The airline world is no stranger to corporate business alliances. These agreements mean that businesses cooperate substantially, and in addition, they make it less likely that one will push the other out of market share. In fact, in the airline world, these business alliances have become so popular that there are a few major known names.
One of the biggest is Star Alliance. With twenty-nine affiliates, this airline alliance is the biggest in the world. It also was the first. Through membership, the participating airlines get such benefits as better customer service and increased customer satisfaction. For example, if a flight on a participating airline is canceled, a customer can simply get a new flight on another participating airline at no or little increased cost. This is good for both the airline and the customer, because both airlines get a happy customer and the customer gets to their destination faster.
You may be asking, ‘How does this affect me?’ Directly, maybe it doesn’t, but you can definitely learn a lesson from these business alliances. Even if the services you offer are the same, aligning yourself with other similar businesses can have major benefits. You may be able to pool your resources in order to provide better customer support. If one of you is unable to provide a service for a short time, your partnered business may be able to fit in. It’s a sort of ‘you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours’ type situation, and it benefits both parties.
So take a lesson from the airlines and consider business alliances. They not only reduce the risk of a competitor driving you out of business, they can have many benefits as well. After all, any good alliance has benefits to both parties. Don’t be afraid to consider what yours might be.