Commercial sales and cargo teams from across Emirates’ 83 destinations have ended an action-packed conference in no doubt that the airline has raised the bar in its expectations of higher performance in winning customer confidence.
With its theme “Raising the Game”, the three-day conference at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah Arena presented Emirates’ vision of its future as the airline crosses the 100 aircraft milestone this year, marking its transition from a medium to a large carrier.
The conference culminated in the presentation by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman & Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, of this year’s Chairman’s Awards for Sales Excellence.
Congratulating the delegates on their hard work throughout the year, Sheikh Ahmed said: “When I introduced the sales awards they were aimed at rewarding the individual and team who had excelled above all others. A tough task to identify as, within Emirates, I believe everyone should win! However, we asked you to jump a little higher, run that extra mile and score a few more goals, which you achieved.”
Kuwait-based Sales Executive Satish Sethi was the individual winner of the Chairman’s Awards for Sales Excellence. The other finalists were Tanya Farrell from Perth, Syed Rehan Ali from Dubai, Shiran Ranatunga from Brisbane and Laurent Tschan from Zurich. The sales team responsible for Russia and the CIS states won the team award.
Ghaith Al Ghaith, Executive Vice President Commercial Operations Worldwide, earlier told the over 700 delegates: “The stakes are higher now than ever before. Our plan is to become the global airline and for that to happen, we must raise the game.”
Emphasising the necessity to challenge the way of doing business and constantly striving to improve, he added: “Working together we must build last relationships with our customers and with each other.”
Emirates is expected to take delivery of the first of 45 super-jumbo Airbus A380-800 aircraft in April 2007 and later on in that year start operations from its exclusive terminal and concourse at Dubai International Airport.
Referring to Emirates’ sponsorship of the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, Mr Al Ghaith likened the sales and cargo personnel to a football team, with management giving support to the strikers – the sales representatives who must finish the play.
“Live the game,” he said. “We have built a solid foundation with our customers and among ourselves; we have a clear vision and the main engine for delivering it is you. You can drive it forward.”
