Annual Report 1999 in PDF - Aer Lingus

You can surprise yourselves, speaking fluentlyOut of the corners of your eyes,A language you didnÕt even know you knew.Mark GranierCustomer ServiceWe have continued to invest in the Aer Lingus brand, in service quality, punctuality andfrequent flyer programmes. The core values of the Aer Lingus brand have continued to bereinforced by targeted advertising in a variety of media, sponsorships and other publicrelations activities.Progress has also been achieved in the area of service delivery and while increasinglycrowded skies and airports have made it difficult for all airlines to achieve the consistentlyhigh standards of punctuality desired, Aer Lingus continues to prioritise the delivery of thisimportant component of service for our customers.Other aspects of customer satisfaction were also addressed during 1999 and furtherimprovements made for frequent flyers. The Gold Circle Club and TAB loyalty programmeswere re-launched, implementing a tiered approach with differentiated and improvedincentives and rewards. A major initiative was commenced with the Gold Circle Clublounges in Dublin, New York and Heathrow undergoing extensive refurbishment and theopening of new Premier lounges at Dublin and, in March 2000, at Heathrow.The development of a strategic approach to e-business will see the introduction of the firstphase of an integrated plan aimed at delivering additional value and convenience to ourcustomers. Phase One will involve the launch of a new interactive website, incorporatingan online booking facility, to be followed with a number of special facilities beingdeveloped, particularly for Gold Circle Club and TAB frequent flyer members. Supplier andpartner relationships and the use of intranets to streamline processes and improveefficiencies are under development as part of the overall e-business initiative. During thecurrent year, the airline joined with seven other airlines to form Europe’s first multi-airlineleisure travel portal.16