Letter from a satisfied customer

We like to think that people read every word of our magazines, but we know that’s just not the case. So I was very gratified when an AOPA member who is a brand-new student pilot sent me a very detailed email asking all sorts of questions about various kinds of pilot gear; how to pick a good flight school; and the like.

I answered as best I could and encouraged “Joe” to write back and let me know how the process was going for him. Learning to fly can be daunting and I wanted to let Joe know somebody out there cared about his success.

Joe has written back twice more, but the most recent email is the one that should be of interest to flight school. You see, Joe is what I’d call a perfect student. He read the “You Can Fly” issue cover to cover, and he took our advice to heart. He got his third class medical certificate before he set foot in a flight school, because he wanted to be sure he had no medical issues that would derail his progress. He shopped for the perfect flight school and he visited seven—yes, seven—businesses before making his choice. He did his homework, and it’s already paying off.

Joe shared some of the factors that caused him to choose the flight school he settled on. (I’m not naming names or states here, but as you might surmise, Joe lives in a metropolitan area.)

To begin with, he’s excited to be flying with the chief flight instructor. Joe’s also very appreciative of a dispatcher/administrator at the flight school who took the time to “provide me with all relevant books, charts, and help proactively and patiently explained to me all the [flight school] procedures (which most take for granted).”

Joe is a late-blooming student, age 63. As such, he knew he would need a flight school that would take into account the fact that he, in his own words, is not a “super memorizer.” The flight school he chose makes him feel as if he belongs, even though he’s new to aviation, and all his innocent questions “were not laughed at.” (I hope none of your flight school staff is laughing at prospective clients when they ask basic questions. We all have to start somewhere.)

Joe mentioned that some of the other flight schools tried to push him to rent more expensive aircraft “so that they could charge me more.” They also wanted to bind him to a contract of some type, which he did not want. It’s clear that Joe does not appreciate the upsell. It can be a very effective sales technique—just ask McDonald’s—until your customer realizes it for what it is, and becomes displeased.

Finally, Joe said the staff at his flight school is punctual, and he has never had to wait for a lesson.

As I said, Joe is a perfect customer because he did the work in advance, found a flight school to suit his needs, and he couldn’t be happier. He is quick and generous with praise for his flight school, and it’s likely that he’ll pass along his praise and compliments to other new pilots whenever he can.

To the flight school that snagged Joe as a client: Congratulations. You’re offering community, good communications skills, and great customer service. To the other flight schools: Where did you fall short?

If you know of someone who might be interested in learning to fly, encourage them to access a digital version of the You Can Fly issue at ft.aopa.org/youcanfly. Flight schools that did not receive a countertop display can request one, while supplies last, at [email protected].