Benchmarking Service Quality At AUS

The Austin Experience

The ASQ survey has been the most important tool used by AUS to develop a clear focus and make data driven decisions on customer service. The airport exceeds its customers’ expectations on the critical few items that are most important to them.

By dissecting and measuring each part of the passenger process, AUS is able to identify problems and performance gaps, which in turn facilitate improvement actions. Nonetheless AUS is always looking to improve on existing processes and find ways to deliver on the changing needs of its customers.

Every quarter, AUS’s survey results are shared with its business partners to foster a collaboration relationship amongst the various parties. The goal is to consistently overachieve against our passengers’ expectations and attempt to bring back the genuine pleasure of air travel by impressing upon our business partners the need to do the best job possible serving the travelers. Part of our on-boarding for new employees, includes extensive training on customer service. The executive director personally conducts quarterly briefings on the results of the ASQ survey.

For the sixth consecutive year, AUS has earned a ranking in the top airports in both North America and the world for excellence in customer service. It has been ranked as one of the best airports in the world according to the Airport Service Quality Awards. The awards recognize the airports which have achieved the highest passenger satisfaction ratings.

Additionally, AUS was recognized in 2011 in the first ACI’s Director General’s Roll of Excellence. The Director General’s Roll of Excellence recognizes airports that have ranked among the top five in Airport Service Quality (ASQ) for five consecutive years. Only 14 airports in the world received this recognition.

The ASQ program has been very valuable to AUS in terms of improving its customer service as well as improving the management approach to running the airport.

Other ASQ Program Modules

The ASQ program provides airports with a toolbox for managing a passenger experience. It consists of five modules, each of which can be utilized individually. The modules are: ASQ Survey, ASQ Assured, ASQ Performance, ASQ Retail, and ASQ Management.

The ASQ Assured certification module benchmarks an airport’s management approach to service quality against industry best practice.

It is a quality management certification designed for airports as a framework to assist in driving continual improvement and identify areas of improvement. The certification recognizes the airport’s commitment to service quality and the systems and processes that are in place to constantly improve customer service. AUS was the third airport in the world to receive ASQ Assured certification.

ASQ Performance measures the levels of service delivered by an airport and puts those measures into context through comparison with other airports. It allows airport management to measure the service performance actually delivered by the airport and accurately pinpoint underperformance, bottlenecks, and over-performance.

ASQ Performance measures passenger processing times using 16 key performance indicators such as “waiting time at check in”, “waiting time at security”, and “delivery of first bag/last bag.” Measurements are conducted at peak hours using the same methodology at all airports.

ASQ Management provides support and advisory services for airports looking to improve their quality of service. Advisory projects range from supporting airports looking to achieve ASQ Assured Certification to assistance in changing airport culture and implementing best practice throughout the airport.

ASQ Retail measures passenger satisfaction with an airport’s commercial services as well as its performance on key sales ratios, and puts those measures into context through comparison with other airports. It helps managers improve commercial performance through a better understanding of their airport’s retail/food & beverage offering’s strengths and weaknesses, and a deeper knowledge of global airport shopper profiles.