Confessions of a Technology Junkie

I love technology. It's the great enabler. Publishing a magazine is so much easier and efficient now that we download files rather than hand-assemble wax-coated strips of text and paper photos. And our online edition and website provide additional sources with even more content. 

But keeping current is a major challenge. Technology's shelf life is much shorter than buildings' or runways'; and it changes at such a high speed that we never have a final product. Pushing the limit of what's possible is continuous. Case in point: Las Vegas' McCarran International. 

McCarran led the charge of free airport Wi-Fi. Now, thanks to continuous improvement, it is bringing high-quality, free Wi-Fi outside the terminal to passengers sitting in aircraft and employees working on the ramp.

Is the technology at your airport scoring points with passengers and business partners? Wi-Fi that restricts access to just a few sites is a negative, as are time limits and requiring users to navigate through too many clicks to connect. 

While we're talking about technology: What about your website? All airports have them; but does yours serve the needs of those visiting it? Websites like Greater Moncton International's (www.cyqm.ca) provide content for anyone who does business with, or uses, the airport. They include basics like mailing and street addresses, maps and airline information as well as more specific material about RFPs/project work. They also list their various department heads with email address links next to their names, eliminating the need for users to write an email to an anonymous recipient and hope for a reply. In this era of airport competition, do you really want to hide from your customers and business partners?

The technology you employ is as important as your facilities. Look closely and ask yourself if technology is helping or hurting you do business.

Cheers,

Paul