Serving California’s Monterey Regional Airport, the Monterey Jet Center (MJC) opened in September 1997. Proudly carrying Avfuel branding, the FBO offers a level of service as enthusiastic as it is professional. Customer Service Manager Kawai Lopez explains
Monterey Jet Center appears fiercely independent. What does independence mean for you and how do you retain your uniqueness?
Our company’s purpose and values were created by our employees, truly reflecting our uniqueness in all aspects of our work. Through having pilot owners to employee-led committees that offer valuable insights into our daily operations, policy development, community engagement and company culture, we are able to foster a community that aligns with our independent passion for aviation. This framework enables us to share the spirit of aviation through our unique style of service and camaraderie within the industry. I firmly believe that it’s possible to excel in your job while also having fun. This enjoyment allows you to be fully present and that’s when the spirit of aviation truly soars!
A brief look at the Monterey Jet Center website is enough to realise that people are the organisation’s driving force. How are staff selected, trained and retained?
After almost 20 years with MJC, starting as a Customer Service Representative and working my way up to Customer Service Manager, I have come to understand that when it comes to hiring new staff, the ‘people’ aspect of the job is far more crucial than technical skills or aviation experience. While I can teach the technical aspects of front desk operations, if you don’t enjoy interacting with people, don’t find joy in creating memorable service moments and don’t think that working at an airport is exciting, then a role here may not be the right fit for you.
Once onboarded, our staff undergo training from various individuals across multiple departments, allowing them to gain a comprehensive understanding of not only the services we provide but also the bigger picture of the MJC experience. They receive training in lateral service skills and learn how their role directly impacts the success of other departments. I take a hands-on approach to onboarding, which includes teaching the brand courses, training on our confidentiality policies, business etiquette and service delivery techniques. I love teaching classes, finding unique ways to deliver training outside of the office, and developing team-building activities that are great teaching moments as well.
What’s the special essence of the Monterey Jet Center experience? Why do crews choose your FBO? Why do passengers choose it?
I stand by the statement that work should be fun! If you enjoy your job, if you have a good team, and you have what I call ‘MJC Spirit’, your service delivery will naturally create a special experience at every touchpoint. In addition to providing exceptional service and memorable experiences, we have discovered ways to connect with individuals on a personal level. It’s essential to remember that, at the end of the day, they are just like us – humans who share common interests, enjoy discussing food, or want to talk about their children back home. We have found ways to weave these genuine interactions into our service, ensuring that each person feels acknowledged and valued as a fellow human being. This type of service is directly fuelled by our spirit of aviation and our Values of Professionalism (setting the standard for efficiency and execution of professional hospitality), Reliability (taking ownership and putting forth our best effort every day) and Respect (respecting the history of aviation and our industry camaraderie).
How does Monterey Jet Center react to and satisfy the needs of a weekend flyer arriving in a piston-engined Cessna 172 and a high-profile businessperson arriving in a Gulfstream G700?
Ever customer is treated the same and is given the same level of professionalism and passion at every interaction. While the logistical needs of the services requested are different, it doesn’t matter if you are in a 172 or a G700: every airplane is greeted by a customer services greeter, a line tech, and the same passion for service – all executed the same way. When you have a team with MJC Spirit, every airplane is important, every airplane is fun, and every airplane arrival has its own story that we are excited to play a role in.
A [North American] P-51 Mustang taxies up to the FBO. How does the MJC team react?
One second, let me grab the team and run out there to wave it in… While being completely safe and professional, we would genuinely all be running out there to see the plane and meet the pilot! We are a bunch of talkers around here, so we would definitely be talking up a storm as well. Then, after we let them borrow a crew car for lunch, sent them to our favourite local restaurants, and tried to get them in our custom vintage aircraft MJC-branded Hawaiian shirts (which have P-51s on them), we would all run out to the end of the ramp to watch them fly by (really, we would take as many people out there to wave goodbye as possible). Honestly, we probably look like a bunch of kids at an airshow, jumping around smiling, waving and screaming in excitement. That moment, that rush that we get to share together, that’s the spirit of aviation that fuels us every day to do what we do the MJC way.