The RED C / Aer Lingus Voice of the Guest (VoG) research programme provides real-time feedback from Aer Lingus guests on a daily basis.  Using best in class solutions to randomise questionnaire allocation, the programme evaluates all elements of the customer journey, providing Aer Lingus feedback from in excess of 160,000 touchpoints across 2,447 data variables per year.

VoG also embeds relevant booking data in the survey invitation link, meaning responses can be analysed by flight date /time of flight, flight number, route, pre-booked items, Aer Lingus customer segment etc.  With this massive and disparate data set, combining data from two sources, the challenge to RED C was to translate this into meaningful feedback at different levels within the business, that would allow Aer Lingus to monitor performance and make strategic decisions based on fact.  So how did we do it?

• Survey and booking data is pushed in real-time to 12 different dashboards focused at different parts of the business;
• Monthly push reports are distributed to 9 regional Ground Managers across the globe, detailing performance of 83 airports worldwide;
• Monthly KPI reports are issued to Senior Aer Lingus Execs to keep stakeholders informed on performance vs. targets;
• Detailed statistical driver analysis identifies roadmap for change in the business– allowing Aer Lingus to prioritise financial resources and strategic development to those areas that have greatest impact on guest experience.

The impact of this programme on Aer Lingus has been over-whelming.   Despite such an extensive data set, RED C have been successfully able to mine key issue areas for improvement on macro level, while also drilling down to better understand more micro issues.

Insights driven from this ‘big data’ have led to extensive changes in the business at a micro level and major investments at a macro level.  Since its implementation, it has informed business strategy.  RED VoC has provided Aer Lingus with a guest engagement instrument that has vastly exceeded all expectations, from the marketing department up to the CEO.  It has provided a sample vastly in excess of that achieved anywhere else, allowing reliability of survey responses at minutiae analysis.

“The Voice of the Customer survey is one of the most important developments in recent Aer Lingus history. The sheer weight of the responses makes the data unarguable. It therefore provides a clear roadmap of what drives guest satisfaction and what areas Aer Lingus needs to focus on to further improve guest satisfaction. The business can now clearly prioritise those areas that need improvement and then measure the effect closely afterwards. This is critical to allow us to drive sustainable growth in our transatlantic market, while staying one step ahead of our competition in the European cities and leisure market.”

Mike Rutter, Chief Operating Officer, Aer Lingus