Like all businesses, the success of ground handlers relies upon consistent and efficient execution of a task. Something that can only be achieved by ensuring that the team knows exactly what to do and that there is an easy and effective way of improving the way of working.
How to achieve this is often detailed in standard operating procedures (SOPs), integral to all organizations involved in the aviation industry, whether an airline carrier or ground handler.
Manuals and SOPs may not always be the most exciting, but they provide vital instructions on the running of key processes, as well as details on how to implement new practices and adhere to the latest regulations and safety advice. They are often used across departments and need to be accessible and easy to handle.
The information they contain can sometimes make the difference between success and failure. Sadly, in the aviation industry, failure has the potential for catastrophic consequences, so quite simply, it is not an option.
However, despite their importance, for many years aviation manuals have been giant, doorstep encyclopedias that were not easy to handle or read and were often stored away until it was time for them to be replaced. Thankfully, many companies in the aviation industry have now recognized that paper documentation is outdated and the growing need to digitalize information.
Although the benefits may be recognized, organizations often lack the knowledge of how to begin the process of digitalizing manuals.
Impact of COVID-19
This trend for moving online has increased significantly over the past two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though nearly every company in the aviation industry has been affected by COVID-19, not every company has suffered equally. Regardless of size or activity, those that have coped best either had a strong digital infrastructure in place when the pandemic began or rapidly and willingly embraced new technologies when COVID-19 struck.
Although it has often been hard to find positive news during the pandemic, the acceleration of technology use within the industry has been encouraging.
Quite rightly, the need for aviation safety has not disappeared, or even reduced by a fraction, during the crisis. Regulatory compliance always remains vital. Disseminating safety-critical updates quickly and directly to teams, through an efficient and consolidated digital system, has never been more important. So, it hasn’t been a surprise to see aircraft operators and ground handlers introduce and accelerate the use of document digitization to become more agile and effective during the pandemic.
Benefits of Digitalization
Aside from the effects of the pandemic, why would moving a company’s documents from paper or clunky digital solutions to a truly digital environment improve the day-to-day running of operations?
Firstly, ensuring ground handling services operate as safely and efficiently as possible is the number one priority for any business in this sector and moving to a paperless platform will bring about significant time and cost savings as well as increased safety awareness. What was once a laborious task for a dedicated librarian or a team of people – managing the thousands of pages of an entire manuals library to ensure the revision control and re-distribution of the document – is now a fast and seamless operation.
In the past, all documentation would have been created using a word processing tool. But by implementing a digital platform, modifications can be made at the touch of a button while keeping the document revision in good order and then shared almost instantaneously. This brings considerable efficiency both economically and in terms of time.
As a result, staff can focus on what really matters to a business, rather than forcing teams to spend far too much of their precious time preparing and organizing paperwork and compliance documentation.
Improved regulatory compliance (leading to improved flight safety) is another benefit of digitizing industry manuals. It ensures that complying with the very latest regulations is as simple a process as possible.
There is a constant plethora of new regulations for ground handlers, and these can quickly render manuals redundant – no matter how recently they were updated. So being able to modify them as soon as a new regulation or standard is introduced is an extremely beneficial practice. This is true not only from the perspective of complying with customer demands, but also because many times there are considerable gains in safety and efficiency to be realized in the daily operation of the business.
To avoid costly mistakes or inefficient working, ensure manuals are rapidly and reliably updated to reflect regulations coming into effect.
Digitalization for Ground Handlers
There is no denying that digitalizing manuals used by ground handlers will also solve some of the problems faced on a daily basis. Having a fully digitalized platform will enable ground handlers to be better prepared, communicate clearer with colleagues and react to situations quicker, such as bad weather or flight delays.
This will ensure that the impact of any issue is minimized.
Take Time to Plan
So, we know the benefits of digitalization, but how do you choose the right technology for your company?
There are a number of different options but it’s important to take your time and take advice to ensure you only invest in the right IT for your business. Understand your needs and how these are likely to change. And what if an unexpected crisis happens? Spend time and money wisely on IT now and you’ll be saving time and money across your business for years to come.
COVID-19 has shown us again that the companies best placed to make composed, correct decisions in an unavoidable crisis are the companies that went into that crisis with a strong digital infrastructure. However, regardless of the virus, digitalization is a necessity for any aviation business whatever the size or type of their operations, all areas of aviation are regulated and monitored in order to ensure safety.
There can be no denying that implementing a digital approach to ground handlers’ operations manuals can improve efficiency, but it is important that the transition from paper or clunky digital solutions to a truly digital solution is carefully considered and that you know precisely what you want to achieve from the outset.
We live in an age of convenience, which extends to the workplace, and a digitized system frees up space and time for other areas of your ground handling activity while helping achieve continuous improvements that will sharpen your competitive edge.
Krister Genmark is the vice president of sales worldwide at Web Manuals, a Swedish software company that specializes in aviation document digitization solutions. Genmark joined Web Manuals in 2016 as the regional manager for the Americas and has been responsible for setting up Web Manuals’ North American operation. Prior to joining Web Manuals, he successfully developed and managed training, safety and quality systems for different companies in the aviation sector, including Nordic Aero and Aviator.
