5 Traits of a Great FBO Manager

July 30, 2014
Successful FBOs have one thing in common: Effective managers

The FBO business is more competitive now than ever been before. Industry websites and magazines are filled with articles dedicated to helping FBOs gain an advantage on their field. Even my recent conversations with colleagues have reflected this trend. And candidly, although some have disagreed about things like pricing and partnership, everyone does seem to agree that successful FBOs have one thing in common: effective managers.

My experience with Valley Oil and Air BP/Epic coupled with my more recent venture with the Paragon Network, has given me the opportunity to meet hundreds of FBO managers at some of the best facilities in the country. And after evaluating these encounters, I’ve determined that these great FBO managers had the following five things in common:

  1. A great FBO manager is metrics driven.  It is human nature to make assumptions.  Everyone is shaped by their individual life experiences in one way or another, and it is easy for those experiences to frame our perspective in the workplace. However, a great FBO manager knows that their perceptions and “gut feelings” aren’t necessarily reality. And as such, they make sure to support their opinions with numbers.
  2. A great FBO manager solicits and responds to customer feedback.  As Sam Walton famously said, “There is only one boss, and that is the customer.” A great FBO manager knows that even the strongest of corporate relationships can’t protect their FBO from a poor customer experience. By regularly reviewing feedback submitted through surveys and websites, these FBO managers ensure that their customers always have an elite experience.
  3. A great FBO manager knows the value of a sales team and invests accordingly. It is becoming a common FBO practice to leave the task of sales to a customer service manager or line service manager. However, a great FBO manager knows that having a strong sales process, including dedicated sales staff, is one of the secrets to long term success.
  4. A great FBO manager keeps sales prospects and customers electronically organized. In the digital age, having a reliable customer relationship management system (CRM) is a must. A great FBO manager knows thatalthough Excel spreadsheets and paper lists are available, they can’t replace a database with reporting capabilities.
  5. A great FBO manager finds creative ways to network with peers. Business aviation has always been a relationship business. A great FBO manager regularly seeks out ways to network with industry peers. NBAA, NATA and other business aviation organizations have numerous avenues for networking throughout the year.

For more great blogs by Mike Delk visit http://propel.paragonaviationgroup.com/