Aircraft Maintenance Technology

MAY 2017

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FROM THE FA A 38 MAY 2017 AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY ome have called airlines a customer service industry that flies aircraft. Airline customer service has been in the news lately. It has not been good news. Customer service goes far beyond the ticket counter, the boarding process, or the baggage claim. The customer seldom sees, or wants to see, the aviation maintenance tech- nician; however, the role of the maintainer is key for keeping customers happy. What steps can maintain- ers and their organizations do to ensure customer satisfaction? VARYING CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPECTATIONS Succinctly, customer service is the support provided by a company to users of their products or services. It also extends to potential users of the service, like buyers of an aircraft major maintenance service or avionics package installation. They want to be sure that sales will be supported during installation or when unexpected maintenance arises. For an airline ticket buyer, unless cheapest is the only driver, they want a company with a reputation for good customer service. Of course, even the lowest paying customer should have appropriate treatment. In general aviation, an FBO that supports high- end business jets will have different customer com- fort amenities than a small operator that sells fuel to small single-engine recip aircraft. That's the customer expectation. It is relatively easy to deliver on the high- end expectation by building a nice lounge, keeping it open and clean, and providing the transportation and communication services that a jet customer would expect. That kind of treatment is obvious customer service. It is also nice to extend that same customer service to all customers. In every aspect of aviation, the most critical product/ service is safety. Safety is intangible. It is assumed by the customer. People don't shop for varying levels of safety. This industry accepts a fiduciary responsibil- ity, meaning that the aviation product/service pro- vider has the highest degree of trust and obligation to ensure safety for the passenger. "Safe enough" is not an option. It is that simple. THE ROLE OF MAINTENANCE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE While safety is assumed, we in the industry know that it's a goal that consumes much of our work. The job of the maintenance organization is to ensure that the aircraft are at the gate and ready/safe to depart on time. That must be done effectively and efficiently. Effectively means that it is right and safe. Efficiently implies that it is on time and as cost effective as pos- sible. Both drive customer service/satisfaction. When maintenance "gets it right" everyone is happy. From dispatch to gate, to flight and cabin crew, the flight launch is best when the aircraft is ready to leave on time and complete the route as scheduled. That is the kind of service that satisfies customers. Again, what specific actions should the AMT and maintenance organization take? This author now puts on the human factors and regulatory hat to answer the maintenance customer service question. Based on analysis of maintenance delays and associated challenges, the checklist on Page 39 offers a list of maintenance topics that can contribute to high customer satisfaction. The AMT cannot complete this checklist without management support. Thus, this list also applies to management. FITNESS FOR DUTY Maintenance workers must be physically fit and men- tally awake to perform their job. When you're tired you do not think clearly. Your decision-making is diminished, as well as your communication skills. You're also susceptible to forgetting. Any one of these, or a combination, can lead to an error. Come to work rested! THE ROLE OF MAINTENANCE IN CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE By Dr. Bill Johnson DR. WILLIAM B. JOHNSON is the FAA Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Human Factors in Aircraft Maintenance Systems. His comments are based on nearly 50 years of combined experience as a pilot/mechanic, an airline engineering and MRO consultant, a professor, and an FAA scientific executive.

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