A Focus on People and Service Longtime Robinson customers and partners will have noticed immediate changes under Smith, who reorganized the company with the addition of new leadership positions and strategic hires to fill them. Early on in Smith’s transition, Robyn Eagles was hired as VP of global marketing and communica- tions to help tell Robinson’s story. Randall Schaffer joined as VP of customer success to improve customer service and support, and Will Fulton was brought in as VP of busi- ness development to focus on direct sales to govern- ment entities and large-fleet opportunities. Eagles’s storytelling cam-
paigns have led to a boost in Robinson’s connections with customers, who have shared the videos on social media. The outreach effort is expanding awareness of both the capabilities of Robinson’s aircraft and their potential in new markets, Smith explains. Eagles, who previously worked for Skyryse and Honda, also oversees dealer man- agement and support. Schaffer, a former aftermarket business
development manager for Parker Aerospace and MD Helicopters, is taking over the custom- er-focused functions Kurt Robinson historically managed, including customer service, service centers, and flight training, in addition to develop- ing new programs to improve the overall customer experience. “We haven’t really had anyone in that position
since Kurt stepped into the president position, so hiring Randy allows us to better support our by-the-hour agreements and management of more complex service arrangements,” Smith says. “We have a great product, but we need to get better at warranty turns for things that fail in the early years of the product. We need to get to the core processes to ensure they are treated quickly
and cash gets back to the customer.” Smith has also charged Schaffer with growth
opportunities, including a new option for timed- out aircraft. Robinson is developing a program that would allow customers to trade in timed-out aircraft for credit toward a new aircraft. Instead
of simply overhauling the helicopter for resale, Robinson would use its FAA Part 145 capabilities to upgrade the ship to newer standards as a fac- tory-certified preowned aircraft. These updated aircraft would be less expensive than new heli- copters, potentially opening new markets with the lower price point. “What I don’t love about our overhaul process
is it can be very long because of all the questions and back and forth on components,” Smith says. “It can add weeks to an overhaul. This faster process allows us to buy assets, or take them on trade, then put them back into the fleet as upgraded aircraft down the road. “It’s a great option for people wanting to buy
an R66, for example,” he says. “They trade in their R44, no questions asked, and the value goes toward a new R66. We then overhaul and upgrade the R44 with new bird-strike windows,
DEC 2024 POWER UP 31
David Smith, the
first non-Robinson family member to lead the company, brings decades of aviation engineering and leadership experience to the role. (VAI/Don Kelsen Photo)
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