Airline consumers' use of Twitter for customer service : the case of Icelandair

Abstract

This exploratory case study uses an interpretative phenomenological approach to explore how and why Icelandair consumers utilize Twitter as a platform to communicate with the brand. The competition within the airline industry is high and in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors, airlines need to gain a better understanding of their consumers to improve the quality of their service. With the increased usage of social media, companies are beginning to integrate these platforms into their marketing strategy. Twitter is a social media platform that has gained prominence as a communication channel between consumers and brands. Twitter is a public platform, therefore making it easy for others to observe interactions. This voluntary exposure adds an increased pressure for companies to do well in a demanding environment. The Icelandic airline Icelandair was chosen as a case study since the airline industry is one of the most active industries on social media and airline consumers rely heavily on customer service. The author conducted ten semi-structured in-depth interviews with Icelandair’s consumers that all had contacted the airline on Twitter. The interviews were analysed with an interpretative phenomenological approach were themes were identified and the transcribed data interpreted. Findings offer insights into how consumers perceive the Twitter platform as a communication channel. The interviews with Icelandair’s consumers provide a deeper understanding of what consumers value when they communicate with brands on Twitter. With a better understanding of their consumers, Icelandair can improve their marketing strategies on Twitter.