Rob Fyfe at the Coal Face

A few weeks back I posted “Clearer From the Coal Face” and in today’s Sunday Star Times I read “Carrier Gets the Staff on Board” in which CEO Rob Fyfe describes his methods to increase customer awareness. To understand both his staff and their customers, once a month he spends a day a month working in overalls in the hanger or pouring tea on flights. He places a great deal of value on these experiences and as a result is better positioned than most CEO’s in terms of the needs and behaviours of his staff and their customers.

As economic times tighten understanding ones customers is of prime importance and can lay the foundations of a customer focused organization, which Air New Zealand sees as their competitive advantage.

It is clearer at the coal face and I just wonder how many coal faces I can visit?