EasyJet's Quality Management: Issues, Competences, and Benchmarking

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Managing Quality in Hospitality, Tourism and Events
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Executive summary
Easy Jet Company is low cost carrier of United Kingdom, which has been facing several
issues regarding the quality of services provided to the customers. The customers have been
complaining regarding the quality of services and this has lowered down the reputation and
position of easy jet company in the market. This report has focused on various issues faced
by the company along with the areas, which can be strengthened and develop for the growth
of the company. The use of benchmarking and its impact over easy jet have been discussed in
the report.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................4
Main body..................................................................................................................................4
Exhibit the problems and issues, currently faced by EasyJet.................................................4
Analyse the right competences and capabilities of Easy jet for improving quality...............5
Examine the impact of benchmarking over provision of effective and consistent quality
management...........................................................................................................................6
Recommendation........................................................................................................................8
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
References..................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
The travel industry of United Kingdom has been facing several issues and decline in its profit
rates due to decline in the level of quality of the services and products provided to the
customers. The feedback achieved from the customers regarding the airlines and airport of
United Kingdom is condemning, which has been one of the concerns of the authorities of
United Kingdom. In this report, this matter has been discussed appropriately and various
aspects of this issue will be assessed properly. The problems faced in current business
operations of EasyJet Company will be assessed along with examining the capabilities and
competences of the company for improving its quality management. Use and impact of
benchmarking will also be assessed regarding the quality management of the EasyJet airline
company of United Kingdom. At last, few recommendations will be provided for the
company regarding its quality management.
Main body
Exhibit the problems and issues, currently faced by EasyJet.
Easy jet is a less expensive airline service provider, which was founded by sir Stelios in the
year 1995. This UK based company is one of the reputed and largest airline services
providers of Europe and the services and business of Easy Jet Company are spread across 30
different countries. In the previous year, as per the data revealed by the management of the
company, around 88 million of passengers were carried and served by Easy jet private limited
company (Corporate.easyjet.com. 2019). The company is also active on its online and digital
web portals, through which, booking is done easily.
However, in the recent times, the company has been facing negative reviews from many of
their customers and passengers. There are many negative factors present in the business
operations and service provision of the company. By rounding off, the main problem that has
been revealed is regarding the quality of service provided by the company to the passengers
(Schuckert et al. 2015). These negative reviews has impacted the sales ratio, profit ratio,
position of the company in the market and it may also become a great competitive advantage
for the rivals of Easy jet private limited company. All these factors have jeopardised the
brand image and reputation in the global market and has hindered the growth and success of
the company.

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There are many issues and problems, which are currently faced by the company. One of such
issue or problems is lack of convenience and comfort in the services provided to the customer
during their air journey (Moriarty, 2011). Many of customers of Easy Jet Company have
negatively reviewed the various services and other factors like comfort and pleasantness of
the seats, seat leg space and storage as well as space provided for the customer to adjust and
relax properly during their long flight journeys. These factors are found to be unpleasant and
uncomfortable, which makes the flight journey of the customers painful, unpleasant and
uncomfortable.
Another such negative review regarding the improper quality of services has been done by
the customer in context of the set types and structure. The customer had complaints regarding
the features of seat like support for neck, sufficient area for stretching or leg spread and the
padding or cushioning of the seats of air flights. Not all these features of seat were fulfilled
appropriately, which made the long hours flight a painful and inconvenient journey for the
customers (Schuckert et al. 2015). The congested arrangement of seats in flights hinders
proper body movements of the customers and this causes irritation in them. Due to this
reason, customers find it difficult to perform their various activities effectively during their
air journeys.
As per the data revealed from the survey report of a flight compensation company named as
Air help, there is a storage problem with the flights of Easy Jet Company. Customers at the
airport were not allowed to carry many of their essential goods and luggage due to
insufficient storage capacity of the flights of Easy Jet Company. They had to pay unnecessary
fines for carrying limited amount of luggage also. Another problem is that customers who
received late services or experienced delay in their flight timings were not provided
compensation at times (Bogicevic, 2013). According to many of the customers, they were not
even offered the compensation for inconvenience and flight delay. The flight delays were
many times informed to the customers just before the original timing of flight and the
customers were refused any type of compensation with reason that the delay was occurred
due to some extraordinary circumstances. Customers and passengers, who were not from the
locality, experienced worst services from the company. They had to cancel their important
events due to delays in flight and long-time lapse for the next flight available to them. They
were offered to stay in hotel reserved by the company but the hotels refused any kind of
reservation or booking (Ford et al. 2011). Due to this, the passengers either had to spend time

