Does this plane have Wi-Fi?

It’s easy to get caught up in things which seem important on the surface. But dig a little deeper and you'll find out, they take up almost 0% of the average users brain.

Imagine a conversation in a major airline executive meeting where the contest is between buying their latest fleet from Boeing or Airbus. An important topic for executives, since these jets cost upwards of $100m each. Choosing a fleet of 10 could mean millions of dollars each way.

However, I’m sure the majority of their passengers don’t really care about whether it’s a Boeing or Airbus.

What’s more important to them is whether or not the plane has Wi-Fi. Does it serve snacks? Is there an entertainment option? How much space is between them and the person in front of them?

While a group of airline executives could decide to go for the jet planes which look better on the balance sheet, what they might be missing out on is what their passengers really care about.

This kind of thinking doesn’t lower the importance of taking upfront costs into consideration for choosing a new fleet of jets but it does present a new perspective. One that considers the end user. After all, they’re the ones paying for the jets in the long run.

This kind of thinking can be applied to any industry.

Who are you trying to serve?

What are their needs?

What story do they tell themselves?

Do they care more about whether the plane is the latest Airbus A380 or Boeing 787 or whether the plane has Wi-Fi?