The importance of language

I flew to the Gold Coast today and due to poor weather the pilot aborted a landing.  In typical Virgin Blue fashion he didn’t call it an aborted landing.  He told us the weather looked rough, that we had plenty of fuel for another “run” or to head on “up the road” to Brisbane.  Announcements on other airlines would be less conversational and therefore more frustrating to the passengers. 

In our newsagencies we could learn from the Virgin Blue approach in how we talk with our customers.  We could find a more conversational style which focuses on the positive rather than negative.  This could flow through to our signs and other communications.  When you step onto a Virgin Blue plane you pass a welcome note from Richard Branson welcoming you onto Australia’s most on time airline.  When you step into a newsagency, including mine, there is no welcome, nothing unique, no personal note with a value proposition.

With the news we have to deliver  sometimes: late papers, short supply of magazines, not winning $58 million, no on a refund etc, we could find a Virgin Blue positive approach and maybe achieve a better outcome for our businesses.