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at airports or had to pay from their own pockets for staying hotels. This unethical behaviour
created negative image of the company in front of its premium customers.
These issues have been faced due to lack of proper quality management in the business and
organisational structure of Easy jet private limited company. This has resulted in decline of
customers, from the customer base of the company as the unsatisfied customers perform
negative promotion and publicity of the company and its service, which gives rise to declined
engagement of other customers also (Pantouvakis and Renzi, 2016). All these factors
contributed to the lowest positioning of the Easy jet company by the customers, among the
carriers of United Kingdom.
Analyse the right competences and capabilities of Easy jet for improving quality
Provision of poor and bad quality services to the customers has been the biggest reason
responsible for the declining growth of Easy jet in its home markets as well as in other
expansions of the company in international markets. Therefore, it is very crucial for the
company to work on these complaints and issues faced by the customers as well as by the
company as soon as possible. This may bring certain relief in the present critical condition of
the company in UK. The company can start by working on the capable areas of its business
and quality management areas (Bogicevic, 2013). Working on right competences and
capabilities of the company will be the best way of bringing good changes in the business
operations of the company and company will be able to enhance the quality of its service
provision to the customers. Easy jet is required to analyse and identify the major issues and
defects, present in the service provision system, and there effects on the business of the
company. Through proper analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the business, Easy jet
can make a good start towards the development of the set of quality management in its
business operations. For example, the online and digital service portal of the company i.e.,
the online website of the company is used by many of its customers and passengers for
acquiring proper data regarding the flight schedule and fair cost of different flight categories
(Schuckert et al. 2015).
Customers use this site for booking advance tickets and making cancellations. Overall, the
online website of the company is major part of the business of Easy jet. Therefore, the
company should work on its online booking websites to make upgradation in the features and
add some more attractive features, so that customers find it more convenient to access and
use the website of the company (Brotherton, 2015). The cabin crew of Easy Jet Company are

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one of the crucial parts for provision of quality services to the passengers or customers. They
are delegated the responsibility of taking care of the safety of the passengers and guarding
them during their engagement with Easy jet company. Therefore, Easy Jet Company can
enhance its training programs for the employees of cabin crew system and strengthen the
security of the passengers and customers of the company. Training programs can also be
conducted for other employees of the organisation. In this way, employees can be taught and
trained to deliver better services to the passengers and customers (Brotherton, 2015). The IT
sector of the company is capable of growth and development. Therefore, the management and
high authorities of the company are required to bring innovation and apply creative ideas for
developing the IT sector or department of Easy Jet Company. This will help in providing
accurate information regarding the company and its service to the customers at proper time
(Hong et al. 2012). This will solve, many issues and problems like the information of flight
delay etc. in this way, Easy Jet Company can ensure that accurate information is provided to
its customers at appropriate time.
The management of the company is required to focus on the structure and design of the
organisation and make necessary amendment in them as per the changing demands,
requirements and trends of the customers (Beyer et al. 2015). The managers of Easy Jet
Company need to develop strategic planning for ensuring that the organisational structure and
design of the company is suitable for attaining the needs and objectives of business. They are
also required to analyse the performance of the employees and reward them with various
incentive for promoting their good and effective performance at workplace (Moriarty, 2011).
This will boost their morale and they will be able to provide better services to the customers
and passengers of Easy jet plc. However, the employees with work performance are to be
eliminated or punished for eradicating any kind of defects in the quality management of the
company. The managers and superior authorities of Easy jet are required to analyse the
environment of the company on frequent basis. This will help the company in making
necessary changes in their system and run their business according to the changing business
and market environment (Rezaei et al. 2011). In this way, Easy Jet Company can provide
good quality services to the customer by working on the discussed competences and
capabilities of Easy jet regarding improvement of its quality of services. Through this, the
complaints and issues of the customers can also be resolved in an effective manner.

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Examine the impact of benchmarking over provision of effective and consistent quality
management.
Figure.1- Benchmarking
(Source: Strategicmanagementinsight.com, 2019)
Benchmarking is an effective tool, which can be used by Easy Jet Company for assessing and
analysing its performance in the market. According to Khudia et al. (2015), benchmarking is
mainly used for analysing and evaluating the process and activities of the company in
comparison of other competitors of the company present in the market. This will help Easy
Jet Company in identifying the performance gap of the organisation and achieving the
targeted performance of the company. In short, as opined by Goetsch and Davis, (2014),
benchmarking is helpful for the organisation for becoming the best performer among other
companies of its class or category. Through benchmarking, Easy Jet Company can attain high
levels of standards in its business and organisational operations by contrasting and
developing the services and products of the organisation in order to overtake the rivals
present in the market (Duan et al. 2016). With the help of benchmarking, Easy jet can
identify the best qualities and best practices of its business for delivering superior
performance in the organisation.
The process of benchmarking occurs in four steps, which are measuring performance,
benchmarking against rivals, analysis of the data received and taking action according to it
(Bienia and Li, 2011). This could be better understood by the following figure.

