SMS Perception
The flying public, stakeholders and the regulator have a perception of an SMS enterprise and their safety management system (SMS). While perception may be real and essential aspect of human experience, it is also complex, subjective, and sometimes fallible, the effect perception has on SMS enterprises and their performance are real.
Perception plays a crucial role in performance across various domains and influences performance. Whether it is airport operations, airline operations, sports, academics, business, or any other area requiring high levels of achievement, perception is an integrated part of their performance system.
Perception shapes how individuals perceive their goals and the potential rewards of achieving them. Those who perceive their goals as challenging yet attainable are more likely to be motivated to excel. They perceive success as achievable, driving them to work harder and persist in the face of setbacks.
Perception of one's abilities, known as self-efficacy, profoundly influences performance. Individuals with high self-efficacy perceive themselves as capable of mastering tasks and overcoming obstacles. This belief enhances motivation, effort, and resilience, leading to superior performance.
Perception of confidence in one's skills and abilities are closely linked to performance. Confidence influences how individuals approach challenges, take risks, and handle pressure situations. Those who perceive themselves as confident are more likely to perform well under stress and maintain focus, leading to superior performance outcomes.
Superior performers often have a constructive perception of feedback. They view feedback as valuable information for improvement rather than criticism of their abilities. This perception enables them to learn from their mistakes, adapt their strategies, and continually refine their skills, ultimately leading to superior performance outcomes.
How individuals perceive stress and pressure situations influences their performance. Those who perceive stress as a challenge rather than a threat are more likely to exhibit adaptive responses, such as increased focus, motivation, and resilience, leading to superior performance outcomes.
Superior performers often perceive competition as an opportunity for growth and self-improvement rather than a threat. This perception fosters a healthy competitive mindset, driving individuals to push their limits, innovate, and strive for excellence, ultimately leading to superior performance outcomes.
Perception shapes various psychological factors such as motivation, self-efficacy, confidence, mindset, feedback interpretation, stress appraisal, and competition orientation, all of which play crucial roles in determining superior performance across different domains.
WHAT IS PERCEPTION
Perception refers to the way human observations interpret and make sense of sensory information from the environment. It involves the process of organizing, interpreting, and understanding sensory information in order to give meaning to the surroundings.
Perception is not simply a passive reception of sensory input, but it involves complex cognitive processes that shape the understanding of an SMS enterprise’s operational environment.
Perception encompasses various senses such as vision, hearing, taste, smell, and touch, as well as more abstract forms of perception such as proprioception and vestibular perception. These sensory inputs are processed by the brain, which then constructs a representation of the operational environment.
Perception is influenced by numerous factors including past experiences, cultural background, context, attention, expectations, and emotions. As a result, individuals may perceive the same sensory stimuli differently based on their unique perceptual filters and cognitive biases.
Perception plays a crucial role in how to navigate and interact with the operational environment, shaping thoughts, opinions, expectations, behaviors, and experiences.
Perception and gut feeling are both ways in which we process information, but they operate in different ways and serve different purposes.
Perception.
Perception refers to the process of interpreting sensory information received from the environment. It involves the use of our senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) to gather data about the world around us and make sense of it.
Perception is largely a conscious and cognitive process, influenced by our past experiences, knowledge, beliefs, and expectations. It involves the brain's complex processing of sensory input to construct a coherent understanding of reality.
For example, when you see a red apple, your perception allows you to recognize its color, shape, and texture, and understand that it is an apple.
Gut Feeling.
Gut feeling, also known as intuition or instinct, is a subconscious or unconscious reaction to a situation or decision. It is a sense of knowing or feeling that arises without conscious reasoning or logical analysis. Gut feelings are often based on subtle cues or patterns that we may not consciously recognize but which our brain processes nonetheless.
These feelings are influenced by emotions, past experiences, and even biological factors. Gut feelings often manifest as a sense of unease, confidence, or certainty about a course of action, even in the absence of clear evidence or reasoning.
Perception involves the conscious interpretation of sensory information to understand the world, while gut feeling is an intuitive, subconscious reaction that guides our behavior or decisions based on underlying factors that may not be immediately apparent. While perception is analytical and cognitive, gut feeling is instinctual and emotional.
PERCEPTION IS A REGULATORY REQUIREMENT
A regulatory requirement for an SMS enterprise is that their SMS manager monitors the concerns of the civil aviation industry in respect of safety and their perceived effect their airport operations.
SMS managers requirement across the board to monitor perception of their operations are equally applicable to any airport operations size and complexity.
Operational processes at individual airports may vary between SMS enterprises since they are operating with different processes to conform to the perception regulatory requirement.
