News & Resources
Press Releases
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Partners with LRA Worldwide to Manage and Improve Customer Experience
NEW YORK, New York/HORSHAM, Pennsylvania; September 15, 2004 - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recently announced a partnership with LRA Worldwide, a Pennsylvania-based consulting firm, designed to improve the customer experience for air travelers in the New York metropolitan area. Under the initiative, the three airports managed by the Port Authority - Newark Liberty International, JFK International and LaGuardia - will undergo a rigorous program of facility inspections and "mystery shopping" to ensure that all three facilities meet standards for cleanliness, condition and functionality, and that the employees at each site adhere to standards on attitude, appearance and knowledge.
"We realize a pleasant experience at the airport is crucial to enjoyable air travel, so we really wanted to look at our level of service through the eyes of the customer," explained Lysa Scully, Assistant Director of the Aviation Department at the Port Authority. "If we want to truly improve the customer experience at our airports, it will require commitment on the part of our airport partners and every employee, and this program will continuously uphold those standards."
"I think this shows the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's commitment to customer experience," said LRA Vice President Melissa Farrell. "For an airport, this is a unique, cutting edge program, more likely to be found in the work we do for our clients in the hospitality and service sectors, such as Westin Hotels or the PGA TOUR Tournament Players Club golf courses."
The scope of the program is not confined strictly to Port Authority employees. Any airport workers who come in direct contact with customers - including those who work for airport vendors and subcontractors - will be subject to the monthly "mystery shopping" and twice-yearly inspections, and will be expected to meet the required levels of service. Web-based inspection reports will be available to Port Authority officials within the week of each inspection, allowing for immediate action to correct any deficiencies.
About the Port of Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates many of the busiest and most important transportation links in the region. They include John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and Teterboro airports; AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark; the George Washington Bridge; the Lincoln and Holland tunnels; the three bridges between Staten Island and New Jersey; the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) rapid-transit rail system; the Port Authority-Downtown Manhattan Heliport; Port Newark; the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal; the Howland Hook Marine Terminal on Staten Island; the Brooklyn Piers/Red Hook Container Terminal; and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan. The agency also owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan. The Port Authority is financially self-supporting and receives no tax revenue from either state.
About LRA Worldwide, Inc.
LRA Worldwide, Inc. is a leading consulting, organizational development and research company that specializes in Customer Experience Management (CEM). LRA helps companies and brands design and deliver the optimal customer experience across all key touch points using an integrated suite of services that measure and improve service quality, customer satisfaction, employee performance, loyalty, customer advocacy and profitability. LRA specializes in "operationalizing the brand" - turning brand promise and customer strategy into operational reality. LRA's CEM practice areas include CEM Strategy Design, Standards Development & Content Management, Organizational Development & Training, Research and Quality Assurance & Mystery Shopping; these are either deployed together in a strategic manner to continually monitor and improve the customer experience or deployed individually to address a specific tactical client need.
LRA's clients include some of the world's leading companies and brands, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos, the PGA TOUR, Albertsons Supermarkets, the NBA and First Niagara Financial Group. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.LRAworldwide.com
# # #
