Bombardier’s Customer Response Centre: A ‘one-stop, non-stop shop’

As soon as the phone rings at Bombardier’s round-the-clock Customer Response Centre (CRC), the “critical hour” begins.  

That’s when the clock starts ticking on a customer request, and a team of experts moves to triage the situation with one single-minded goal: getting that aircraft back into the air as soon as humanly possible.  

With three locations (Montreal, Wichita and Singapore) and a total of 70 subject matter experts on staff, the Bombardier CRC immediately takes ownership of a customer query, enabling a fast and effective response for Global, Challenger and Learjet owners and operators. 

“This is a one-stop shop for our customers,” explained Andre Poulin, CRC Director. “There is one number and one email to connect with highly qualified experts on all Bombardier aircraft platforms. I’ve been in the CRC for over 25 years, and talking to a live person makes a huge difference to our customers.” 

He gives an example of his team’s typical response to an aircraft-on-ground (AOG) event.  

“When the customer calls in to report the condition of the plane, we have to validate whether it’s a no-go item or if there is something we can do. It could be a reset procedure that we can ask the crew to perform. We do the triage to determine if it’s an AOG—and if it is, are there passengers on board? First and foremost, can we help move them around?” 

If the aircraft needs onsite support, one or two technicians are dispatched from Bombardier’s Mobile Response Team (MRT).  

“The AOG coordinator in the CRC prepares a troubleshooting plan and mobilizes support, parts and tooling—and keeps the customer informed of progress,” said Poulin. “Our technical reps are there to provide technical expertise to AOG events.” 

He explained that the department aims to triage aircraft within one hour and have them return to service (RTS) within 24 hours.  

In all, the Bombardier CRC responds to about 6,000 calls and 22,000 emails every month.  

While the teams in Montreal and Wichita have been assisting customers for years, the Singapore team was added in 2022 to help enable complete round-the-clock service for Bombardier’s valued customers. 

“You are one phone call away from a high level of expertise on your aircraft,” said Poulin. “We encourage you to call us with basic questions as well as big events. Our team is empowered to make decisions at any given time.” 

Communication is a key pillar of the CRC response. As part of the troubleshooting plan, the AOG coordinator determines what sort of communication the customer desires.  

“When do they want updates? Who should get the updates? It’s really a customized response for each event,” noted Poulin. “When we establish this communication protocol from the get-go, customers really appreciate it.” 

Poulin, who shows one or two customers through the Montreal CRC every week, said the support it offers is a key customer benefit and an effective model that is unique to Bombardier. 

“We’ve built a team of expertise and we can really make an impact on the customer,” he said.  

“Since we’re dealing with AOG and urgent matters, you can actually see the impact of the service we provide. We’re getting good results on our customer surveys. We are proud to be a one-stop, non-stop shop.”