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Corporate siteSept. 19, 2018
By Steve Gonzalez
I was pleased to see how accessible C-Suite leaders were at the recent Smart Airports & Regions Conference in Edmonton, Canada. People in the organization are very approachable and interested in teaming to improve their operations and the end customer experience. The message from all presenters echoed the KONE position: Customer Experience is Everything.
The most enlightening thing for me was this: The C-level was extremely open to trying new things, moving things to the cloud and moving into the World of Connectivity. I assumed airports – citing security concerns – would resist new approaches. In fact, airport leaders see these moves as inevitable, and they understand there are clear advantages to being early adopters.
Current airport design trends put increased focus on transforming the airport into a welcoming space that becomes part of the journey, rather than just a gateway to it. That means art, music, food and shopping. Helping customers navigate the airport and making sure they experience all the airport has to offer has never been so important.
Airports are working with host cities to make sure travelers see all the area has to offer. Again, this blurs the lines between being in the place and getting there. How does KONE help? Bringing our expertise, partnering with the airport and other service providers, and broadening our role helps ensure that experience is positive and something customers want to repeat. People Flow is critical to the overall experience.
About Steve Gonzalez
Steve Gonzalez is Director of the Major Project Unit at KONE. He is a mechanical engineer, and patent holder with more than 20 years’ experience in the design, construction, analysis and optimization of commercial and industrial building systems, with special focus on buildings’ utilities and infrastructure. Steve conceived and led the creation of KONE’s award-winning Project Management Development Program and the project management structure for KONE’s largest and most complex projects, globally. Steve serves as KONE’s Director of Major Projects, leading the strategy, sales and execution of the Americas Major Projects business. He has been previously featured in various publications including The Wall Street Journal and ConstructionDIVE. Contact him at steve.gonzalez@kone.com.