Service design: Improving the airline baggage experience
Role: Service designer
date: August - November 2017
Produced @ Academy Xi
Helping one of Australia's largest airlines create a painless, seamless, and secure baggage service.
The brief
It’s in the bag
To provide a clear understanding of the current end-to-end process of baggage management (i.e. Acceptance, Handling, Services), as well as recommendations for improving key areas for the passengers and employees of one of Australia's largest airlines.
Outcome
We delivered current state blueprints (including customer journeys), insights and opportunities areas and service concepts.
Research
Getting on board
To understand the baggage process as a group, we interviewed stakeholders from various departments. This included IT managers, operations managers, to the staff that managed the baggage ramp to the plane.
I conducted the interview with Property/facilities manager from the airline, as well as scribing for a number of other interviews.
Mind-blown!
We went behind-the-scenes to observe what happens to the bags from the time they are tagged at the counter or kiosk to when it gets on the plane. I will never look at luggage the same way again!
Illustrations by Thommy Tran and Tobias Robinson
We reflected our understanding of the process visually back to our stakeholders to confirm our observations.
From these interviews and observations, we affinity mapped the findings into the three main focus areas Acceptance, Handling and Services. We then split into groups to focus on each section.
Customer interviews
We conducted interviews with over 27 passengers, from first timers to frequent flyers. We created a series of empathy maps of their responses.
Proto-personas
We developed a series of proto-personas of the customers we spoke to. We mapped out the current state experience based on this research from both a customer perspective, and also the service activities that fit with this. I was responsible for leading the baggage acceptance team, and from our interviews developed the proto-persona of Jenny, the frequent business flyer.
Storyboard & blueprint
We storyboarded and mapped the journeys of three proto-personas each focusing on a certain aspect of the baggage journey. From this we tracked Jenny's emotional journey, we identified some key opportunities, pain points and moments of delight.
Illustration by Gretta Jansen. Images intentionally small
We used a How Might We Matrix to narrow ideas we could explore within time constraints. We created ideas based on the enablers such as apps and software, additional services and processes, education, communication and incentivisation.
With any traveller, we don't deal well with disruption. However with Jenny, this has repercussions on her business.
The Idea
Taking the lug out of luggage
A premium luggage freight service that takes the emotional baggage out of the equation.
How it works
- A passenger will order the service via the airline app, website or by phone
- The luggage courier service will pick up the bags prior to departure and drop it off at the destination at proposed time
Value Proposition
- Reduction of number of checked in bags on a flight will improve the efficiencies and take away some of the stress of the baggage handling system
- More personalised experience for our business travellers
Business Consideration
Further research into 3rd party suppliers and partnerships with businesses.
Price ticket consideration if a passenger takes up this offer.
Target Audience
Primary: This service is targeted at business, first class and Platinum Frequent Flyers (FF). passengers traveling with oversized luggage.
Secondary: families, passengers with disability and minors travelling alone.
Key Features
Passenger
Quicker check in process
- Less stress about getting to the airport on time for baggage check in
Airline
Reduce stress on the overall baggage handling system
- Improvements to customer service as baggage will be considered as freight and will not travel with the passenger
ROI/Pricing model
This may be a paid service depending on FF type,
destination as well as pick up time.