Unit 4: Aircraft Passenger Services - Customer Service and Sales

This assignment, focusing on Unit 4 of an aviation-related course, explores various aspects of aircraft passenger service. It covers the importance of creating a positive organizational image, proper greeting techniques, and the significance of first impressions in building passenger trust. The assignment delves into the understanding of customer needs versus wants, effective communication through closed and open-ended questions, and the art of active listening. It also discusses non-verbal communication methods, including body language and gestures, and the importance of summarizing information. Further, the assignment examines bar and beverage service procedures, in-flight catering, duty-free services, and ancillary airline services. It concludes with a discussion on selling services, distinguishing between product features and benefits, and the concept of merchandising to enhance sales and customer experience. References to relevant academic sources are included.

Running head: UNIT 4
Unit 4
Name of Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

1UNIT 4
Task 1:
Answer 1.1:
It is extremely important to create a positive image of an organisation to the passengers in
an aircraft. This is because there needs to be some amount of trust of the passengers in the
aircraft organisation of their choice. It is specifically importance as in emergency situations the
public needs to have a certain amount of trust in the people of the aircraft company protecting
their community. The way the organisation is represented will directly impact the way in which
the people perceive it and their choice in coming back for a future service. The trust of more and
more customers in the organisation will boost its overall image and therefore help it grow as an
organisation to reckon with.
Answer 1.2:
The passengers in the aircraft need to be met and greeted properly using certain
guidelines. The way in which a single person acts will actually reflect the whole organisation.
The method of addressing the passengers should be conducted keeping their age groups and
preferences in mind. The method of meeting and greeting the passengers should be a sincere
attempt. The attendants should be helpful and use the name or title of the person in case he or she
knows it. Sarcasm and flippancy should be avoided at any cost. There should not be outburst of
any sort even if there are certain things disagreeable in the passengers. A general thankful
attitude should be shown in general.
Answer 1.3:
First impressions are extremely important in case of personal as well as professional
encounters as people can form an opinion about a person in just the first few minutes of a

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conversation. The great grooming and body language of a particular attendant is important for
giving a good first impression on behalf of the organisation. The confidence and openness of a
particular person is responsible for building trust in an organisation. Smiles and a graceful
demeanour in attendants helps people trust them and consider them to be trustworthy. It is a
proven fact that people in general give much more weight to the things they learn about a person
or organisation at first rather than the information they learn later.
Answer 1.4:
Body language plays an important role in the determination of the relationship of the
customers with the attendants of the organisation. The body language of the attendants should be
easy going and friendly. The posture should be standing tall and shoulders back in order to show
confidence so that the passengers give their trust in them. While stating all the rules and
regulations and facts to the passengers the attendants need to maintain eye contact. The
purposefulness and deliberate attitude is clearly understood with the hand and arm gestures. The
speech in addition to this should be slow and clear. The voice also should not be high. The body
language needs to be friendly and relaxed so that the passengers do not face any difficulties in
understanding as well as expressing.
Task 2:
Answer 2.1:
Understanding the difference between a customer’s wants and needs is a major key in
succeeding in any sort of business in any organisation. It often happens that what a customer
wants is diametrically opposed to what a customer needs. It is the duty of the attendants to know
the customer clearly and therefore understand their wants and needs clearly. Often it happens

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that the customers listen to the attendants and sometimes they completely disregard them. Need
is something which solves a real or imagined problem. A want on the other hand is something
that is the simple desire of a person. However the wants are the more powerful motivator than
what they need.
Answer 2.2
A close ended question or closed question is something that can be properly answered
with a specific yes or no response or a specific factual answer. The concept with closed questions
is that of being only one correct answer. On the other hand an open ended question or an open
question is that which cannot be answered simply with either yes or no. It does not have any one
specific answer. Closed questions are useful as they help in the stimulation of short yes or no
answers and are ideal for creating a fast paced interaction between the attendants and the
passengers. Open ended questions should be used to generate longer, non-superficial discussions,
the promotion of critical thinking and overall intellectual involvement.
Answer 2.3:
The function of mindfully hearing and attempting to comprehend the meaning of words
spoken by the other person in a conversation or speech is the art of active listening. Active
listening is an important communication skill and can involve making several sounds that
indicates the attentiveness as well as the understanding of the listener. It improves mutual
understanding and it focuses the attention on the speakers. Active listening avoids
misunderstandings as people have to confirm that they really understand from the speaker. It is a
structured form of listening and helps be attentive. In communication as well as discussions, the
active listening is an important aspect. The attendants need to be attentive and listen to the needs
of the customers properly so that they do not face any problems in the aircraft.

