Author Pat Lambrix

Refresh your client relations and communications this spring by revisiting your own business models.
The first item that comes to my mind would be Service.  Customer service is a top priority for Air Charter Brokers and Air Charter Operators alike.

Providing clients with tailored amenities and services to suit their needs, begins with listening closely to them. Knowing the nuances in each of your clients is the first step towards operating a successful enterprise in business aviation.

For decades, popular impressions of aviation have resided in the commercial sector.  To differentiate business aviation from commercial travel, charter operators and air charter brokers must personalize their services. Personalizing business air travel is a refined and iterative process. Adopting this management philosophy will help you adapt your services to each individual client.

In Eric Reis' 2011 book, The Lean Startup, he hones on a simple, three-step mantra: Build, Measure, Learn. Based in manufacturing, this mantra relies on a type of “validated learning.” Companies build up their operations and provide products or services. Then they measure, track data and retain other metrics, to obtain a knowledge base to learn from. These practices enable companies to know when to pivot (change the course) and when to persevere (stay the course).  

It sounds incredibly simple, but in the day-to-day rush to manage flights, small details can go unrecorded. From the client that travels with his dogs every time he flies, to the clients wife that may overpack one too many suitcases, each tiny detail should be followed through with impeccable ease every time they fly.  By taking the time to keep notes and spot trends, client experiences can become more seamless and comfortable.  Polish up your old model in business and look at fresh new ways to grow and care for the customer.

While Reis’ primary audience is startups and entrepreneurs, this book has business concepts applicable to the young visionary and seasoned corporate vets alike. Reis defines a start-up as, “an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty.” In today’s economy, versatility and agility are necessary traits for startups and founded institutions. Whether you are working solo in a hangar or in a group board meeting,  there is a common mission to identity methods that navigate your business to sustainability and success..