Compliance.
The primary responsibility for an SMS manager is to comply with the regulations relevant to monitor concerns of the aviation industry. This involves comprehension of the requirements set forth by regulatory bodies, comprehend the justification for the requirement, and ensuring that their actions, practices, products, or services align with those requirements.
Documentation.
SMS managers are responsible for maintaining accurate records and documentation to demonstrate compliance with this regulatory requirements. Documentation includes keeping thorough records of processes, transactions, communications, and other relevant information.
Reporting.
SMS managers are required to submit reports or disclosures to their accountable executive (AE) of discoveries from monitoring processes. Reporting involves providing information on activities, outcomes, compliance efforts, or incidents or breaches that occurred in the process.
SMS managers have a responsibility to undergo training or education to ensure they understand the regulatory requirements that apply to their role. They may also be responsible for raising awareness among their colleagues or personnel about compliance obligations and best practices.
Risk Management.
SMS managers need to assess and manage risks associated with non-compliance with regulatory requirements. This involve implementing controls, monitoring processes, and taking corrective actions to mitigate risks for compliance.
Cooperation with Authorities.
In the event of an investigation, audit, or enforcement action by regulatory authorities, SMS managers are required to cooperate and provide relevant information or assistance as needed.
Continuous Improvement.
SMS managers should strive for continuous improvement in their compliance efforts by staying informed about changes in regulations, industry standards, and best practices. This involve updating policies, systems, processes, procedures, and acceptable work practices to conform to evolving regulatory requirements.
It is crucial for a successful SMS enterprise that their SMS mangers comprehend that regulatory requirements are performance based and apply conforming processes. With performance based regulations, SMS managers must assign non-regulated task to conform to regulatory requirements. An example of a non-regulated task for SMS enterprises to perform their daily rundown quality control tasks.
A trap SMS enterprises have fallen into in the past, is to apply expectations, or planned outputs as prescriptive requirements.
PERCEPTION OF SAFE AIRLINES
There are several factors contributing to the perception of airline safety.
Airlines must adhere to strict regulations set by aviation authorities in their respective countries. These regulations cover areas such as aircraft maintenance, pilot training, operational procedures, and safety protocols.
Regular maintenance and inspections are crucial to ensuring the airworthiness of an aircraft. Airlines follow rigorous maintenance schedules and protocols to keep their fleets in optimal condition.
Airlines invest heavily in pilot training programs to ensure their flight crews are well-equipped to handle various situations safely. Pilots undergo extensive training and recurrent evaluations to maintain their skills and knowledge.
Advancements in aircraft technology and safety equipment contribute significantly to airline safety. Modern aircraft are equipped with sophisticated systems and features designed to enhance safety, such as collision avoidance systems, advanced autopilot capabilities, and enhanced weather radar.
Airlines develop and adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) for various aspects of flight operations, including takeoff, landing, and emergency situations. These procedures are designed to ensure consistency and safety across all flights.
A strong safety culture within an airline fosters an environment where safety is paramount. This includes promoting open communication, encouraging reporting of safety concerns, and empowering employees to take proactive measures to enhance safety.
Airlines conduct regular emergency drills and simulations to prepare flight crews and ground staff for handling emergency situations effectively. This preparation helps ensure a swift and coordinated response in the event of an incident.
Airlines continuously review and analyze safety data to identify areas for improvement and implement corrective actions as needed. This commitment to continuous improvement is essential for maintaining and enhancing safety standards over time.
By implementing SMS processes, airlines can strive to provide a safe and secure travel experience for passengers and crew alike.
PERCEPTION OF SAFE AIRPORTS
Airports are designed and maintained with a variety of safety measures to for smooth and secure operations.
Runways and taxiways are constructed using strong materials like asphalt, concrete, gravel or ice-runways to withstand the weight and impact of aircraft. They are built to airport standards to handle various types and sizes of aircraft.
Regular inspections and maintenance by the airport operator are conducted to address any issues promptly, such as cracks, potholes, or uneven surfaces. This helps prevent accidents caused by runway or taxiway damages.
Runways and taxiways are equipped with lighting systems for visibility for night operations and assisting when reduced or low operations are in effect during daytime. Lights help pilots to navigate and maintain situational awareness on movement areas.
Runways and taxiways are marked with standardized signs, symbols, and painted lines to guide pilots. These markings indicate directions, holding points, and other important information.
Air traffic controllers play a crucial role in managing aircraft ground movements. They provide instructions to pilots, coordinate arrivals and departures, and maintain spacing between aircraft.
