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c h a p t e r5:SOCIAL TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS DECISIONS■“Periodic verification is done by the terminal team to confirm the baggage
drop time for the first and last bag. We have also deployed special technol-
ogy solutions such as Universal Flight Information Systems (UFIS) that help
gather status information for the first and last bag. This system provides an
alert if the first bag is not dropped on the conveyer belt within the specified
minutes of flight arrival.”
By this point it should be obvious that my bags being ready when I arrived was
no accident, and that the multiple processes that contributed to this experience were all
operating in parallel, under control of the AOCC. Just how important is the AOCC’s
role? Critical, as it turns out. Bengaluru International Airport’s Operation Command
Centre is the collaborative nerve center for the airport. When an airplane is delayed,
for example, or when two flights are departing at the same time, the AOCC—which
has airline representatives, ground staff, and other critical control personnel physically
seated in the same room—calls for a quick conversation between affected parties. As a
result, decisions are made in seconds rather than tens of minutes, and bottlenecks that
would otherwise flare into actual flight delays are avoided. Anjana describes the AOCC
and its purpose like this:
“Our belief is that successful airport operations can only be achieved when
all partners of the airport work closely together. This includes the processes
and functions that ensure the baggage arrives on the correct belts within the
set time frame. Hence, representatives of the Bengaluru International Air-
port’s partners come together at the country’s first 24/7 Airport Operation
Command Centre (AOCC). This is where crucial daily operations are stream-
lined for smooth, efficient, and well coordinated airport functioning. As the
nerve center of the entire airport, real-time data is being fed into it from
diverse departments and collaborative decision making process is facilitated.”
As you consider your own business or organizational processes that drive cus-
tomer experiences—and hence the conversations around your brand, product, or
service—consider the practices of the Bengaluru International Airport in designing and
measuring customer experiences with its facility. It should be clear that they are not
simple, that they require a collaborative, cross-functional team to deliver, and that they
do in fact produce very favorable conversations as a result.
There is another take-away from cases like the Bengaluru International Airport:
Operations and infrastructure projects may not be as glamorous as a splashy Super
Bowl ad. However, from your customer’s or stakeholder’s perspective, how your busi-
ness or organization actually runs is much more important. The Social Web is, in a
sense, the great equalizer between large brands with big budgets and small brands that
simply do it better. As a case in point, consider the new Dyson bladeless fans: If some-
one needs a fan, a standard 3-blade model can be purchased for under $20. But some-
one wants a bladeless fan that is quieter, works better, and looks better, it’s a short