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Fiveon the Fly by Rebecca Groom Jacobs
WHO:
Todd Simmons
POSITION:
President of Customer Experience, Cirrus Aircraft
HOME BASE:
Knoxville, TN (KTYS)
RATINGS:
2.
Private, Instrument,
Vision Jet SF50 Type Rating, Glider Rating
FLIGHT HOURS:
2,300
22 • TWIN & TURBINE / April 2019
1.
Can you describe your current role at Cirrus Aircraft and what
“customer experience” entails?
Customer experience describes all of the touch points for our customers – or as I like to say, every outwardly facing aspect of Cirrus Aircraft. I have responsibility globally for the brand, which includes sales, marketing, flight training and operations, customer service and support, design and personalization. I probably spend the majority of my time on the ownership aspect collectively. Sales is important, of course, but I spend a lot of time thinking about the experience a customer will have while owning the airplane.
If you look at the segments “above us” with the larger cabin business jets, many of those airplanes are flown by professional flight crews. So, a lot of the ownership aspects I am speaking to are managed by flight departments. But in our world, our customers are typically the ones in the front left-hand seat. I look to focus on, refine and be creative in the ownership programs and initiatives we offer, all of which are intended to make the benefits of personal aviation as accessible and easy as possible.
What is your current view on the activity and strength of the GA market? What key factors need to remain constant to ensure GA will thrive into the next decade?
At Cirrus Aircraft, the trajectory is certainly upward. We just completed the best year we’ve had in a decade, with 380 SRs and 63 jets delivered in 2018. Our performance has strengthened every year since the tough times in 2008 and 2009. What we find our customers are looking for is innovation, improved utility and more value in an airplane. Our commitment to meeting those expectations and improving value is what is driving our business. We are never satisfied with sitting still or settling. It’s also important we don’t lose sight of some of the difficult areas facing aviation such as user fees, privatization, fuel alternatives, etc. It seems there is no shortage of challenges, so we got to keep making sure those challenges do not restrict access to aviation. In my view, expanding access and accessibility to personal aviation is the bottom line.
Last year, the company opened the Vision Center in Knoxville, TN. Can you discuss how customers were the driving force behind the construction of this facility?
As the Vision Jet came along, we recognized some challenges with our current
facilities and customer operations in Duluth and Grand Forks. The jet forced us to think differently because when a type rating is required, you can run into more
3.