In celebration of Twitter’s 5th birthday next week, flight comparison website Cheapflights.co.uk has identified some of the best marketing opportunities in social media by looking at airlines and their best uses of it.
“Social media provides a direct and open line of communication from the airline straight to the customer. Not only does it offer a platform for troubleshooting and immediate updates, it also gives consumers a voice, and airlines the ability to connect with them on a personal level, anywhere at any time,” said Nadine Hallak, Travel Expert for the organisation.
With people tweeting and updating their Twitter or Facebook status as often as every 20 seconds, particularly in times of crisis, the future of social media is positive and as such, the website claims airlines should seek out these top five opportunities as a means of maximising their customer relations...customer loyalty, deal tracking, planning, sharing and connectivity, crisis communications and in-flight communications and entertainment.
Customer Loyalty
Recognising the need for active participation within social media, it says, airlines like Virgin Atlantic Airways have built a strong community presence by launching official Twitter and Facebook pages. “We believe these channels add value to our customer service. Social media gives our passengers a way to tell us what we are doing well and where we could improve, all in real time. This gives us an opportunity to help out whenever we can and answer a question or resolve a small issue before it becomes a larger complaint or results in a dissatisfied customer,” said Kyle Thorne, Social Relations Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways.
Deal Tracking
When it comes to saving money, the benefits of social media for consumers are massive. Following airlines on Twitter or liking them on Facebook can often mean being the first to see and access the best deals, maximising on rewards programs, and enjoying special offers unique to social media. Germanwings integrated Facebook and Twitter into its direct marketing mix in 2009, enabling its followers to receive its real-time news as well as its current deals. “Our highlight is our ‘Lucky Tuesday’ offer where everyone who answers a question on Twitter has the opportunity to win popular flight vouchers or model aeroplanes. It also gives us a chance to answer relevant questions from customers and of course, we appreciate any positive feedback and suggestions,” said Thomas Labonde, Head of Marketing, Germanwings.
Planning, Sharing & Connectivity
Social media channels not only provide a space for airlines to connect with their customers, but also for customers to connect with each other. “We engage our customers through our social media channels by providing them with ideas and making them aware of special offers. Our passengers also want to share experiences and get travel advice from others in their networks – that’s nothing new, but we try to facilitate that information exchange so our passengers inspire one another to travel,” added Kyle Thorne from Virgin.
Crisis Communications
The last year’s weather disruptions and ash clouds really put airlines to the test when it came to troubleshooting and the use of social media allowed them to ‘come to the rescue’ by providing consumers with instant updates, as they were happening. Most recently, when December’s snow storms left thousands of planes grounded, airlines turned to Twitter to communicate with their passengers, ensuring they never felt stranded or abandoned by the airline.
In-Flight Communications & Entertainment
Airlines have also started helping passengers stay connected with each other through the use of social media in the air. Falling in the category of ‘entreplanement’, airlines such as Delta Air Lines, US Airways, Virgin America, and United Airlines are welcoming free access to Facebook on-board through their in-flight Wi-Fi. Malaysia Airways’ MHBuddy system, detailed earlier this month, not only lets passengers check-in and print out boarding passes, it also gives them the ability to see if other Facebook friends are on the same flight. They can then message flight plans to those friends and change seats so they can sit together.
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