SpiceJet

Background: SpiceJet is one of India’s leading low cost carriers, promoted by Delhi based Ajay Singh. It operates between 18 destinations in India and has a fleet of aircraft consisting of only Boeing 737-800 and 737-900ER series. It recently celebrated the fourth anniversary of its operations in India.


Location: Flight from Kolkata to Bangalore


Prior Expectations: Prior expectations in this case were built primarily by my experiences with IndiGo Airlines, which I always fly. SpiceJet was expected to (atleast) match the standards set by IndiGo which is undoubtedly India’s best low cost carrier.

1. Lowest price air ticket.
2. Fast and convenient check in.
3. On time performance.
4. Friendly and courteous on-board crew.
5. Well maintained aircraft.


Factual Information: The ticket was available for a price which was the same as that of IndiGo and I chose the airline just to check out the services. The booking and check-in were done online. Depite checking in online, I had to wait at the counter to check-in my baggage. The ground staff and crew were well attired. Airport infrastructure was being shared with IndiGo Airlines.
A large variety of snacks and beverages were available on board.


Pros:

1. SpiceJet as mentioned operates only two kinds of aircraft enabling it to offer standardised services across its entire fleet which enables efficiency and cost advantages.
2. The flight stuck to the timelines and surprisingly managed to deliver on time performance.
3. The cabin crew were extremely warm and welcoming. The on board service was very good.
4. The prices of the beverages available on board were very reasonable. The food was a tad expensive but one had the option of booking the food online before the flight and availing a sizeable discount. Though this option was not publicized well and I did not come to know of its existence until I checked out the menu card on board where it was clearly mentioned.
5. The baggage came out pretty quickly at Bangalore airport.


Cons:

1. Despite checking in online, I still had to wait in a long queue to check in my baggage which really defeated the purpose of online check-in.
2. The coach that carried us from the terminal building to the aircraft was extremely shabby. It was not air conditioned and was stuffed beyond capacity making it very uncomfortable.
3. The aircraft was poorly maintained. I happened to have taken a seat almost over the wing of the aircraft and could hear the constant cluttering noise of the entire plane including the cabin baggage compartments. The rickety plane gave me constant jitters regularly but especially when there was turbulence.
4. The upholstery was poorly maintained. It was tearing off in a lot of places and was extremely dirty.


Overall, I believe that a lot of the cons mentioned would be inherent to any low cost model of operations. But here competition (mainly IndiGo) was primarily responsible for building up the expectations. Like a lot of other people, I would opt for SpiceJet only if it offers tickets at prices lower than that of IndiGo as the service quality is much better at IndiGo.

For this experience, I would give SpiceJet a 7.5/10

Royal Cruiser

Background: Royal Cruiser is a company held jointly by West Bengal Surface Transport Corporation Limited and Kaushik Logistics Private Limited. Kaushik Logistics Pvt. Ltd. is the foremost player in specialized handling and transportation of large volume as well as containerized ocean-bound cargo meant for Steel, Power, Telecom and Automobile industry. It has a fleet strength of over 200 trailers to move around Kolkata and Haldia ports. Royal Cruiser operates the latest European variants of Volvo Mark III buses. They operate on various routes in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh along with the Dhaka – Kolkata bus service.


Location: My journey from Kolkata to Asansol


Prior Expectations:

1. Should reach on time.
2. The bus should be clean and comfortable.
3. The whole experience was expected to have a premium feel to it.


Factual Information:

1. The driver and helper were well dressed.
2. Two LCD display panels were present for on-board entertainment. They were suitably placed such that everybody could see the panels.
3. Climate control system was present. The temperature inside the bus was well maintained.


Pros:

1. Booking tickets was very easy – booking is done by agents and online. An SMS confirming the booking is sent as soon as the booking is made.
2. Comfortable journey – thanks to the climate control and reclining seats.
3. On-time performance
4. Good on-board entertainment system – choice of movie shown was good, a lot of people were watching with a lot of interest.
5. Snacks were served and bottled water was provided. Again choice of snacks was well made – a combination of local and universal favourites were served.
6. Very cost effective.
7. Travel time was comparable to that of the fastest train available.
8. Convenient pick-up points.


Cons:

1. The only real con was the cleanliness. The curtains were not washed for a very long and the upholstery and the floor were visibly dirty.
2. Maintenance of the buses could be greatly improved.


The expectations were generated as a result of the communications from the brand – both verbal and non-verbal. This actually highlights an important feature in service marketing – how a service firm communicates with its consumers. It is important to identify the gaps in the service offered by the competitors in order to enable effective differentiation. These points then have to be effectively communicated to the customers in order to succeed. In Royal Cruiser’s case, the phrases used such as “99% on time” and “feels like flying” help in differentiating the brand’s offering.

Overall for this experience, I would give Royal Cruiser a 7/10.