is the art of getting your message out there.” They are not wrong, but marketing is much more.

According to Philip Kotler and Kevin Keller, authors of Marketing Management, marketing is largely about research and getting to know your market. They say the aim of marketing is to know your customers so well that the product or service you offer fits them perfectly and virtually sells itself. A good example of this is Apple’s iPad. The company clearly understood what the marketplace was looking for, built a device around the population’s needs and wants, and then communicated its value through advertising and other media platforms. By the time the first iPad came out (as well as subsequent versions), millions of people stood in line to get their hands on the latest technology. In this case, there was no need for “selling” because the product fit the consumers so well and the company had communicated its value through various marketing channels effectively.

Marketing in business aviation is similar but with a few unique differences. We sell sophisticated products and services. Many consumers in the business aviation marketplace have unique needs, meaning “one size” doesn’t fit all. It is for this reason that both marketing and sales are required as a norm in our industry. Unfortunately, many companies do not put the same emphasis on marketing as they do sales; therefore, their sales teams often have to work harder for each deal they bring in the door, greatly limiting the amount of new business they can generate.

In most business aviation companies, the magic formula lies in placing equal importance on both sales and marketing. Effective marketing can have a huge impact on your company and will increase the productivity of your sales team dramatically. In order for marketing to have such a profound effect, you must first know and understand your market so well, that A) you know exactly what they want, B) you design products and services around those needs and wants, and C) you communicate value of your products and services to your target audience effectively.

Why should marketing be important to you? You know what your customers want better than anyone — including your marketing department. Whether you are a technician on the hangar floor or a service manager in a shop, you are on the front lines of service delivery and your customers likely communicate their needs and wants to you on a daily basis. This information should be treated like gold if your company wants to grow and thrive, especially in today’s competitive marketplace. The trick is to get all that valuable information from your head and into the hands of the people that can use those golden nuggets.

Many companies in our industry have done a great job at creating mechanisms for getting feedback from customers through the use of things like surveys and customer advisory boards. Equally important, however, is obtaining information from those individuals responsible for service delivery and interacting with customers. Some companies have incorporated a mechanism for employees to offer suggestions and ideas. The problem is that most people aren’t sure what to do with this “suggestion box”-type of approach. I recommend a more formalized approach to capturing this information from technicians, managers and anyone else who provides service directly to the customer.

Capture and Communicate Marketing Intelligence to Your Company’s Marketing Department and Management

Remember that the aim of marketing is to know your customers so well that the product or service fits them perfectly. That is why your feedback from the “front lines” must be shared not only with your marketing department, but with your company’s management team as well. Marketing is every company employee’s job and it has to start with having the right products and services in place (including service delivery). After that, marketing becomes more how people typically envision it — communicating the value of your company’s products and services to the marketplace through advertising, brochures and other marketing platforms. Here are a few tips for capturing and communicating valuable market intel for your company.

Tip #1

Create a Mechanism to Capture Feedback During Every Customer Interaction.

Every customer interaction is an opportunity to obtain valuable information and feedback, whether the interaction is positive or negative. For example, if a customer nonchalantly says he or she wishes your company would use new hardware when reinstalling inspection panels, record it. Likewise, report when a customer says something like, “I really appreciate that you guys have the bright work done whenever I come in for a major inspection.” This information should be treated like gold and captured at every opportunity.

Tip #2

Educate the Entire Company on the Importance of Capturing Customer Feedback.

If you are reading this article, chances are that you know the importance of capturing market data and customer feedback. However, don’t expect everyone in your company to have read this article when your company implements a formalized customer feedback process. It might just seem like more “busy work” to them. It is important for your company to explain the reasons for the new procedures and tell them how it will affect the company overall. Getting buy-in from all employees will be key to get the most out of this important research.

Tip #3

Use the Information Wisely and Communicate the Results To Employees.

The worst thing your company could do is gather all this valuable information and do nothing with it. However, you don’t have to wait for company executives to instigate change. You can make suggestions for change within your own department based on the feedback you receive. Talk to your manager if you see a trend or hear a frequent suggestion from customers. Sometimes the smallest changes can have the biggest effect. Don’t keep it a secret. Tell your fellow employees and other company managers about the small changes your department has made and why. Most importantly, tell your marketing team. Let them know what you were hearing and why the change was made. If it was important enough to make a change internally, it may be important enough to tell the rest of the marketplace through your company’s marketing.

So while marketing is, in fact, advertising, brochures, and a Web site, the most important part of marketing is to know your customers and offer them what they want. By implementing an easy way for employees to capture valuable customer feedback, the company can develop solutions designed around the needs and wants of your customers and your company will be poised for growth. It’s a perfect marriage requiring the best efforts of you, your marketing team and your sales team. Put on your marketing hat whenever you interact with a customer and cherish every opportunity you have to glean information from them. After all, without our customers, we do not exist.

Kandi M. Spangler had worked in the aviation industry for nearly 20 years. She began flying in 1993 and earned a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She has worked for Netjets Inc. and The Air Group, a Part 135 charter and management company. Prior to starting her own marketing firm in 2011, Spangler served as the vice president of marketing for Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI).

She has served as president of the Midwest Schedulers & Dispatchers Group, held board positions with the Chicago Area Business Aviation Association (CABAA) and is a longtime member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the International Aerobatic Club (IAC). She currently sits on the board for Eagle and Associates Financial Services Corporation and serves on the Access Committee for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).