Belly Carrier of the Year (Industry Choice)
What is the significance of this award to your company?
“At Virgin we always say we are passionate about customer service – and it’s an easy statement to make – but when we win an award like this, it proves that our customers and other industry leaders appreciate and value the service we off er. For me, the greatest benefit of this award is to be able to tell our team that all of their hard work has been rewarded. It also helps to reinforce the profile of our cargo business within the airline as a whole.
When you win any award based on customer votes or that has been judged by respected industry leaders, you can take some comfort in knowing you’re doing something right. I think when you’re constantly trying to reinforce a culture based on customer service and performance as a way to stand out against an enormous level of competition, awards help our staff to appreciate that customers do notice high performance.”
What do you see as the key factors contributing to your win?
“I hope and believe it is down to our customer focus. Customers frequently tell me that we have a very good team and that they really enjoy working with us and, of course, we work extremely hard to ensure we off er a high level of service. We’re a lean cargo organisation and we make sure we stay close to our customers. So to win an award like is a real boost for everyone.”
How does the award amplify your unique value proposition?
“Customers today have so much choice in terms of the airlines they can work with. Obviously they want value but that’s only worth having if it comes with the right level of service. When you combine these two factors, that’s when we are a match for anyone. Our customers are freight professionals and they know which airlines they can trust to deliver the service they promise, so this award gives us confidence that we are right up there among the larger carriers.”
What is the value of industry awards such as these?
“We are always very proud when we win an award. I think it’s always important to ask customers how they think their suppliers are performing, and awards are one of the ways customers can recognise and reward the top performers. Th e main thing when you win one, however, is to remember that it raises the bar and you have to continually be looking for ways to not only maintain the high standards you’ve set but to improve on them too.”
– John Lloyd, senior vice president cargo, Virgin Atlantic
