One of my key aspects of marketing advice relates to being remarkable.
Remarkable so that people remark on it.
Word of mouth is still the most effective and credible form of marketing, as it’s generally an endorsement from a trusted source.
So if you and I are mates, and I tell you how wonderful a local restaurant is, you’re way more likely to give it a try. We’ve all done that plenty of times.
Facebook & Twitter Makes Word of Mouth Even More Important
With the advent of Facebook and Twitter, word of mouth marketing is even more effective because you’re not just telling 1 friend in a conversation, you’re telling hundreds at a time.
Yesterday morning I was due to fly back to the Gold Coast – trouble was the Gold Coast was in the grip of high winds whipped up by ex-cyclone Oswald. The place was taking a battering.
The communication from Jetstar in the Hobart Airport was spot on and everyone was well informed what was going on.
We boarded the plane about an hour and a half late and sat on the tarmac
Then Things Got Remarkable
Then things got remarkable.
The pilot was Matt Henry and Matt is no dummy. Matt understands his passengers and took some time to have a chat with the cabin.
Crisis Management 101
It was brilliant communication from a person who know knows how to manage a crisis. By the end of his 5 minute chat the passengers had gone from stressed and anxious to relaxed and smiling.
You see, Matt started off by empathising with the passengers and talking how inconvenient the delays must be.
Then he explained the reasons for the delays in terms of the weather conditions and the impact they’re having on flights into the Gold Coast and Brisbane – he touched upon the inconvenience with words along the lines of:
“……..it’s also inconvenient for loved ones waiting for you at Gold Coast Airport, but it’s my job to get you there safely and our entire focus is on your safety and well being.
Your crew on board today are highly trained and experienced and the weather conditions we’re flying in are nothing we haven’t experienced before. We’ll have you safely in Brisbane in 2 1/2 hours.”
By now the passengers were all nodding their heads and agreeing that safety was the most important thing and a few hours delay was nothing.
They were in good hands because Matt had just told them.
Then Matt Was On Our Side
He was particularly smart to mention that he’d been advised to sit on the tarmac with his plane load of passengers for an additional 1 1/2 hours from now (a few groans for that one):
“…..so I had a bit of a dummy spit and we’ll be pushing back in a couple of minutes.”
Now Matt was the hero, the guy fighting for them.
Matt was on the passenger’s side and now his team and Jetstar were part of the solution, not part of the problem.
He finished up by talking about expectations when we flew into Brisbane, in a pre-emptive strike – his description had people chuckling: “The descent will be pretty bumpy, whilst the landing will be spirited.”
As long as people know what to expect, they’re a lot more relaxed.
A Seamless Solution
Matt also explained how the Jetstar team in Brisbane has buses waiting to ferry us to the Gold Coast as soon as we touched down.
In what must have been a very trying day for Jetstar, they ensured a seamless solution for all the problems hitting them as airport closures created havoc.
All in all, brilliant work from Matt, the crew and the Jetstar team.
And It Doesn’t Stop There
I posted an hour ago on my Twitter and Facebook pages, along with the Jetstar Facebook page, about the tremendous service from Matt and his team and Jetstar.
Then 10 minutes later Matt responds to my post.
Remarkable work and understanding in this modern age where communication is key. Matt understands that and took action to ensure the safety and peace of mind of his passengers, as well as build the brand of Jetstar.
Cheers
