Image by RCompass All Rights Reserved.
While on vacation sometimes we search out rescued, recycled and/or reused pieces to add to our collections. Do you know the difference between a vintage item and an antique? According to Mike Wolffe, American Pickers (2013) , a “vintage” item is approximately 20 years old while “antique” refers to something greater than 100 years old.
The image of air travel in the United States has taken a hit over last several years, specifically after 911. This travesty created a significant lack in consumer confidence in terms of safety. This alone can devastate any business/industry-image is almost everything. Adding to this, is the downward spiral of the US economy of which some say we are still struggling to pull out of. And when it comes to travel the amount of disposable income directly affects when, where or if a person travels.
For some, flying can be a daunting endeavor; signifying long lines, early wake-up calls, costly tickets, crammed quarters and an onslaught of cumbersome security measures. So I am surprised that given all these factors, the airline industry is not going back to the business basics to not just survive, but thrive in a competitive environment-sound customer service! We seem to missing the allure!
Flashback!
Around the 1920’s passenger flights began to slowly grow as a viable transportation options when traveling long distances or navigating geographic barriers (oceans, mountains, etc.). But to stave off consumer fears, they made flying seem appealing, significant and in-vogue. It was sold as the premier life-style choice-social marketing at its best.
I have included a few examples below. As you view these ads, ask yourself, 1) What message are they conveying?, and 2) Does this mirror what you have experienced flying on a recent trip?
Here is what I see:
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Vintage ads Strato Cruiser Boeing 377
FRIENDLY & WELCOMING
Vintage ads Strato Cruiser Boeing 377
SPACIOUS
Vintage ads United Airlines
COMPLIMENTARY
1960s Pres Hor’d cart interchange flyer a by Pan Am Catering 1960.1970
Commercial Link: Friendly Skies
Ads (video): Vintage Posters
On the way into work today, the local radio station read a letter from a passenger to LIAT-Caribbean Airlines. Instead of sending a disgruntled letter, there airline carrier this customer took a tongue and cheek approach by sending a thank you note about their recent trip experience. Click on this link to read the full text.
Thank you word cloud. Retrieved from FlickR and used under Creative Commons Licensing.
Thank you to Jim and Pam for the tranquil and welcoming stay at your home (B & B).
It felt like we were in the tree tops, a grown-up’s tree fort, listening to the live music on the street below last Saturday. It was the perfect choice for our trip to Lanesboro, MN!
Image by Brewster’s Red Hotel, Cedar
If you are considering international travel but are not fluent in a particular language, I recommend downloading Google Translate App to your smartphone. This free App is available for both Android and iPhone. Click here to view a short video about this product or click below to begin downloading;
Android: Google Play Store App
Image by Spartan Daily. Retrieved from Google Search
iPhone: iTunes Store App
This app is available in the following languages: English, Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese
Image by Google Translate
Kaleidoscope Eyes! Image by Song_Sing. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons licensing.
Two Tourists by Garry Knight. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons licensing.
A “tourist” is defined, in it’s simplest form, as a person or group who engages in an activity or practice of touring, especially for pleasure. Tourists tend to go to a particular site to see something specific (dictionary.com).
Although dictionary.com is accurate, we know that identifying a tourist can be an intense, complex and highly customize-able process.
Stay connected this month at RCompass to learn more!
RCompass 