What They Tried
Natika was a Customer Service Manager (CSM) for TSA at Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) and now works for the Customer Experience Branch (CXB). When passengers submit concerns, a CSM’s job is to work with them to investigate the issue; then follow up when that investigation is complete. This work means that CSMs are able to see trends across passenger complaints, which they compile, investigate, analyze, and share during team meetings. Usually, these issues can be addressed by trainings or
other tweaks that improve the passenger experience.
When working as a CSM, Natika realized: what if instead of waiting for issues to come to her, she and DTW got ahead of them altogether? Doing so would require intentional customer engagement. Natika needed to hear stories about what passengers experienced at the DTW checkpoint day to day.
How They Did It
To get started, Natika created a survey for passengers traveling through DTW’s checkpoints. But rather than sending it via email or text message, Natika made a habit of getting up from her desk and walking out into the TSA checkpoint lines. She approached passengers after they completed
screening to see if they would be open to taking a TSA survey. This included friendly chit-chat, detailed instructions that were easy to follow, and a short digital survey that was quickly accessed using a QR code. Doing this while passengers were waiting was by design, as they are often stressed and rushing after going through screening.
Natika also knew that the DTW survey was an entry point to a hearing stories. The real conversation began after passengers answered the 5 questions. In some cases, passengers offered stories or challenges they had experienced. Natika listened patiently and immediately offered tips for avoiding the issue later.
The Result
Participation in DTW’s checkpoint survey exceeded expectations, allowing DTW to work on prioritizing the feedback into actionable changes. Even more, Natika had engaged in extensive user research. The stories she heard by engaging in side conversations with passengers allowed her to supplement quantitative survey data with qualitative human experiences.
It seemed as if a change at DTW was occurring; suddenly, passengers were able see that a real person who worked for TSA that was behind the survey. They understood that their feedback went somewhere. Unsurprisingly, Natika started seeing more compliments from passengers.
Also, getting out into the checkpoint and providing good customer service served as a model for officers at DTW. The officers watched someone build trust with passengers, a key to increasing national security.
The experience DTW had in conducting, analyzing, and acting on survey results also influenced other CX survey efforts for the entire agency. When TSA was designing a nationwide Passenger Experience Survey for checkpoints, Natika and DTW were their first source of best practices. TSA is now running multiple survey efforts across the country, including a Checkpoint Trust Survey that is administered monthly at 82 checkpoints via a QR code.
What You Can Do
A cheerful, positive attitude can not only support your cause, but also help others feel more comfortable in security processes. For TSA it supported a smooth transition during the checkpoint but also made this process safer for everyone. What you can do today:
- Get up from your desk and out into a place you can talk to the people who use your programs or services. Do this even if your “customers’ are internal.
- Be aware of good customer service and practice empathy with your customers. Sometimes, a little chit chat can go a long way.
- Model what you have found to work for your coworkers and share information.
- Prioritize your feedback to make actionable change with others.
This story was compiled by the Customer Experience Directorate in collaboration with TSA.
CX efforts like this one help us build trust and strengthen the DHS Mission. Interested in replicating what you learned about in this story? Reach out to the Customer Experience Directorate.