COMMISSION

AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No.

BRIEFING ITEM

Date of Meeting

June 11, 2019

DATE: May 24, 2019

TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director

FROM: Julie Collins, Director AV Customer Service

SUBJECT: AV Customer Service Overview Briefing

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) has long valued the importance of providing

helpful service to customers. As the passenger volumes through SEA have dramatically

increased, from 33 million in 2012 to almost 50 million in 2018, the Airport’s Managing Director

recognized the need to elevate the emphasis on customer service through the creation of a

stand-alone department. Formed in May 2018, the AV Customer Service Department

encompasses functions including front-line customer care (i.e. Pathfinders, Airport Volunteers),

communications (i.e. brand strategy, real-time customer communications), AV Training &

Development and the Lost & Found office.

Through the broader lens of customer experience, the department provides leadership and

coordination around programs including: development of an airport-wide employee recognition

program, customer satisfaction benchmarking strategies, and managing stakeholder groups

including the Customer Service Excellence Action (SEA) Team and a new Frequent Traveler

Committee. The Customer Service Department also serves as an integrator of individual

department efforts, such as advancing a cohesive wayfinding strategy, with the goal of

delivering helpful information to create a seamless and positive travel journey for the

customers at SEA.

This briefing will summarize some of the key initiatives underway to improve the customer

experience and, at the request of the commission, will describe the various research methods

the airport utilizes to track and improve customer satisfaction.

BRIEFING OVERVIEW

There are a wide-variety of factors that influence the customer experience at an airport

including the ease of getting to and navigating through the airport, the comfort and

performance of the facility, the availability of desired amenities and the efficiency of airport

operations. There is also significant emphasis placed on caring for the safety of customers. As

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Meeting Date: June 11, 2019

the nation’s 8

largest airport, SEA strives to be a leader among peer airports in delivering an

excellent customer experience.

Customer service in the aviation industry is commonly measured through key research methods

including: the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) survey, Skytrax Rankings and J.D. Powers consumer

surveys. Used together, these tools provide a well-rounded view of SEA’s performance

compared with peer airports in North America.

This briefing will summarize the research methods used to measure customer satisfaction, the

current performance of SEA compared to peer airports in North America and actions underway

to improve the airport’s standing.

Research Results:

There are three prominent airport industry survey methods that measure customer sentiment

about airports around the world. They are:

 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) – Industry benchmark established through passenger surveys

(in-terminal) of 28 key airport attributes. Over 320 airports in 80 countries participate in

the ASQ program. Sea-Tac prioritizes six key service qualities (e.g. washroom cleanliness,

security screening, staff courtesy, wayfinding, comfort at gate hold rooms and Wi-Fi). From

2014 to 2018, scores in each of the six primary categories have dropped. Of the 25 U.S.

peer airports measured, Sea-Tac ranks between 21-24 in all categories except Wi-Fi (#11).

 Skytrax – Measures customer satisfaction via on-line surveys for airlines and airports

around the world. Awards a prestigious 5-star ranking based on 39 attributes with over 550

participating airports. In 2019, SEA received the top award for Airport Staff Service in North

America and was ranked #10 overall for all airports between 40-50 million people. SEA

conducted an independent Skytrax Audit in December to benchmark its customer service

performance with recommendations for improvement. SEA currently has a 3-star ranking.

Our key competitors for international services, San Francisco (SFO) and Vancouver, B.C.

(YVR), have 4-star rankings.

 J.D. Power – Annual awards are highly regarded by consumers. Quarterly on-line survey of

over 31,000 respondents measuring customer satisfaction at 64 North American airports.

Sea-Tac ranked #13 out of 20 peer airports in 2018 (down from #10 in 2017) for overall

customer satisfaction.

Performance Goals:

SEA has participated in the ASQ since 2011 and it serves as a key benchmark for establishing

short-term and long-term goals toward improving customer satisfaction. For 2019, the AV

Division is working toward the goal of: “Attain and exceed 5-year average ASQ score for at least

two of the six key service attributes”. Given the ability to influence improvement in the near-

term, the two areas of emphasis are: staff courtesy/helpfulness and Wi-Fi. For the longer term,

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Meeting Date: June 11, 2019

SEA seeks to exceed the 5-year average ASQ score for all six key service attributes and attain a

Skytrax 4-star rank by 2024. This timeframe is based on the completion of major capital

projects such as the International Arrivals Facility and the North Satellite modernization.

Customer Service Initiatives:

Improving the customer experience at SEA requires simultaneous employment of near-term

and long-term strategies. An early emphasis for the department has also been to establish

foundational groundwork for launching future initiatives such as: developing and executing an

airport-wide customer service curriculum called WE ARE SEA, improving customer service-

specific communication capabilities such as real-time engagement with customers in the

terminal via social media and simplifying the call-in experience, and creating shared customer

service expectations and cohesive communication through the establishment of a brand

identity for Sea-Tac Airport.

The Customer Service Department dedicates significant attention and resources to providing in-

person assistance to travelers. As outlined in the Summer 2019 Travel Awareness Briefing,

Customer Service plays an integral role in helping travelers navigate the security screening

process as well as assisting customer throughout the terminal. A key priority is growing the

Airport’s volunteer program and emphasizing the proactive delivery of information to

customers.

Customer Service Department staff are actively engaged in the work underway to support

customer-focused amenities at SEA (e.g. accessibility improvements, new communication

options via APPs, improved information services to customers through a more robust system of

“information hubs”, nursing suites, etc.) as well as the delivery of new capital projects.

This briefing is an opportunity to discuss the shared commitment to advancing a research and

traveler feedback-driven strategy to enhance the customer experience at Sea-Tac.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING

(1) Presentation slides