Service Marketing Approaches by Etihad Airways

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 Introduction

Service industry is one of the major world industries with billions of dollars in turnover

every year. A service is an act of doing something for someone or a client in return for monetary

gains and that is what many organizations around the world have been involved in. It is largely

intangible in nature unlike the sale of goods which are concrete in nature. The success of any

business whether in goods or service industry is dependent on the kind of marketing that is done.

Service marketing refers to the act of promoting certain economic activities that are undertaken

by a specific company with the aim of building a client base. This is done through certain steps

and procedures that have to be initiated by the management. Different approaches are used by

service companies when it comes to marketing of their services. The main purpose of this paper

is to critically evaluate how Etihad Airways utilizes three different approaches when it comes to

marketing their services to potential clients in the aviation industry.

Objectives

1. To critically evaluate how Etihad Airways utilizes process management, human

aspects and managing resource capacity when it comes to service marketing in the

aviation industry.

Background to Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways is the second largest flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates with its

headquarters in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi. The airline commenced its operations in the year 2003

and has continued to grow over the years owing to better management and availability of

resources. Statistics indicate that the airline operates over 1000 flights per week to different

destinations around the world. In addition, the company has a fleet of 122 Boeing and Airbus and
reported to have carried 22.1 million passengers in the year 2016 alone. The management of the

company has been involved in processes that are aimed at expanding it and making sure that

every single activity that it indulges in has direct benefits to both passengers and those using

their services.

Services offered by Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways offers a wide range of services that are geared towards making sure that it meets

demands of the ever growing client base. Its services include:

a. Passenger transportation
Etihad Airways has a number of flights that are scheduled each week to different

destinations in Asia, USA, Africa and Europe. Data available also shows that the the

company has been in the process of increasing its passenger destinations around the

world to top up the current 122 on its schedule every week. The success of its passenger

services can be attributed to the kind of strategic management that its executive has

adopted over the years and at the same time the manner in which systems have been

designed to make sure that it serves its clients in the best way possible.
b. Cargo transport
Etihad Airways has a number of cargo planes that are designed to transport perishable

goods for its customers around the world and this is a business that has been booming for

years. The management of the company has also been in the process of acquiring new

cargo planes that are able to deliver perishable goods to different destinations and on

time. The success of the company in this area is also pegged on the idea that many

airlines operating in this region have little technology in cargo handling.

seeking to visit different tourist destinations around the world. The service comes with
 hotel bookings through partnerships with different providers around the world. The

manner in which operations of the company are structured indicates that the company has

been effective in reaching out to potential customers through the kind of service

marketing approaches that it has adopted over the years.

Service Marketing & Competitive edge

Customer service marketing is an indication of the manner in which Etihad Airways has shifted

the approach when it comes to understanding and meeting customer needs while at the same time

attracting even more. The change in consumer behavior that has been noted over the years is a

clear indication of the need to shift how service marketing is done. Etihad Airways strategic plan

also includes the need to make sure that service marketing is done in the most appropriate

manner and at the same time there is a way through which this leads to a competitive advantage.

Over the years, the company has been utilizing different customer services approaches that are

aimed at helping it win new customers over time and at the same time retaining them through

application of different strategies. Services that the company offers are competitive in nature and

this is because of its positioning in the market as well as other providers within the same

industry. The kind of approach that is adopted by the company in the process of marketing its

products therefore determines the nature of competitive edge that the company gains. Over the

years, researchers have been involved in the process of making sure that they develop better

approaches to service marketing and the same has been utilized by Etihad Airways.

Approaches to Service Marketing

Service marketing is a specialized branch of marketing that has emerged over the years out of the

need to make sure that customer attraction, satisfaction and retention has been guaranteed
through the kind of strategies adopted. The unique characteristic of services requires that the

management of any given company adopts mechanisms through which more customers are

attracted and at the same time there is a way in which the level of consistency is maintained.

a. Process Management

Process management is defined as the activity of planning and monitoring all activities that a

business is involved in. It is termed as an activity of aligning all activities within the business to

make sure that everything is done in the right manner and there is no laxity within the system.

This is only done through strategic management that is aimed at achieving specific goals and at

the same time ensuring that the business is effective in the process of serving its customers.

Process management has been utilized by Etihad Airways in a number of ways as it seeks to

achieve its service marketing goals and at the same time gain an advantage in the industry.

In the Etihad business process, there are a number of activities that are involved from the

time a new client comes on board to the time they get served. There is a set of activities that are

performed by the company and its employees in order to ensure a smooth transition from one

step to the other in its service delivery model. This is a large scale business and therefore

concentrates on marketing itself in terms of efficiency of its process, how booking is easier and

the kind of services customers enjoy while on board its planes.

In many of its advertisement and information sharing to the public, the company has been

involved in a campaign that seeks to deliver a message to potential clients in terms of how its

business model is structured and the kind of benefits that come with its business process.

Processes by this company are ones that are valued by the business and at the same time ones

that generate a feeling of satisfaction according to the marketing strategy that is adopted by the
company from time to time. This is a service marketing approach that is solely based on the

process that the business and as well as the manner in which systems within the organization are

structured.

b. Human Aspects
c. Managing Resource Capacity

Conclusion