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KLM established Cygnific in 1998 to manage all customer contact for KLM, which means that KLM and Cygnific have been collaborating for 25 years. What started with processing telephone reservations quickly evolved over time to encompass all channels and types of customer contact. All customer contact activities have been outsourced to Cygnific by KLM and subsequently by Air France-KLM. 

KLM and Cygnific collaboration 

Herbert Verschuren, VP Service, Customer Contact, Air France KLM: “What particularly stands out to me is the collaboration during COVID-19. It was a hectic time. With all the changes and cancellations of flights, restrictions, regulations and constant adjustments, it was challenging to provide our customers with good service. They needed clarity and support, seeking answers to questions and complaints. During that period, Cygnific played a crucial role by acting as an extension of KLM. For example, there were difficult messages to convey about vouchers when flights were cancelled. That was the moment of truth for me, and Cygnific proved itself in its role as a representative of the airline.” 

“The major difference between other vendors and Cygnific is their proactive approach in the contact centre. They brainstorm on how things can be improved, making processes lean and thus avoiding unnecessary contact. Cygnific adds significant value in this regard. It is a strategic pillar for KLM to avoid unnecessary contacts. This requires Cygnific’s knowledge and experience of Cygnific, with their insights and analyses to reduce wasted contacts. 

Herbert: “We have a joint initiative called ‘What Our Customers Are Saying’. We collaborate with Cygnific to analyse in detail and flexibly why customers are contacting us. Why isn’t a customer trying to resolve the issue online? And if the customer does try online, why doesn’t it work? We use this information to enhance processes and optimise our website to avoid contacts. Cygnific doesn’t operate on the principle of ‘You ask, we do.’ They brainstorm with you, more than a standard contact centre does. Cygnific employees have a positive attitude of wanting to move forward, together with KLM, and are not focused on self-interest.

“Cygnific doesn’t operate on the principle of ‘You ask, we do.’ They brainstorm with you, more than a standard contact centre does. Cygnific employees have a positive attitude of wanting to move forward, together with KLM, and are not focused on self-interest. They don’t think in short-term goals (maximising revenue) but take a constructive view in the customer’s interest. They consider how they can make themselves redundant and are not afraid of it. This ensures that you become a serious business partner in the long term by reducing the customer service costs of a client like KLM.” 

“Thanks to the excellent results, more and more has been outsourced to Cygnific. Cygnific has grown with KLM’s expansion. They are focused on delivering quality and go the extra mile to provide that WOW feeling to consumers. They are capable of delivering excellent commercial results in ticket sales through the contact centre.” 

“As part of this growth, establishing and expanding to Manila has become a crucial strategic component of the company. Cygnific can provide good people and service at an external foreign location with lower costs. They maintain the same quality as in the Netherlands and achieve the same customer KPIs. Cygnific is an international company, and this will only become more important in the future. For KLM, it is crucial to serve our consumers worldwide with an international network. In this regard, Cygnific is the right partner for KLM.”