Family-owned business jet center earns customer loyalty by making a difference
When the votes from thousands of pilots are counted each year during customer service surveys covering the nation’s fixed base operators (FBOs), Business Jet Center at Love Field (KDAL) in Dallas always flies at the top.
Last year alone, the family-owned Business Jet Center was number two on FltPlan.com’s Pilots’ Choice Awards, was named one of the best independent FBOs in Professional Pilot’s PHRASE survey, and notched a top 20 percent showing in the annual Aviation International News (AIN) survey. It doesn’t matter which survey pilots take, the full-service Business Jet Center in Dallas perennially places near the head of the class.
In fact, the Phillips 66® Aviation-branded dealer is the only FBO to consistently earn pilot survey awards at Love Field, where no less than six operations serve the bustling airport, just six miles from downtown Dallas and 33 miles from downtown Ft. Worth.
Those results are no surprise to Jamie Santiago, chief brand manager for Business Jet Center (BJC), who says the secret sauce comes down to lots of ingredients, but the recipe is focused on healthy doses of attentive customer service – with a splash of fun.
“It’s about striving to make each customer’s visit a better FBO experience,” explained Santiago. “It is a mindset – a difference-maker – that pervades everything we do and helps nurture loyalty among both customers and staff.”
Before pilots even walk inside they notice a difference. A towering canopy, big enough to park a G-V under, keeps the elements at bay. The canopy leads to BJC’s unique three-story facility built around a spacious light-filled atrium wrapped by open hallways that house four specialty pilot and crew lounges, spacious conference rooms, snooze room, showers, and a pilot business center – along with arcade games, complimentary ice cream, espresso and slushies.
“We’re professionals in every sense of the word, but we also enjoy our work and try to make each visit here fun and memorable,” said Santiago.
In fact, BJC may be the only FBO whose team has its own rap video that celebrates working to make a difference in aviation.
New $5.5 Million Hangar
That gusto for customer service has kept BJC growing steadily since Robert and Mike Wright opened the FBO in 1993.
It’s also helped make Love Field a popular base for corporate aviation departments – so popular, in fact, that the FBO just opened a $5.5 million, 31,300 square-foot hangar that tenants began occupying immediately. The new hangar is located on the west side of the airport, adjacent to BJC’s sister charter/management company, Business Jet Access.
With three-story tall doors the new hangar accommodates multiple aircraft as large as a Global Express, while providing ample ramp space.
“BJC continues to experience significant demand for hangar space, and by investing in a spacious, multimillion-dollar hangar we’re able to serve an increasing number of clients looking to base their aircraft with the leading provider of FBO services at KDAL,” explained Mike Wright, partner, BJC.
All told, BJC’s footprint now covers 285,000 square feet of hangar, terminal, and office space over 32 acres on the busy Dallas airfield. BJC’s personalized service offerings extend to aircraft cleaning, catering and de-icing, plus full-service concierge, including Go Rentals on-site car rental, limousine service and luxury Audi crew cars.
Dogged Determination for the Details
BJC is certainly set up to accommodate large aircraft, but on the FBO’s ramp it doesn’t matter if you pull up in a Gulfstream or a Bonanza, said Santiago.
Even VIPs (Very Important Pets) get special treatment from BJC, which once presented a silver tray of dog biscuits to a flying customer’s furry friend. They’ve purchased flowers for special flights and are known for giving out BJC Swag Bags to customers who purchase double the minimum or more of fuel. BJC Swag Bags are filled with t-shirts, BBQ Sauce, airplane pens and a variety of other goodies.
“Each request is handled with special attention to detail,” Santiago explained. “We’re going to greet you with red carpet service no matter what aircraft you fly – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Big or small, we love you all!”
BJC takes an equally attentive approach to aviation safety. BJC’s line crew is NATA Safety 1st-certified, part of what Santiago calls the FBO’s “unremitting dedication to safety.”
“Integrity, safety, service, and trust are at the forefront of how we do business, and it all starts with being family-owned and operated,” she explained. “A commitment to those family values helps us stand apart from corporate aviation chains.”
The Dallas FBO also has a zeal for giving back to the community. Its annual Cleared to Land on the Green Charity Golf Tournament has raised around $100,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project and Fisher House Foundation, which provides free or low-cost lodging to veterans and military families receiving treatment at military medical centers. And the FBO’s annual “A Christmas to Remember” program has provided presents and assistance to over two dozen families in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.
“Giving back to the community is just one more part of what makes working at BJC so exciting,” said Santiago. “Whether it’s working the ramp or the golf greens, we want to put smiles on faces. We want to make a difference.”
For more, visit www.businessjetcenter.com, or call (214) 654-1500.