Starting a fuel efficiency program is a challenging project: from setting up your fuel team to choosing a fuel efficiency tool to better monitor and improve your fuel results; there are many stakeholders to involve and challenges to overcome.
The implementation of a Fuel Efficiency Management System is key to set up an efficient and successful Fuel Efficiency Program. The purpose of this checklist is to highlight the key points such a solution should provide for the airline to achieve its main objectives:
The implementation project of a Fuel Efficiency Management System can be either long, painful, and time-consuming or, on the contrary, smooth, quick, and under control.
To ensure a successful implementation, we advise you to consider and anticipate the following elements:
On the airline side, here are three tips to consider:
>> Read more: How to prepare for a fuel efficiency solution implementation?
In a domain as demanding as airline operations, true business intelligence requires going beyond coarse statistics alone and relying on more accurate computations.
That’s why we recommend that the KPIs or other metrics you analyze are based on performance models, SOPs and consider external factors, such as weather conditions and ATC procedures.
To ensure to improve your airline fuel efficiency, here are interesting Fuel Efficiency Management System features to consider:
As pilots are the main actors when it comes to fuel conservation initiatives, the better you engage them, the more efficient your fuel-saving plan will be.
Most of all, we advise airlines to empower their pilots with an EFB tool that provides personal feedback for self-assessment: it allows them to review their own results and have a brief about forthcoming flights. Pilots particularly appreciate features such as a 3D flight visualization and a briefing leveraging the experience of their peers with data crowdsourced from the company’s previous flights. These tools can sometimes collect feedbacks from the pilots towards the Fuel Efficiency team to close the communication loop.
>> Read more: How to better engage pilots in your fuel program?
Because the implementation of a solution is not the end but the beginning of the journey, it is important that your fuel team is provided with training, guidance, and support towards a successful mastery of the Fuel Efficiency Management System.
Best-in-class SaaS (Software as a Service) companies propose a full onboarding program for their new customer.
Onboarding programs generally consist in having a dedicated Customer Success Manager. He provides technical assistance to properly configure the software and guidance to launch your Fuel Efficiency project and reach your objectives. Regular meetings should be planned.
This process results in 3 main benefits:
In a true Software as a Service (SaaS) model, support should be included in the subscription and be unlimited. It is very difficult to evaluate the exact level of support required by the airline when launching its Fuel Efficiency Program.
A support pricing based on a cost-per-hour approach might lead to substantial yearly support invoices. Or, worse, it could result in restricting support request to control cost; the unfortunate consequence would be to limit the mastery of the solution, which will result in lower savings. That’s why airlines prefer an all-included model that includes support, with no additional hidden costs.
Want to go further on that topic? Download our Fuel Efficiency Management System requirements checklist:
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