CITILINKS BUSINESS COMMUNICATION EFFECTIVENESS

Citilink is a low-cost airline headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was established in

2001 as a low-cost subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia. In the very competitive market of airlines

company in Indonesia impact Citilink service to be more perfect in both tangible and

intangible part to increase customer satisfaction. Management of Citilink focused strategy at

higher seat load factor but lower distribution cost. In order to make sure that Citilink

maintains their good operational excellence, they need to make sure that their communication

in sharing the information about the business between people within and outside of the

organization is effective. The level of effectiveness can be measured by looking to Citilinks

strategies in delivering their business messages to potential customers from all around the

world. In July 5, 2012 Citilink has inaugurated the Air Operation Certificate acceptance

certificate (AOC) from the Ministry of Communications of the Republic of Indonesia. This

certificate marks a new era in the management of change Citilink, which had previously been

under the management of PT Garuda Indonesia, to be a dynamic and self-management

airlines company. From this, we can see that Citilink has somehow shows the effectiveness of

their business communication in order to increase their market share. There is many evidence

that can shows the level of effectiveness of Citilinks management in providing their business

information spread efficiently to the targeted groups.

Most of the management of Citilink derived from Garuda Indonesia, which is a very

strong and well established airline company. Because of this pattern of management, Citilink

can be said as an experienced in Aviation industry. With the experienced of management

Citilink, it becomes easier in determining the policies that concerned with the operational and

supporting activities of Citilink. In addition to the experienced management, it really helps in

improving capabilities of all Citilinks worker elements which is via the transfer of

knowledge. The term transfer of knowledge can also shows from the effectiveness level of
Citilink in doing their marketing and sales activities. Citilink has been carried out many

advertising and promotion routinely using internet, the official website, social media,

newspaper and also with the collaboration with other companies such as Bank Mandiri and

Bank BNI. Other than this, Citilink also held a Citilink fair in order to attract more potential

customers or anyone who need the information about product being offered by Citilink.

These method of advertising results in the increasing of Citilink market because other than

getting to people through the internet, they also do direct approach to widen their market.

Citilink is known as the subsidiary of Garuda Indonesia, which is the best airline

company in Indonesia with a good record of impressive management. This results in the good

and skilled of Citilinks Marketing Public Relations (MPR) which the main objective and

activities that focused in providing the information about Citilinks product to the customer.

For Citilink business, MPR is used to provide the knowledge to the potential customer about

it special event, sponsorship, the award, exhibits, hotline, news releases, road shows,

seminars, video new releases and the update of their website in the fastest way. Citilink has

emphasize more publicity in providing information and doing promotion. One of the best way

of the promotion is done by selling cheap tickets that could attract the attention of potential

passengers. This is done by the partnership between Citilink and the banks to supply ticketing

services. As an example, Citilink took Permata Bank to purchase the tickets using Permata

Shopping Card. From this, the shoppers can redeem tickets by using their shopping card and

thus, Citilink does not need to spend big for the cheap ticket promotion distribution. From

this example, we can see that the strategies emphasize is very effective and in a way of

increase the market size, Citilink has also cut down their cost.

Next, the effectiveness of business communication of Citilink can be look by their

very unique media of promoting and advertising their company which is by using the

Linkers. Linkers is the inflight magazine of Citilink that provide all information about
Citilink. With a total of up to 1 million readers per month, Citilinkers can pick the magazine

to read by downloading their desired edition by clicking at the imagine of the magazine at

their Citilink official website and also buy it from the shop. The reasons why Citilink choose

the inflight advertising is because, according to the trusted resources, 85% of the travellers

recalled some type of inflight advertising or promotional material, 86% passengers are

travelling in a good mood, hence they are more receptive to the advertising messages, 92% of

the airlines passengers will still be able to recall advertising messages that they see upon

several hours of arrival and also the usage of the tray in which the passengers can see

Citilinks advertising or promotion there. Other forms of inflight advertising is also by the

overhead bins which is viable at all time during the flight, tray table which is available to all

passengers during all aspects of flight while the tray is in it upright locked position, cover

seat branding, bulkheads in which the first messages that passengers will see upon entering

the airplane and is the main image seen when facing forward the cabin, restroom decor,

exterior advertising and many more. By using this form of communication to the potential

customer, Citilink has actually step ahead with their own method of producing their magazine

which people who want to travel, can directly see everything they need to know about the

airline company directly and in the most interesting method.

Besides this, Citilink also has become an emerged company and the high demand of

low-cost flight has increase year by year. Citilink also shows the effectiveness of their

communication in business through the wider target group such as business people and

student traveller. Citilink has advertise through attractive posters to develop its market share

among student traveller and advertise in regional business magazines to attract the business

travellers, in both coming from the home country Indonesia or the ASEAN country. Since the

coverage of internet in Indonesia is still not quite universal, Citilink also has ticket

distribution channels such as post office and to give Citilink customers a unique experience,
Citilink has create a special program for a particular target market such as discounted rates or

a frequent flyer program through many ways such as the Permata Shopping Card ticket

redemption. Citilink, which stand upon its parent companys, Garuda, has given Citilink an

excellent reputation in the customers mind. Despite all the advertising and promotional

activities, the most important factor that need to be done right for a good and effective

business communication is by the management itself. After revamping the management in

2008, Citilink now has become a brand new operator and the managerial lineup is filled by

skilled people who understand the process of this business. This has become one of Citilinks

strengths, especially when combined with the presence of Garuda supervisors tasked with

monitoring Citilinks operation and management. With the good employee employer relation

in Citilink will reflect on the whole process of the undergoing business, the delivering of

messages and information within the people of Citilink is the basic of a good managerial

team.

Apart from that, Citilink has their own uniqueness that also works as the medium of

effective business communication which will give a good review in the customers mind.

Being the subsidiary of the Indonesian flag carrier, Citilink enjoys a close relationship with

the government as such the government regulations and policies are likely to avoid harming

its position. This will easily leave a good trademark in the Indonesian mind that Citilink may

be the symbol of Indonesia. Citilink also offer a good deal that is hard to not say yes to

especially for people who want to fly on budget will likely to confirm their flight with

Citilink because Citilink is the only Indonesian LCC that offers 20kg free baggage, which

other operators charge for this sevice. From this, customers who experienced the good thing

will leave a good review and in a way form to be a way of spreading the news to people and

also increase the effectiveness of Citilink business communication. In addition to that, other

than using the normal channel to promote ticket, Citilink also use a unique distribution
channel which the channels are not limited to the travel agencies but also include Citilink

Kiosk on the Road (CKOTR), which will changes location periodically. By using CKOTR

which chooses convenient locations where customers can access it easily, shows that Citilink

has really come up with effective and easiest way for the potential customers to purchase

their ticket they want. With this, Citilink has increase the market and the customers get the

idea of promotion to make them easily confirmed for a ticket, in which, this shows the high

level of effectiveness for business communication in Citilink airline company.

In conclusion, the high level of managerial process in Citilink has come out with

many effective method to widen and to increase Citilink market share. Eventhough that this

company is still new and not well established like Garuda, Citilink has now improve a lot and

the demand for Citilink has increased due to its very special and unique way of transmitting

the business communication so that it is effective and directly reached the targeted group. The

idea of the effectiveness of Citilink in business communication through many ways such as

the public relation, marketing and advertising, promotional activities and the delivery of

messages within the employee and employer can be seen that Citilink is already in a good

position in employing an aggressive strategy to seize the opportunity to become the market

leader in the low cost carrier sector in Southeast Asia, which is currently on track to a more

liberalized environment.
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