Ryanair's Approach to Customer Service: An Analytical Overview

A famous low-cost carrier has remained among the industry leaders for many years now. The Irish company is the biggest in Europe in terms of passenger flow and is reported to welcome 13.6 million guests in March 2024. What does the company do to retain its clients and how does Ryanair's approach to customer service contribute to its success?

Ryanair's Business Model and Its Implications for Customer Service

The reason Ryanair is so huge on the market is its incredibly low ticket prices. How did the company manage to offer those?

The business model the company uses is what allows it to beat its competitors. The key points of Ryanair's operation are:

• Mostly direct flights. The carrier chooses not to be involved with busy airports or schedule flights for rush hours. It helps the airline reduce related complications, such as congestion, and keep ticket prices at a low level.
• Using regional airports. Those charge less than popular air hubs due to their lower operation costs.
• Standardised fleet. The company mostly flies Boeing aircraft, which significantly facilitates maintenance.
• Selling basic service. Ryanair offers additional amenities separately, but the primary price is just the cost of the flight.
• Direct sales. The company encourages customers to utilise its website and mobile app for ticket buying which allows it to reduce distribution costs.

Such an approach to operation influences customer service and, consequently, customers' satisfaction. While other airlines prioritise pleasing passengers at their costs, Ryanair sells basic services and states just that openly. However, it's not uncommon for passengers to expect more.

Ryanair's Customer Service Strategy

While the airline's customer service strategies are developed to efficiently resolve all the issues passengers may experience, it seems they are not working in 100% of cases. Some alternatives may be of use, for example, https://www.skycop.com/compensation/ryanair/ offers professional assistance for those who struggle with the carrier's procedure.

Ryanair's customer service strategies include:

• Multiple means of customer support. The company offers a queries and feedback form on the site, as well as live chat and a Facebook page. Passengers may also see contact details for every country the carrier operates in. The site also offers a help centre.
• In-flight assistance. While travellers only buy basic services initially, the team on board can help with any requests during the journey and provide the necessary information.
• Pre-booked special assistance. This service is offered to passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility.
• Complex online assistance. The company provides all the necessary means to book a flight, manage the booking, and find needed information.

Cost-Effective and Flexible Approach

That's where the company differs from competitors. Ryanair encourages customers to be proactive, and failure to do so may result in additional fees.

• Online check-in procedure. Passengers can check-in, choose a seat, select additional baggage options and receive a digital boarding pass. Those who opt to check in at the airport may be additionally charged.
• Baggage policies. The baggage options are really limited by the company; passengers are allowed one small carry-on personal item, and the bigger items entail additional fees.
• Free-seating model. While passengers are able to choose the seat when checking in, there is an option to pay some more and get a seat with more leg space. Those who choose not to select a seat are assigned randomly by the crew.
• Additional services and charges. Any additional amenity will be charged for, so it is crucial to study the terms and conditions to avoid straining the budget.

The company's innovations in customer service are based on motivating passengers to take the initiative while providing them with all the necessary means to do so.

Customer Perceptions and Feedback

As was already mentioned, the company doesn't enjoy solely positive feedback while stating over 90% customer satisfaction on its site. The issue is not unique to Ryanair; however, one can certainly spot some disappointment while doing their research about the carrier. So, what are the main problems passengers complain about?

If you look closely, the fair part of claims stems from not reading the terms. For those travelling with Ryanair for the first time, the cost-effective business model the airline utilises may be perplexing and confusing. However, it is easy to notice extremely positive feedback from regular users.

How does the company address negative feedback? There are certain strategies to face it.

• Getting to the root of the problem. Ryanair conducts investigations on every issue to eliminate the cause, if possible, or take steps to avoid similar situations in the future.
• Providing customers with multiple channels to contact the company and reach information that will help resolve the issue.
• Compensations as an act of goodwill. In some cases, the company opts for partial refunds or provides some incentives to resolve the issue.

Ryanair constantly revises and improves its approach to customer service, and its financial success proves it managed to accomplish this.

Impact of Customer Service on Ryanair's Reputation

Customers' feedback can affect the reputation of any company, but the unique selling point of Ryanair reliably protects them from reputational damage expressed in money losses. However, the airline is dedicated to getting better in every aspect of its operations.

Conclusion

The competition is severe, but things seem great for Ryanair. The company does not suffer from a lack of passengers who prefer budget travelling. The airline is very open about its operational model and provides passengers with comprehensive information to make their experience as smooth as possible. While some issues are inevitable in any business operation, the company's direct approach and thorough assistance ensure that future challenges will be addressed timely and properly.