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Figure.2- Steps of benchmarking
(Source: Robecosam.com, 2019)
 In the first step of benchmarking of Easy Jet Company, the performance of the
organisation will be measured and the progress and current position of the organisation in
the market will be analysed. In the second stages of benchmarking of Easy Jet Company,
various options available for the company will be acquired by evaluating all possible
dimensions of the business and organisational sectors (Zopiatis and Constanti, 2012). The
outcome of the analysis is then to be discussed with the management and other
departments in the third step of this process. Through this discussion the gaps and blanks,
which are to be covered are measured and best suitable strategy is designed in order to
attain and cover these gaps. As mentioned by (Kapiki, 2012), in the last step of this
process, the formulated strategies will be executed and actions will be taken according to
it. In this way, Easy Jet Company can analyse its business performance and make
development through strengthening the best practices of its business and organisation.
Benchmarking will have different influences over Easy Jet Company. These influences will
be advantageous as well as disadvantageous for the company (P. Crick and Spencer, 2011).
These various advantages and disadvantages of using benchmarking for Easy Jet Company
are as follows:
Advantages -
 Benchmarking will facilitate effective implementation of creative and innovative ideas for
the development of Easy Jet Company.

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 Benchmarking will create a healthy competitive environment for Easy Jet Company,
which will help the company in bringing more development in its business.
 Easy Jet Company can enhance its position in market by improving its strong features of
business.
 Through benchmarking, the work performance of Easy Jet Company can be developed in
compassion of its rivals.
Disadvantages-
 The level of standards will be confined to certain levels due to making comparisons with
the rivals (Ford et al. 2011).
 If Easy Jet Company fails in gathering sufficient data or misses any significant amount of
data regarding its rivals, then the company may face negative consequences regarding its
business standards.
 As the standards of businesses are limited to the standard of rivals, the level of
dependency will increase for Easy Jet Company.
In this way, benchmarking can be advantageous along with disadvantageous for Easy jet
company. However, by controlling few of the disadvantageous factors, the company can
acquire the desired level of standards in its business.
Recommendation
It is recommended to Easy Jet Company to eliminate all the negative factors for its business,
which causes any kind of inconveniences to the customers or passengers of the company. The
company can upgrade its organisational structure and the services that are provided to the
customers. The flights can be renovated and better sitting arrangements can be made for
providing comfort to the passengers while travelling. The employees like cabin crewmembers
and flight attendants are to be well skilled and trained which will help in providing the
passengers, the best possible hospitality services and experience from the company. In this
way, Easy Jet Company can regain the trust and loyalty of the customers and can retail its top
position in the market.
Conclusion
Customers are very crucial factors and major pillar of any kind of business, especially for the
hospitality businesses and organisation. The only thing that the customers expect the most
from hospitality organisations is quality services and products. Therefore, Easy Jet Company

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is required to consider this point while performing its business and bring development in the
quality of services provided to the customers. Only then, the company will be able to attain
proper growth and success in the market and sustain its business among its rivals present in
national as well as in global market.

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References
Beyer, D., Löwe, S. and Wendler, P., 2015, August. Benchmarking and resource
measurement. In International SPIN Workshop on Model Checking of Software (pp. 160-
178). Springer, Cham.
Bienia, C. and Li, K., 2011. Benchmarking modern multiprocessors (p. AAI3445564).
Princeton: Princeton University.
Bogicevic, V., Yang, W., Bilgihan, A. and Bujisic, M., 2013. Airport service quality drivers
of passenger satisfaction. Tourism Review, 68(4), pp.3-18.
Brotherton, B., 2015. Researching hospitality and tourism. Sage.
Corporate.easyjet.com. (2019). Home. [online] Available at: http://corporate.easyjet.com/
[Accessed 12 Apr. 2019].
Duan, Y., Chen, X., Houthooft, R., Schulman, J. and Abbeel, P., 2016, June. Benchmarking
deep reinforcement learning for continuous control. In International Conference on Machine
Learning (pp. 1329-1338).
Ford, R., Sturman, M. and Heaton, C., 2011. Managing quality service in hospitality: How
organizations achieve excellence in the guest experience. Nelson Education.
Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational excellence.
Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Hong, P., Hong, S.W., Jungbae Roh, J. and Park, K., 2012. Evolving benchmarking practices:
a review for research perspectives. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 19(4/5), pp.444-
462.
Kapiki, S., 2012. Quality management in tourism and hospitality: An exploratory study
among tourism stakeholders. International Journal of Economic Practices and
Theories, 2(2).
Khudia, D.S., Zamirai, B., Samadi, M. and Mahlke, S., 2015, June. Rumba: An online quality
management system for approximate computing. In 2015 ACM/IEEE 42nd Annual
International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA)(pp. 554-566). IEEE.
Moriarty, J.P., 2011. A theory of benchmarking. Benchmarking: An International
Journal, 18(4), pp.588-611.