Runways and taxiways are designed with specific configurations to minimize the risk of collisions and maximize operational efficiency. This includes layout, width, length, and the placement of intersections.
Runways are surrounded by safety areas known as runway safety areas (RSA) that provide a buffer zone to mitigate the consequences of aircraft overruns or undershoots. These areas are kept clear of obstacles and are designed to safely stop aircraft.
Runway end safety areas (RESA) are additional safety areas beyond the runway ends, designed to reduce the severity of accidents in case of an aircraft overshooting the runway during landing or takeoff.
Runway surfaces are regularly tested for friction levels. The purpose of friction testing is to establish if there are low friction characteristics for operational significance or affecting aircraft performance, and that the surface of the runway is without irregularities that would result in reduced friction characteristics or adversely affect aircraft operations.
Airports implement measures to control bird and wildlife around runways and taxiways to minimize the risk of bird strikes.
By implementing and adhering to these safety measures, airports can maintain an acceptable level of safety for aircraft operations, the flying public and airside maintainers.
HOW TO MONITOR PERCEPTION
Monitoring perceptions involves gathering information about how airport operations are perceived by customers, tenants, the aviation industry, airlines, and the flying public.
Market Research Surveys.
Conduct surveys to understand how customers perceive airport operations in terms of product quality, pricing, customer service, brand reputation, etc.
Social Media Monitoring.
Monitor social media platforms for mentions, comments, and reviews about specific airport operators. Analyze sentiment and identify trends in opinions.
Review Websites and Forums.
Monitor review websites, forums, and discussion boards relevant to the industry to gather feedback and opinions about airport operator’s products and services.
Competitor Analysis Tools.
Utilize software tools specifically designed for competitor analysis to track their online presence, marketing strategies, customer feedback, and social media activity.
Mystery Shopping.
Conduct mystery shopping exercises, such as collecting data from user at specific airport, to assess airport operators service, product quality, and overall customer experience firsthand.
Industry Reports and Analysis.
Stay updated with industry reports, analyses, and market research studies that may provide insights into airport operators market position, strengths, weaknesses, and customer perception.
Partnerships and Networking.
Establish partnerships or networks within the industry to gather insights and intelligence about other airport operators from the aviation industry, suppliers, distributors, users, tenants, publicly available regulatory findings, and other relevant stakeholders.
Trade Shows and Conferences.
Attend airport operators trade shows, conferences, and events where other airports showcase their products and services and interact with customers. Observe their presentations, demos, and interactions to gauge customer reactions.
Google Alerts and News Monitoring.
Set up Google Alerts and monitor industry news sources to stay informed about any developments, announcements, or changes related to airport operators.
Customer Feedback Analysis.
Analyze customer feedback and reviews for your own products or services, paying attention to mentions of airport operators and comparing customer perceptions.
By using a combination of these methods, an airport operator can gain valuable insights into how other airport authorities are perceived in the market and make informed decisions to stay competitive.
LEARN CUSTOMER SERVICE
Conventional wisdom is to learn from aircraft and airport accidents to improve safety in the aviation industry.
Learning from inadequacy is to deviate from SMS principles. Continuous, or continual improvements are different than learning from errors, mistakes, failures, or omissions.
Customers, clients, airport users, airlines, airport tenants, or the regulatory oversight body do not accept mediocracy and the principle that mistakes are necessary for safety improvements.
Customers want and need assurance that they journey will be enjoyable without interruptions.
Excellent customer service is built on several key principles.
Effective communication and active listening are essential to understanding the customer's needs and concerns.
Showing empathy towards customers by acknowledging their feelings, frustrations, and needs can help build trust and rapport.
Timely responses to inquiries, concerns, and feedback demonstrate that the customer's needs are a priority.
Maintaining a professional demeanor, whether in person, over the phone, or online, helps establish credibility and trust.
Being proactive in resolving issues and finding solutions to customer problems can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
Consistently delivering high-quality service across all interactions and touchpoints builds trust and loyalty.
Tailoring the service experience to meet the individual needs and preferences of each customer can make them feel valued and appreciated.
Going above and beyond expectations to exceed customer needs can leave a lasting impression and foster loyalty.
Actively seeking feedback and using it to improve products, services, and processes demonstrates a commitment to ongoing improvement.
Maintaining a positive attitude, even in challenging situations, can help diffuse tension and create a more pleasant customer experience.
By adhering to these principles, airport operators and airlines create a customer-centric culture that fosters satisfaction, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth.
LEARN FROM PERCEPTION
By monitoring the concerns of the civil aviation industry and perception in respect of safety, SMS enterprises have a tool to apply what they learned for improving their own reputation, regulatory compliance, and safety in operations.
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