App adds to Biman's crew performance

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has put in place a mobile app boosting the performance of its 500 cabin crew, which could go a long way to help the national carrier improve its own overall service and performance. 

The cabin crew management system is allowing the carrier to utilise the full potential of the cabin crew team. More importantly, it has eliminated the hassle of managing them manually.

The app is allowing Biman to improve crew attendance and their performance significantly. Delays were cut by 75 percent.

"The app now helps Biman save a huge amount of money every month in overtime segment," said Shakil Meraz, a general manger of the national flag carrier, adding that it also helped enhance the efficiency of the carrier.

Dream71 Bangladesh Ltd, one of the leading local software makers, developed the app in August last year on android platform and later it was made available on Apple platform.

Now all of the cabin crew members are getting their duty rosters, notices, messages and announcements through the app. This is ensuring proper attendance.

Using the app, the management can easily manage the crew who are always on the move.

The new app, through a dashboard, allows the authorities to understand a cabin crew's status throughout a flight, freeing the carrier from sending text messages or emails to the members of the crew about their duties and notices.

Cabin crew members can also easily inform the management about their whereabouts from a pickup vehicle or briefing room or even from an aircraft, Meraz said.

This is an official app exclusively developed to manage the attendance of the cabin crew of Biman and none can use it without authentic user identification although they can download it from the platforms.

Earlier, the state-run carrier ensured digital management system for its staff members but it did not include cabin crew as they have no fixed schedule for duties.

Biman had been facing serious difficulties with its pick-up and drop-off service as well as tracking the management of the crew in April last year.

This was the time when it decided to go for a solution to resolve the challenge, as Biman had to spend a huge amount of money for overtime at that time. Sometimes, flights were delayed as cabin crew members were not present on time. 

One of the common complaints for the delay was huge traffic congestion on the roads.

"This scenario has changed," said Meraz, adding that the new system allows the management to know real-time when a cabin crew executive gets in the transport provided by Biman and enters the

airport.

Cabin crew members now receive their checklists on the way to airport and can complete their preparation before arriving at the airport, said Meraz.

"Actually, the app has given us the real taste of digitisation and helped improve service and save money."

Irrespective of their locations, cabin crew members can connect with the customer service department of Biman all the time and receive real-time feedback by using the app.

Dream71 Bangladesh Ltd is happy to have developed the app.

"Doing something for the country is very important and we did our part," said Rashad Kabir, managing director of Dream71.

Kabir said now Biman has a powerful tool to make the best of its cabin crew team.

Dream71 Bangladesh has now presence in nine countries and developed digital products for many countries in the last few years.