Passengers who find themselves needing help in the terminal can soon have their issues resolved without taking a step.
Pittsburgh International Airport and Carlow University have teamed up to develop a new proactive approach to improving the customer experience. Carlow is curating and piloting a first-of-its-kind airport customer social care service program that moves beyond minimum expectations.
The airport and Carlow are collaborating to develop an industry-leading customer social care skill-builder program that provides specialized on-demand mobile/digital support unlike any other in a traditional U.S. airport setting. To accomplish this Initiative, Customer Care Agents will be deployed as a mobile team in the terminal as part of a one-year pilot program.
“We want to create a unique experience that could redefine the way airports approach customer service,” said Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. “We’re excited to partner with Carlow, which is a part of the region’s rich educational heritage.”
Equipped with iPads, the agents will provide real-time updates on irregular airport operations, such as flight delays or cancellations, and help travelers solve other problems.
“The Customer Care Agents, graduates of Carlow, will give the airport feedback and make recommendations to help develop and craft the program into exactly what the airport wants it to be,” said Dr. Jim Ice, dean of Carlow’s new College of Professional Studies, which is focused on meeting the educational needs of regional companies and their adult learners. “It’s exciting to be part of something as dynamic as what Pittsburgh International is doing and to help them think a little differently about this concept of customer social care and how the resources Carlow University can provide will help advance those ideas.”
The agents will play a critical role in development of the skill-builder program by being highly visible in the airport terminal while identifying, receiving, and addressing passenger needs at every service opportunity.
The university worked with airport officials to develop an innovative customer social care skill-building program to assist in developing a new type of customer experience. Ten online courses were developed to help teach these focused customer care skills. Topics included: intercultural communication, crisis communication, conflict management, digital environment relationship building, and proactive social media communication to focus on meeting the customer’s needs both face-to-face and via digital media.
The development and enhancement of processes and utilization of technology will allow for real-time information sharing, personalized wayfinding, individualized customer interactions, integration with internal operations, and ultimately lead to an increased positive customer experience.
The partnership with Carlow is the latest collaboration between the airport and the region’s leading educational institutions. The airport already engages regularly with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, Robert Morris University and others.
Read more about the program through the airport’s in-house news service, Blue Sky: https://bit.ly/2WX50fn . For more information about the new College of Professional Studies, please visit https://www.carlow.edu/College_of_Professional_Studies.aspx or call (412) 578.6059.
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About Allegheny County Airport Authority:
Allegheny County Airport Authority, which manages Pittsburgh International Airport and Allegheny County Airport, is committed to transforming Pittsburgh’s airports to reflect and serve the community, inspire the industry, and advance the region’s role as a world leader. Its 2018 Annual Report detailing growth and improved financial position can be found at https://flypittsburgh.com/ar18 .
Pittsburgh International Airport serves more than 9½ million passengers annually on 16 carriers. Air Transport World named Pittsburgh International its 2017 Airport of the Year. Travel + Leisure and J.D. Power have again named Pittsburgh International a Top 10 Domestic Airport in 2018.
About Carlow University:
Carlow is a private, co-educational, Catholic university located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s “Eds, Meds, and Tech” district. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Carlow’s graduates, curricula, and partnerships reflect its strong commitment to social justice; ethical, forward-thinking and responsible leadership; and service to the community that has a meaningful impact. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are offered in four colleges: Health and Wellness, Leadership and Social Change, Learning and Innovation, and Professional Studies. Carlow graduates are in demand for their professional expertise in fields ranging from nursing, the sciences, and perfusion technology to counseling, education, and forensic accounting; their entrepreneurial spirit and creative mindset; and their ability to manage change. Carlow’s 13 athletic teams are known as the Celtics, a reflection of the university’s Irish heritage.
Pittsburgh International Airport Teams Up with Carlow University to Provide New In-Terminal Customer Experience
