“I wanted something very colourful on the cover – I’m very particular about the visual that goes on the cover. The front page is something that makes people pick up the magazine. I’m very keen on a female visual – both men and women pick it up… we spend a lot of time in the magazine’s planning and creative appeal, right from design perspective to the selection of paper and printing quality.” | |
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A new look for a new season | |
QATAR. Qatar Airways is one of the world’s most ambitious airlines with a fast-growing route network and fleet to match. The Doha-based carrier will take delivery of 13 new Airbus aircraft as part of a US$5.1 billion order for 34 aircraft by 2008. The order includes A321s, A330s and A340s. The airline presently has a fleet of over 40 aircraft and will be flying to around 70 destinations by the end of this year.
Inflight duty free sales have been an integral element of the airline’s consumer offer. The Moodie Report recently spoke to Assistant General Manager Krishna Kumari about the way the business is developing. This is part two of an extended interview (click here for part one).
We talked in part one of this interview about the growth in duty free sales. How do you promote the service – both before boarding and on the plane?
I take a keen interest in the conceptualization and execution of the duty free magazine. An eye for detail and a tasteful aesthetic sense have been the main factors in making the magazine appealing, attractive and easy to comprehend.
We have an in-house team to produce the magazine which is our main selling tool. So we spend a lot of time in its planning and creative appeal, right from design perspective to the selection of paper and printing quality. The current magazine features Estée Lauder Pleasures Exotic on its front cover. Qatar Airways was the first airline in the Middle East to make Beyond Paradise available onboard.
The magazine aims for a fresh and alluring overall look with product descriptions in English, Arabic and now Japanese. Our magazine is also available on the Qatar Airways website for passengers to review and make their choice before their flight.
A pre-order is accepted via the web or our local office in Doha. The cabin crew are also briefed about the service in order to ensure that there are no hurdles in making the order available to the passengers.
Then there is the car draw – we are probably the only airline today to have a car draw for passengers. Every passenger spending US$100 is entitled to a raffle draw which gives them a chance to win a car. At present there is a BMW Series 3 car to be won; while the next car will be a Mercedes Benz SLK. The car draw is extremely popular with our passengers and has been a major driving force for onboard sales.
Another important promotion is that passengers also get two Qmiles for the frequent flyer programme of Qatar Airways with every US$1 of purchase onboard.
You’re very proud of your new season brochure. What are some of the highlights?
I wanted something very colourful on the cover – I’m very particular about the visual that goes on the cover. The front page is something that makes people pick up the magazine. I’m very keen on a female visual – both men and women pick it up.
We have a 350gm cover. Why? Because the inflight brochure has to last six months, there is the wear and tear factor on inflight magazines which is considerable.
We are also the first airline to carry Chopard jewellery. The brochure is like a mini Chopard boutique onboard. Jewellery is doing extremely well for us, especially high-end lines in all sectors. We change the range regularly”¦ with jewellery if you keep a listing for more than two listing periods it’s dead.
There is also a big emphasis on summer perfume. We created a nail page for Christian Dior last year, which was very successful. So this year we are doing a feet range for Estee Lauder. So far these trends have worked really well. Also the Arabic fragrances are phenomenal in the way they sell.
Electronics are doing very well but there are margin limitations. Sunglasses are a big success – we were the first carrier in the region to carry three Rayban lines – we have never sold so many sunglasses, it’s phenomenal.
The role of cabin crew and therefore of training are critical drivers of inflight sales but often neglected by airlines. What emphasis do you place on these areas?
“Cabin crew training forms an integral part of our strategy. We believe that a well-trained crew is advantageous to us as it makes them aware of the products, their features, advantages and benefits.” |
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Qatar Duty Free Assistant General Manager Krishna Kumari |
Duty free is definitely a key aspect for all Qatar Airways cabin crew. They are trained periodically, both about the products and in selling skills, in order to equip them to sell better. We always review their comments and suggestions as they are our front line in the business.
Cabin crew training forms an integral part of our strategy. We believe that a well-trained crew is advantageous to us as it makes them aware of the products, their features, advantages and benefits. With no testers and samples being available onboard it is the skill and knowledge of the cabin crew which can clinch a good sale. Product information sheets are supplied to further enhance cabin crew confidence and familiarity with the merchandise offering.
On a regular basis every crew member is trained by our staff and some visiting trainers in the areas of sales awareness, selling techniques, product awareness, product merchandising and product knowledge. In addition, with every refresher course a duty free training session is included in the cabin crew’s training programme.
What staff incentive programmes do you have?
Cabin crew incentives are a major part of every listing period for the crew and the suppliers alike. They are a big motivational factor for crew to push the value of sales orders.
We consistently have cabin crew promotions with all our suppliers across the categories with attractive prizes such as cash, gold and gifts. These promotions are product/brand specific and are supported by our suppliers.
We also make our own contribution via the “˜Meet the Target’ promotion whereby crew receive free gifts. This promotion is very encouraging as we have had an increasing number of crew reporting very high value sales. In addition, at the end of every listing the top five sellers receive gift hampers.
But the biggest promotion features a Mini Cooper car for the top-selling cabin crew. The top seller will be the proud winner of a brand new Mini Cooper S.
These incentives have generated a fresh enthusiasm and commitment among our cabin crew – who now volunteer eagerly to take on the duty free sales challenge knowing that they have a fabulous range to offer and really worthwhile incentives to reward them for their success.
Last time we spoke about your best-selling categories. What routes are the best performers?
Europe, Middle East and Africa have been consistently the top performers amongst the destinations, with London Heathrow, Beirut, Cairo and Casablanca leading from the front.
Shanghai, Johannesburg, Moscow and Kathmandu are the destinations which look very promising. We are extremely positive about Osaka and expect a lot of business on this route.
Top-selling beauty products
Ladies Fragrances: Chanel; Dior; Gucci
Cosmetics: Dior; Lancôme; Versace
Men’s Fragrances: John Varvatos; Chanel; Escada
Source: Qatar Airways
MORE STORIES ON QATAR AIRWAYS AND QATAR DUTY FREE
Qatar Duty Free unveils major promotion – 20/07/05
The Moodie Report Interview – Qatar Airways’ sky-high inflight sales performance – 05/07/05
Qatar Airways set to continue “˜exponential growth’ – 26/06/05
Huge boost for Aer Rianta International-Middle East as contracts are renewed in Qatar – 18/05/05
