It infuriates me when people keep me waiting. I’m the kind of person who will arrive at where I need to be half an hour before time, and wait patiently. But if the person I’m to meet is even a minute late, they can expect 13699042 calls and a volcano eruption when they arrive. I also hate to make people wait on my account. Almost never happens.
I think that’s why Indigo Airlines first caught my attention. That clockwork like advertisement way back in 2010 is still stuck in my head. Talk about good marketing!!
(Don’t remember it? Click to watch)
Much has been said about Indigo’s “on time-every time” policy, and after travelling with them on a dozen occasions, I can vouch for it. In fact, my experience with Indigo goes much beyond being on time. If the airline is late for some reason, they make up for lost time in the air and land as per schedule.
IT’S ALL IN THE NAME – Good branding begins with a great name. A clever play on words “India” and “Go” is just the start of great puns you will find. Their website could have easily been called airlinename.com or something ordinary like that. Choosing something interesting like goindigo.in makes it easier to remember.
“Hello 6E,” (a play on “hello sexy”) the airlines in-flight magazine is humorous, smart, and challenges convention. Tick!
SENSE OF HUMOUR- Where would an airline have opportunity for tongue-in-cheek humour? Turns out, there are a lot of places.
- The head of cabin crew wears the badge, “Leading Lady.”
- Cashew nuts are sold in a collectible tin marked “Nut Case.”
- Their recruitment ads for airhostesses read “30,000 feet above regular jobs.”
- Their mobile stairways used to enter the aircraft reads “Stairway to 35,000 feet,” or “VIPs – this way!”
- Here are some of their advertisements:
There are a lot of such instances across various consumer touch points, and every one of them induces a tiny smile. It makes the brand instantly likable, doesn’t it?
HUMANIZING EMPLOYEE-CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS – Where all airlines introduce the name of the pilot and head of cabin crew, then proceed to the safety drill, Indigo does things differently. They are all introduced by name, the city they belong to and languages they speak. A small gesture, but big enough to reinforce that they are all people, too. Ground staff who need to issue and check your boarding pass use your name, which is always nice to hear.
AFFORDABILITY – I stopped visiting a certain Jet after I consistently kept seeing flights from Mumbai to Goa were above 30,000 bucks for an economy seat. Are they serving me lobster and caviar? 9/10 times, Indigo straight out beats every other airline ticket price, and on those rare occasions that it doesn’t, the cheaper flight will be a red-eye one.
P.S. Travel Hack – visit the site in Incognito Mode or clear cache for cheaper fares.
FOOD – I do not exaggerate when I say that the Caramel Popcorn (or Crunch box) is fabulous!! I wish they’d supply some to those cinemas serving salted thermacol. You know what else they have on board? Pringles!!! I haven’t tried out the sandwiches or meals yet. Have you?
CLEAN UP – A small service that customers have to do for being on time is to clear up after themselves, ensuring that the next flight isn’t delayed due to scattered garbage. If only trains, buses, taxis and everything made people do this, too! No need for the swacch bharat cess!
THERE’S MORE…
Step less stairs, handicap accessible boarding ramps, heart shaped “Fragile,” tags and sickness bags that read “Get well soon” makes you admire how detailed-obsessed Indigo is.
They offer no frequent flier miles, no airport lounges and they charge for meals… these are the things that drive customer loyalty. Instead, they offer operational excellence at a low cost with a great experience – the trinity that makes a brand “customer’s choice.”
WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER
Beverages on the plane – Whether it’s an early morning flight or an evening one, hot tea or coffee is a must, even on short routes.
Better stuff in the catalogue – Why would anyone buy nail polish, a statue of an indigo air hostess or a stuffed, snoring cow on a flight? Seriously!! Also, an article or two in the magazine would be nice, 6E!
Some music while boarding and alighting would make make a fantastic flight even better!
By the way, this is not a sponsored post. However, Indigo.. if you’re listening, I wouldn’t refuse a free ticket!
What do you have to say about Indigo? Let me know…
Till next time!