Exploring Airlinks' brand contact and internal marketing

AIRLINK - Southern Africa's Punctual Airline

(Airlink, 2023) Its brand tagline - Freedom of the african sky

Marty Neumeier states, "A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or organization. It is not what you say it is; it is what they say it is ( Neumeier, 2003) ." This is where brand contact and internal marketing are essential.

Today, brands that have been effective in brand contact and internal marketing have connected with consumers deeply and are well-known brands that consumers love. Let's look into Airlinks' brand contact points and internal marketing.

Did you know that brands can influence people's feelings and perceptions ? They do this through "every point of contact" (Klopper & North,2011). Points of contact are how a brand communicates and influences consumers' beliefs, thoughts, and feelings - through advertising campaigns, digital media, in-stores (employees), and more (Klopper & North, 2011).

(Airlink, 2023) Customer service at Airlink

Brand contact at Fly Airlink

Whether in the air or on the ground, Airlinks' service is phenomenal, from buying a flight ticket online and waiting in line to check-in (pre-flight) to complimentary meals offered on the plane (in-flight). Including their meticulous punctuality of departures and arrivals, every touchpoint of Airlink creates a beautiful experience for the consumer.

Furthermore, their employees are cool, calm, and collected. Additionally, their jovial personas positively increase consumer experience and create incredible consumer perception, all thanks to brand contact planning and internal marketing. Now, what is their secret? Let's dive into it using five steps by Klopper and North.

(Airlink, 2023) Recognized as the most punctual airline.

Points of Contact

Step one. Airlink knows that to be outstanding in the market; they need to "establish all points of contact" to benefit consumer experience and build consumer loyalty. When creating points of contact, brand managers actively gather all information about contact points from employees and departments, "creating a brand inventory" (Klopper & North, 2011) . Incredible, right?

This punctual Airline has carefully planned its points of contact to contribute to its wonderful consumer experience: they are,

1. Its planned points of contact – advertising, and marketing which is done through social media, broadcast media, magazines and more.

2. Service points of contact – their skilled employees.

3. Product points of contact – their performance is on point, their pricing is premium but affordable, and their designs are simple but sophisticated.

Thus, by focusing on these points of contact, Airlink has effectively increased customer experience and positively engaged employees in a way that motivates them to live out the brand's mantra and values.

(Airlink, 2023) Impact point of Airlink

Well, what do you know. Airlink performs this well: "Their passenger's needs and feelings drive them and push them to continuously refine and sharpen their service to keep them satisfied (Fly Airlink, 2023). "Brilliant, right? An airline that is consumer focused, and the best part is that everyone in the company knows this. The consumer matters.

2. Primary brand patterns, and 3. Most Important brand contact points

In Step two, Primary contact patterns are chosen from the list created when creating a brand inventory, thus allowing for a "more common pattern" to be recognized. In Step three, Klopper and North (2011) mention "five variables that assist in identifying the most effective contact points."

These are the first, last, frequent, impact, and resonant contact points. Airlink understands that its first, frequent, impact, and last contact point builds its brand. These are its pre-flight, in-flight, after the consumer leaves, and all its competitions on social media, where consumers win prizes.

(Airlink, 2023 ) Dedicated, happy employees of Airlink

Now, here is Airlinks' secret. This brand invests in its employees because they comprehend that happy employees make satisfied customers. As a frequent flyer of this Airline, I can attest to their brilliant contact points.

4. Brand contact cohesion strategy

This fourth step is for creating a strategy while keeping in mind "the brand identity system and the first three steps" and ensuring that all points align with the brand's purpose (Klopper & North, 2011:171). Additionally, brand managers are solution-driven to address areas where contact points need improving.

5. Managing brand contact cohesion

Lastly, Airlink knows that every point of contact matters, along with its employees and stakeholders, who essentially live the brand's purpose. It values its employees and knows that a great brand has excellent employees who eventually become advocates for it.

Airlink's Managers and leadership invest heavily in planning; to ensure that each touchpoint lives and breathes the brand's purpose (Klopper & North, 2011:173). Furthermore, managers genuinely motivate employees to represent brand values.

(Airlink , 2023) CEO speaks about His Passion for his business, his brilliant employees and consumers.

Internal Marketing

Internal marketing, then, is marketing within the organization that promotes the company's vision and purpose to employees. At its center, employees are the focal point (Grossman, 2008: 4). Moreover, its' purpose is to embed company values in employees.

(Airlink, 2023) Contact Point of Airlink on board)

The success of Airlinks' internal marketing then lies in the following:

Ensuring "employees know brand values" through training, genuinely persuading employees "about brand worth" and lastly, ensuring that "all jobs in the company align with the brand's purpose" ( Dahleen et al., 2010).

Finally, Airlink will continue to rise as it focuses on its employees and values them. It does well in its service points of contact, first, frequent and impact points of contact, and it's all thanks to internal marketing.

References

[Airlink]. (2017, February 1). Airlinks CEO Speaks From The Heart - Airlinks' Skukuza Airport [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-4qx7gDUOM

Get Smart 2023. Brand Management. The nature of brand contact. ( Module 5 Unit 1) Available on Get Smart portal.

Get Smart 2023. Brand Management. How Internal marketing shapes a brand. ( Module 5 Unit 2) Available on Get Smart portal.

Kotler, P., & Armstrong, G. (2018). Principles of Marketing (17th ed., pp. 264-270). Pearson Education Limited.

Keller, K. L. (2001). Building customer-based brand equity: A blueprint for creating strong brands.

Neumeier, M. (2003). The Brand Gap. Neutron LLC.(n.d.). Airlink. FlyAirlink. Retrieved July 21, 2023, from https://www.flyairlink.com/en/ls/airlink-profile

(2022). Airlink [Photograph]. https://www.facebook.com/flyairlink/photos

(2023). Airlink [Photograph]. https://www.facebook.com/flyairlink/photos

(2021). Airlink [Photograph]. https://www.facebook.com/flyairlink/photos