There isn't a day that passes where I do not read, see or hear about how important customer data is and will increasingly be in the wonderful world of marketing. Whether to drive customer retention, acquisition, loyalty or to tailor content to specific target groups, the consensus is clear - data is key. Oh... and Apps. These are key too.
Recent personal experience says that whilst technology is improving and data is key, the focus is very much on increasing customer value - i.e. selling them more stuff. I think sometimes companies need to remember to use the data to actually help their customers. Play the long game. Think net promoter scores and all that jazz.
So let me tell you a true story...
A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to have booked to go to Cape Town, South Africa. It was our first long haul trip with our 2 children (aged 9 and 6) and my wife and I had not taken the decision to go lightly. We were worried about the travel - would the children behave? Would they feel ok? What if there was a massive delay? The list of concerns went on and on. We decided to focus on the things within our control - baggage allowance (we bought lighter cases), seat booking (we spoke to BA and they explained as we had 2 young kids they would allocate us seats together), airport parking (Heathrow had an offer so we booked to park in the short stay terminal at a bargain price) etc. We had it all planned out.
We took the time to read everything that British Airways sent us - baggage allowance, mobility assistance, booking seats in advance, meal selection, advanced passenger information + passenger notices - dangerous items, fuel surcharges, taxes, Warsaw Convention, overbooking etc. We downloaded the BA app and checked in the day before. We were ready.
The big day arrived... check the app, downloaded the boarding passes, seats confirmed, flight on time. We packed the car, left on time, there was minimal traffic and we arrived at the airport 3 hours before the flight. The parking was seamless and a trolley was waiting, so off we went into the terminal. On schedule. We arrived at check in, no queue.
We went up to the check in desk...
BA: "Which flight are you on?"
Me: "BA0059 - 21.35 to Cape Town."
BA: "Can I have your passports?"
Me: "Sure, no problem."
BA: "Do you have the kids birth certificates?"
Me: Mouth open. Staring blankly at her. Panic rising. Heart rate soaring.
BA: "Sir, do you have the kids birth certificates?"
Me: "Sorry? Um.... no. Why would I have those?"
BA: "New (ish) South African legislation focused on preventing child trafficking means you need the original unabridged birth certificates for both children or they won't let you in."
Me: "Well... I don't have them. So what do you suggest?"
BA: "You need the full original birth certificates. Do you have time to go home to get them?"
Me: "Errr... maybe. Are you sure they have to be originals? What happens if I can't get them?"
BA: "Well Sir, if you can't get them in time, you will need to re-book and come back tomorrow."
Now, I won't bore you with the remaining 10 minutes of conversation where the debate rolled on about whether they had to be originals or whether a copy would be OK and how the hell we were going to get home, get them and get back in time to make the flight. Just as I was about to leave to try, luckily, a manager came over and explained that copies would suffice as long as they were of the full unabridged versions (but they didn't need to be originals). A glimmer of hope.
I managed to get hold of my mum (who lives nearby) and thankfully she was at home. She rushed round and 40 minutes later (having found the birth certificates, sent some blurred pictures of them which weren't acceptable, been talked through step by step how to use a scanner and how to find the saved scan and attach it to an email) we received the scanned copies. (In the meantime my children were racing around causing havoc like nutcases and we were getting more and more stressed). Anyway, we sent the scans onto the BA office manager. She printed them. We then had a big debate about why they hadn't told us about this legislation. They said it was mentioned somewhere but this happens quite a lot. No point worrying about that. We checked in. All was OK. Deep breath!
Now... I am hoping you can see the point of this article, which isn't to publicly moan at BA or tell a travel story. But to question their use of my data and the various tools at their disposal - website, email, app.
BA knew who I was. They knew I was travelling to Cape Town. They knew I was travelling with children. They knew that SA has new regulations requiring me to bring birth certificates. They can be pretty sure I didn't know this. They sent me multiple emails in the lead up to my trip to confirm flight times, to tell me I could pay to pre-book seats, to try to sell me car rental and hotels. They allowed me to check in on an app which shows me flight times and gate details. But not once... in months of communication did they tell me the one single piece of information that I couldn't cope without knowing! And yet their data (and insight) should show them that I am a customer who really needs to know. Then they leave their poor check in staff to deal with the chaos.
Surely they should be using the data to tell me (think NEON sign) that I need to bring my children's birth certificates. What would have happened if my mum didn't live close by or I had travelled a long way to get to Heathrow? Data is key. Customer experience should be the focus. Travel (with kids) is stressful enough.
Use customer data to help customers... that's all I ask. Sales will follow. Just think about long term loyalty and lifetime customer value (and some other classic marketing acronyms!)
If you take nothing else from this article... just remember... if you are travelling to South Africa with children under 18, remember to take their full unabridged birth certificates. Please note - there are additional requirements if the child is travelling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or unaccompanied.
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