What I knew before visiting Boeing:
Intro and Expectations
Boeing is obviously an industry titan when it comes to constructing airplanes. I honestly cannot even name another company that builds airplanes other than Boeing. At the Boeing visit, I expected to see some model airplanes, as well as some history to provide me a perspective of how Boeing got to be so large and recognizable in the industry. While I do not expect this location to be a “museum” per se, I expect to leave with a much greater knowledge of how this industry has evolved and advanced over the years.
Visit
The entire class met in in vast conference room with a large projector screen on one of the walls. The presenters went through a presentation on how Boeing would meet airlines in this room and sell them on the newest models of planes that may interest them. Our presenter, Hillary Sewell, gave us a tour through the various airplane models Boeing had on display to prospective airline clients. The most impressive of which, the 787 Dreamliner model, was truly a work of art. Every seat in the front part of the plane was cushioned with an option to recline. A television was on the back of every seat and there was ample “pitch” (leg room) for guests to spread out and get comfortable. Sewell said that once many business people rode the 787, they could never ride another type of plane again.
A quality that Boeing looked to put into all of their planes was the feeling that a customer would be walking into an “oasis” every time they entered a plane. With an illuminate ceiling that sought to replica baby blue skies, Boeing tried to sell buyers on how the flight experience ought to feel. Boeing planes, especially the Dreamliner, were also actively working on how to improve carbon fiber fuselage within the aircraft, enabling more moisture and humidity to enter the plane and create an experience more beneficial to those who often experience pressure-aches on planes. This is just one more way in which Boeing is adjusting to a new age of technology and also, consumers. Customers yearn for a pleasant experience, and Boeing is a company, like Amazon, that thinks of the customer as the main measure of success. It's what keeps them ahead of their competitors, an intense desire to serve the customers even though they are in an oligopoly.
During my visit at Boeing, I noticed that the company seems to function much more like an East Coast one. While almost all the places we had visited so far wore t-shirts and shorts to their jobs, Boeing officials were business casual to business professional clothing during their workday. This was likely due to the status of the clients they would meet, for the CEO of a big airliner may not be from the West Coast. In instances such as these, you want to look professional to ensure clients that you are serious about the safety and success of your aircraft.
Post-Visit Actions
I connected with our presenter, Hillary Sewell, shortly after our visit. Upon leaving Seattle later that evening, I noticed in the plane we were flying in that the model was a 737. This was due to the pitch amount and the “oasis” on the ceiling. Now, when I enter planes, I am fully aware of if I am in a Boeing plane or not. I just hope that plane is not being driven by any of my fellow classmates, because if that flight simulator was any indication, we certainly do not have any future pilots in the group.
Key Takeaways
- They construct commercial airliners.
- Multi-billion dollar company
Intro and Expectations
Boeing is obviously an industry titan when it comes to constructing airplanes. I honestly cannot even name another company that builds airplanes other than Boeing. At the Boeing visit, I expected to see some model airplanes, as well as some history to provide me a perspective of how Boeing got to be so large and recognizable in the industry. While I do not expect this location to be a “museum” per se, I expect to leave with a much greater knowledge of how this industry has evolved and advanced over the years.
Visit
The entire class met in in vast conference room with a large projector screen on one of the walls. The presenters went through a presentation on how Boeing would meet airlines in this room and sell them on the newest models of planes that may interest them. Our presenter, Hillary Sewell, gave us a tour through the various airplane models Boeing had on display to prospective airline clients. The most impressive of which, the 787 Dreamliner model, was truly a work of art. Every seat in the front part of the plane was cushioned with an option to recline. A television was on the back of every seat and there was ample “pitch” (leg room) for guests to spread out and get comfortable. Sewell said that once many business people rode the 787, they could never ride another type of plane again.
A quality that Boeing looked to put into all of their planes was the feeling that a customer would be walking into an “oasis” every time they entered a plane. With an illuminate ceiling that sought to replica baby blue skies, Boeing tried to sell buyers on how the flight experience ought to feel. Boeing planes, especially the Dreamliner, were also actively working on how to improve carbon fiber fuselage within the aircraft, enabling more moisture and humidity to enter the plane and create an experience more beneficial to those who often experience pressure-aches on planes. This is just one more way in which Boeing is adjusting to a new age of technology and also, consumers. Customers yearn for a pleasant experience, and Boeing is a company, like Amazon, that thinks of the customer as the main measure of success. It's what keeps them ahead of their competitors, an intense desire to serve the customers even though they are in an oligopoly.
During my visit at Boeing, I noticed that the company seems to function much more like an East Coast one. While almost all the places we had visited so far wore t-shirts and shorts to their jobs, Boeing officials were business casual to business professional clothing during their workday. This was likely due to the status of the clients they would meet, for the CEO of a big airliner may not be from the West Coast. In instances such as these, you want to look professional to ensure clients that you are serious about the safety and success of your aircraft.
Post-Visit Actions
I connected with our presenter, Hillary Sewell, shortly after our visit. Upon leaving Seattle later that evening, I noticed in the plane we were flying in that the model was a 737. This was due to the pitch amount and the “oasis” on the ceiling. Now, when I enter planes, I am fully aware of if I am in a Boeing plane or not. I just hope that plane is not being driven by any of my fellow classmates, because if that flight simulator was any indication, we certainly do not have any future pilots in the group.
Key Takeaways
- An airplane should be an “oasis” to consumers.
- Loyalty can be created through durable products
- Keep adapting to customer needs
- The culture was a more East Coast one