Introduction
Delta Airlines is an international Service corporation that was incorporated in 1934. Initially, Delta focused its activities on the transport of agricultural produce but as it grew and expanded it adopted other market strategies. Essentially, Delta headquarter is based in Atlanta and it operates a fleet of more than 700 aircrafts and a worldwide population of more than 80000 employees (Sky team, 2016). The company targets over 160million customers annually, and a range of 350 destinations in over 60 countries (Sky team, 2016). The services offered by the airline include a world class airline loyalty program, sky miles frequent flier program, the business elite service and other deltasky clubs worldwide.
Delta Company is operated under various principals such as safety and reliability in the air transport sector. Additionally, they aim at providing distinctive services to their customers while offering great hospitality. The company operates with different categories of people ranging from business men to politicians and even the local citizens. The airline is best for persons travelling for business reasons and vacationers
The physical evidence
It becomes very difficult for a consumer to buy a service when she or he does not have any idea of what to expect after buying it. Therefore, service organizations have a responsibility of providing physical evidence that demonstrates the quality of their services. Physical evidence can be demonstrated either through services cape or tangible aspects (Lovelock, Patterson, & Wirtz, 2015). There are various services cape elements that affect the consumer and they can either be exterior or interior attributes. In the case of Delta Airline Company, physical evidence can be obtained from their airline gate area, their parking space, the equipments they use, its design and layout and in some instances, the decor. Tangible evidence can also be experienced after using the services through tickets, foods or the grooming of the employees (uniforms).
The primary hub for the delta airlines is the Harts Field-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. This is the world’s largest hub that contains the technical operational center for Delta Airline Company. Of importance, is to realize that delta airlines carries majority of the customers at the airport. There are other ten domestic and three international hubs. The rights of the pilots employed by the airline are protected by the airline pilots association as well as the flight dispatchers by the professional airline flight control associations. Passengers services vary from one flight to another for example; passengers in the Business Elite (delta one) are given meals, refreshments that may include alcoholic drinks and an amenity kit. First class passengers may receive free snacks and drinks as well as full meals. On the other hand, the clients travelling in the main cabin usually get complimentary products during the flight including snacks and drinks especially when taking domestic flights (Lewis, 1979).
Various onboard amenities are offered by the airline and may include Wi-Fi among other things. The installation of free internet allows passengers to surf the internet for a specific fee. Both audios and videos are available in the aircraft and they are programmed for each passenger’s seat. Delta Company issues online magazines editions that give an update of all its activities to its customers. The company has invested over $3billion to its customers to enhance their services and customer experience (Armstrong, 2016). Automatic ticket machines have been put in place at various delta ticket offices and online services are also made available. The physical evidence of these services may have a positive impact on the passengers but the question of whether they actually implement what is said remains.
Satisfaction or dissatisfaction
Judging from the number of customers the airline operates with, we can conclude that they offer satisfactory services. The physical evidence of their services has been praised by so many people while others have complained over various issues. The physical evidence provided by the airline over promises what the firm actually delivers. This is because based on a customers’ complains various flights have been delayed and others departed before the stipulated time. Some passengers on domestic flights have also complained of lost luggage that was recovered weeks later. This creates a negative notion on the company’s ability to protect its customers’ property. The company is also blamed for its inability to take care of its passengers in instances that may require an unplanned stop due to weather conditions. Based on the information retrieved from delta airlines consumer affairs (Armstrong, 2016), a customer named Renato and his wife and their 4years old daughter had to spend a night at the airport when their flight was cancelled due to weather issues. Renato argues that the delta company should be more responsible by providing a hotel or some money to facilitate accommodation.
The meals offered by the air line occasionally require an additional fee unlike what is stipulated on their website. The most disturbing issue in regard to the airline services is creating an impression of things they cannot actually achieve. Compensation of money for cancelled trips requires the trip protection services that most passengers may not be aware of.
Conclusion
The use of tangible attributes to bring meaning to intangible services is an important aspect of service marketing. Therefore, the service company should analyze what its customers considers important and use it as a tangible object to offer its services. The promise that is implied by any used tangible objects should live up to its expectation so as to avoid damaging the company’s reputation (Balaji, 2015). In the case of Delta Company, the tickets are tangible elements of the services offered. The information on the tickets should be adhered to at all circumstances so as to enhance customer relations and boost the company’s activities. In unavoidable circumstances where flights are cancelled or delayed, compensations should be made
References
Armstrong, E. (2016). Delta Airline. Consumer Affairs. Consumer Complaint & Reviews. Retrieved on 9/2/2016 from https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/delta.htm
Balaji, B. (2015). PhysicalEvidence:Elements Types and Role of Physical Evidence in Service Marketing Retrieved on 9/2/2016 from
www.yourarticlelibrary.com/company/service-management/physical-evidence-elements-types-and-role-of-physical-evidence-in-service-marketing/40540/
Lewis, D. W. (1979). Delta: The History of an Airline. 1st Ed. Athens: University of Georgia
Press.
Lovelock, C.H., Patterson, P.G. & Wirtz, J. (2015) “Services Marketing – An Asia-Pacific and Australian Perspective”, 6th Edition, Pearson Education Australia, Sydney
Sky team. (2016). Retrieved on 9/2/2016 from http://www.skyteam.com/en/about/delta-airlines/