4UNIT 4
Answer 2.4:
There are different types of non-verbal communication. These are body movements or
kinesics. Posture or the way a person stands or sits or whether a person maintains eye contact are
important. The eye contact where the amount determines the level of interest and attentiveness in
the communication is a method of non verbal communication. There are different types of
gestures which are targeted towards the speaker in order to show interest in the work. Illustrators
help in the understanding of the verbal message in the communication. Eye contact serves
several communicative functions from regulating interaction to monitoring interaction to the
conveyance of information1.
Answer 2.5:
Summarising is an essential skill which is used in the practice of meditation and it is an
enormous contributor to the effectiveness of any communication taking place in any business. It
needs to be shown that the ownership of whatever is said remains with the speaker. The
summary in the listener’s own words does not promote effective listening and serves no real
purpose as it is actually a re-interpretation by the listener of what was said. An effective
summary maximizes the effectiveness of the communication that occurs through a checking with
whatever the speaker has said and whether it is effective or not. The summary is not only a
factual statement but it an opportunity to clarify whatever the thoughts and feelings and
viewpoints that have been mentioned have been done so accurately.
1 Broadbent, D.E., 2013. Perception and communication. Elsevier

5UNIT 4
Task 3:
Answer 3.1
The bar and beverage service procedures comprise of the bar outlets preparation and also
abiding by the service philosophy. It also comprises of taking orders, the preparation of drinks
and the proper use of glassware. The bar outlets preparation comprises of checking and refilling
the bar fridge, the fridge temperature, and arrangement of bar glasses and bar tools. The bar
operations involve the careful handling of all types of alcoholic drinks ad conversion of their
contents into revenue. The staff are also responsible for the drinks and received from the cellar
must maintain the record of the bottles received, returned, the quality of drinks sold, the amount
of revenue generated, the beverage cost percentage and the awareness about the guest
satisfaction.
Answer 3.2:
The catering services within the flight and aircraft were introduced much earlier in time.
In the present scenario, most airlines utilize a method of providing in flight services by means if
service trolleys or carts. These are utilized to transport the food and beverage services along the
aisle inside the cabin. The food and beverages are prepared in the gallery area. After that they are
carted in the service trolleys by the flight attendants to be distributed by the passengers. The
flight attendants need to make another round inside the cabin with the service trolleys to collect
the meal trays and waste 2.
2 Daley, D.M., 2012. Strategic human resources management. Public Personnel Management, pp.120-125.

6UNIT 4
Answer 3.3:
Duty free services are those which are basically exempted from the payment of tax. They
are also exempted from the payment of duties. There are several instances where duty free
services are being provided to the customers. Often the purchase of the luxury goods and items
are free for the customers. The premium spirits, perfumes and other services are also the duty
free services. The tax exemption from these services help in the overall benefit to the passengers
and the customers. The tax free services are often given importance due to the services they
provide.
Answer 3.4:
The ancillary airline services include the preparation of in flight food services, cabin
services, baggage handling service, passenger service and airline laundry packing. The in flight
food services is prepared by the staff in partnership with their customers. The quality of food and
the maintenance of the highest amount of standard in the preparation is kept in mind. The cabin
services involve the necessary equipment amenities and the in flight comfort. The getting of food
timely leads to completion of the job. The airline laundry packing is also taken of and every
piece of linen is used in flight in highest standard. The luggage handling is also taken care of.
The best level of hospitality is also ensured.
Task 4:
Answer 4.1:
The selling services are extremely important in aircrafts. It is necessary to be the product
which a person sells. In case of a service based business it is necessary for the seller to be the
product which he or she is selling. There needs to be a focus on the outcomes. Understand the

7UNIT 4
needs of the prospect of selling. Then the focus should be on the feelings of the customers. There
needs to be a social proof of the service advocated. There should be an honest effort to develop a
brand which is responsible for differentiates the company.
Answer 4.2:
Features are the facts which the product enables the customers to do. On the other hand
the benefits are the outcomes that the customers get helping them achieve the business
objectives. The distinction between the terms benefits and features is a crucial concept in the
development and marketing of a product or service. Features are those characteristics which the
service has or does not have. Benefits are the reasons that the customers buy the product or
service. Services differ from one another in having distinctive features and benefits though these
differences might not always be obvious to the potential customers. Every product or service has
a purpose and the uniqueness of a product or service can set it apart from competition. Benefits
are ultimately more important to the customers than the features.
Answer 4.3:
The concept of merchandising includes the product display and packaging and also the
advertising techniques used to promote and sell goods to the customers. For the business to make
sales the products and services should be visible and displayed in an appealing manner. Good
merchandising drives the visitors to the store. Effective merchandising has a significant positive
impact on the sales. Efficient space management creates the usable space that accommodates
more and more people and is responsible for making the whole procedure a pleasant experience.

8UNIT 4
Good merchandising involves the proper arrangement of the services and the effective
management of space3.
3 Rebeiro, D., 2015. An empirical study, role and importance of visual merchandising in retail branding-A
practitioners’ perspective

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References:
Broadbent, D.E., 2013. Perception and communication. Elsevier.
Cafaro, A., Vilhjálmsson, H., Bickmore, T., Heylen, D., Jóhannsdóttir, K. and Valgarðsson, G., 2012. First
impressions: Users’ judgments of virtual agents’ personality and interpersonal attitude in first encounters.
In Intelligent virtual agents (pp. 67-80). Springer Berlin/Heidelberg.
Daley, D.M., 2012. Strategic human resources management. Public Personnel Management, pp.120-125.
Rebeiro, D., 2015. An empirical study, role and importance of visual merchandising in retail branding-A
practitioners’ perspective.
Siegman, A.W., 2014. Nonverbal behavior and communication. Psychology Press.