Additional Consulting Packages

This 8-day project answers the question: How should your airline define itself to successfully serve customers, investors, and employees?  It uses a unique 3-prong approach to identify what IdeaWorks calls the voice of the customer:  

• 100 One-on-One Traveler Interviews at the Airport: These would focus on frequent flyers as the most crucial base of revenue. This is a tried and true method for IdeaWorks and delivers rapid and robust results. The most likely venues are airline lounges, but interviews can also be conducted at gates.  Jay Sorensen would conduct interviews in English, and he would train an airline representative to assist in 2nd language interviews as required.  Traveler interviews usually require 10 minutes each with results collated to an Excel spreadsheet.
• Frontline Employee Workshop: To identify the carrier's best opportunities to serve customers. This would be a post-it note exercise with 20 cabin crew, airport operations, and reservations staff to identify the places where these 3 areas overlap: 1) Where does the airline best serve its passengers? 2) Where do your competitors struggle to serve passengers? 3) What is most important to the passengers?
• Executive Interviews: To solicit input on what they believe travelers want, and how the airline can best serve customers.

This is the anticipated 8-day work schedule:

• Days 1-4:  One-on-one traveler interviews at the airport. 
• Day 5:  Executive interviews and the Frontline Employee Workshop.
• Days 6-7:  Data entry and graph development.  Create a report to describe work from the prior week:  traveler interviews, employee workshop, and executive conversations.
• Day 8:  Deliver final report to the airline.

Pricing and additional details are available upon request.

This package is a continuation of the Ancillary Revenue Assessment and develops baggage policies that maximize revenue and create smoother customer service operations.  The following activities are included in this 5-day project:

• 3 days of airport observations at a primary and secondary hub to determine revenue leakage caused by baggage fee waivers.  Statistics are gathered for domestic, international, narrowbody and widebody flights.
• The remaining 2 days occur at headquarters for staff interaction, calculating systemwide revenue potential, meeting with airport operations, and report completion. 
• This is a collaborative process to create consensus among the commercial departments and airport operations.  IdeaWorks has identified 6 carry-on compliance methods and these form a solution that balances revenue and operational considerations.  The outcome of an agreement might have airport operations take a business unit approach to manage the revenue and expense of a baggage solution.
• The final day is reserved for creating a report which describes the week's activities and outcomes. 

IdeaWorks has a unique combination of product, commercial, and operations expertise to craft solutions for the #1 ancillary revenue challenge facing airlines today, resolving the chaos caused by too many bags at the gate.

This project includes a copy of the 2025 Carry-On Baggage Compliance Methods Report which retails for $5,500.

Pricing and additional details are available upon request.

Airlines enjoy greater revenue success when they become productive retailers rather than passive shopkeepers. IdeaWorksCompany offers a one-price solution for carriers seeking to build ancillary revenue. This package begins with a week of on-site consulting seminars, interviews, and assessment to support three primary ancillary revenue areas: 1) commission-based products at the website, 2) travel-related a la carte services, and 3) onboard a la carte features.

The key deliverable for the project is a 35- to 40-page customized assessment of the revenue opportunity provided by 5 individual ancillary revenue activities. The Ancillary Revenue Strategy Report provides a business plan for the implementation or improvement of ancillary revenue initiatives. The Report consists of the following sections:

Commentary Section
This section includes a summary of report recommendations, description of the methods used to gather information, review of organizational designs used by other airlines, and a suggested organizational design for the client.

Ancillary Revenue Matrix
This section lists 5 ancillary revenue activities under the categories of a la carte features, commission-based products, frequent flier activities, and advertising / miscellaneous. These would be chosen by the client at the conclusion of the week of on-site activities. Some of the activities may be currently provided by the client, and the rest will represent new opportunities for the airline to consider. Each will be color coded with an “at a glance” assessment to designate revenue potential, implementation effort, and customer impact.

Individual Ancillary Revenue
In this section, the individual ancillary revenue items are described in 2- to 4-page sections which include the following information: a) Summary of the activity, b) Benchmark activity and revenue examples from other airlines, c) Description of service design and instructions for implementation, d) Operational, product, and marketing considerations, and e) Revenue projections for the airline.

The Ancillary Revenue Strategy Report is delivered to the client 2 to 3 months after the project begins. The project may conclude with an optional on-site presentation of the assessment and recommendations to senior management. Additional support for implementation and ongoing assistance can be added to this project.

IdeaWorksCompany offers a one-price solution for an airline seeking to evaluate a frequent flier program opportunity. A total of 10 modules are offered to provide support for all areas of frequent flier program planning, procedures development, and program launch.

Initial Evaluation – Module 1
This module focuses on the carrier’s unique travel product and the expectations of its guests. Numerous face-to-face interviews with the carrier’s executives provide the consultant a thorough background on the company and its products, and allow client executives to learn more about loyalty marketing. The week of activity will be summarized in a 4-page report. The Initial Evaluation Report will provide an outline of the program.

Business Plan – Module 2
This module is offered as a separate project to begin the process of building a frequent flier program through the development of a comprehensive business plan document. This project will create a 25- to 30-page Frequent Flier Business Plan that will outline the design of a customized loyalty program for the client.

Procedures Development and Program Launch – Modules 3 through 10
These modules provide further program development, create operational systems, and assist with program launch. The component approach provides maximum flexibility for the client; any or all of the modules offered may be requested.

IdeaWorksCompany can also determine mileage/kilometer/point values for transactions involving frequent flier programs, wholly-owned subsidiaries, and program partners.