Lagos to Marrakech: Customer experience glows

The 2022 Airports Council International Africa/World Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition (WAGA) held in Marrakesh, Morocco from 22 to 28 October. The theme was: Sky’s the Limit: Discovering opportunities within change.

The tone at the top will ultimately determine the level of commitment to improving customer experience in any organisation. This I saw firsthand with the Nigerian airport executives travelling from Lagos to Marrakech in Morocco. From the chief executive to the directors, everyone carried their luggage and refused to have their subordinates do so for them. One can always tell that customer experience is going in the right direction when employees are treated well inside and outside the office by their bosses. Indeed, the whole idea of being a boss is de-emphasized by this type of leadership and instead leadership by example takes the front seat.

We need to tell our stories as Africans. To remind the world that if there be any society built on empathy and values relationships, it is the African society. It is still considered out of place not to have old parents live with their children when they become too weak to be allowed to continue to fend for themselves. Advances in technology and modern living have still not eroded that. At that age, the grandchildren while keeping grandparents company listen to “Tales by Moonlight” which have life applications that remain indelible in the minds of the children and enable them to have the right bearings in life.

My taste of positive customer experiences were at several touch points from Lagos to Marrakech, Morocco, going to the World Annual General Assembly of the Airports Council International – the organisation that is the voice of the world’s airports.

At Casablanca where one had to wait to catch a flight to Marrakech, some complimentary biscuits were served as welcome while we looked at the Food and Beverage offerings. We had flown through the early hours of the morning and had arrived at the time one needed breakfast.

At the airport in Marrakech there were people on ground from the host airport of Morocco to help you find your way to your preferred hotel. Chauffeur driven in a clean and perhaps new car, the driver helped me to my hotel at no fee though where I stayed in Medina was not among the designated ACI partner hotels. It looked as if I was home away from home. I arrived at my hotel without difficulty, was able to walk towards the open square by the market and eat roast corn with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice for a starter. I was creating my own menu!

The accreditation process, well thought out registration tags, as well as the willingness to offer assistance at the least difficulty by the conference hosts left me with fond memories of the conference. I am still keeping the one hundred Dirham given me by an official.  I had made enquiries on the last day of the workshop after the conference closing session on how to get to the airport from the Meridien hotel. The money was to ensure I got a taxi to take me to the airport if it turned out that I had missed the transport arrangement. But I had not! Across the road by the mall at the Savoy hotel, a driver was waiting for whomever wanted to get to the airport. Again, yours truly was driven alone in a bus to the airport.

At the departure hall of the terminal building we were informed that the flight from Marrakech to Casablanca had been cancelled! Now we had to be in Casablanca on time to catch the flight to Lagos. We were profiled, boarding passes issued and by the time the flight from Marrakech to Casablanca was to take off, we were in buses on our way to the airport in Casablanca by road. Three hours of driving non-stop on a road without potholes, we arrived. Just as we were trying to figure out how to carry our luggage into the terminal building, an airline staff member appeared, took over the heaviest of my luggage and led the way as we hurried to the departure hall to check-in on time. We still had enough time after checking in to look at the retail offerings, including Duty Free, Food and Beverages, as well as use the lounges before boarding.

A souvenir for myself I thought. So, I bought a wristwatch at the Duty Free shop in Casablanca. Arriving in Lagos, Nigeria, I waited till the next day, opened the Duty Free seal, took out the wristwatch and it was not working! I first believed there was something I needed to know from the manual on how to operate the wristwatch. When it was apparent the watch was possibly not working, I sent a whatsapp message to the duty free manager in Nigeria at night. I was not too sure where I had put the receipt and was perhaps afraid I may meet with difficulties and maybe, outright rejection.

My fears proved unfounded. I was asked to send a photograph of the wristwatch. With apologies, I was given a choice of wristwatches of the same brand which were even more expensive than the one I had purchased in Casablanca. The duty free manager offered to deliver my chosen watch to my office in Lagos. However, I walked into the airport, the previous wristwatch was taken and a new one sealed and given to me with apologies that the few days delay was as a result of procedures that needed to be followed. I was still asked to give feedback on the wristwatch.

Proudly wearing the new wristwatch I remembered the chariot ride through the streets of Marrakech, the houses planned to accommodate those with reduced mobility, the single colour painting of all the houses, the paved streets that allowed people walk and cycle if they needed to and the visit to the herbarium by our tour guide; I smiled to myself and said: from Marrakech to Lagos, customer experience glows. From the Maghreb to the Atlantic Ocean, the grass will remain green under the bright steps of the African aviation industry.

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