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Recently, the School of Marketing and Management (SoMM) at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) organised an insightful industrial visit to AirAsia.

Led by Ms Harjinder Kaur (Senior Lecturer and IAP Coordinator, SoMM at APU), the visit provided students with first-hand exposure to how one of Asia’s leading travel and digital lifestyle brands leverages Customer Relationship Management (CRM), digital marketing, and customer engagement to deliver exceptional customer experiences. 

Activity 1: Discovering AirAsia’s Transformation

Students were welcomed by Ms Michelle Wong Li Zhi, Employer Branding Manager at AirAsia, who shared AirAsia’s remarkable journey from a low-cost airline into a comprehensive digital travel and lifestyle ecosystem.

The introduction highlighted the company’s evolution; showcasing how innovation, technology, and customer-centric strategies have shaped AirAsia’s growth and transformation over the years.

Ms Michelle also provided insights into AirAsia’s organisational culture, talent development initiatives, and efforts in creating a workplace that encourages collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.

By learning from AirAsia’s transformation journey, students were able to draw connections between marketing and management concepts discussed in the classroom with practical applications within a global organisation.

Activity 2: Understanding the future of Customer Experience

A key highlight of the visit was an engaging moderated session titled “A Disruptor Journey: past, present, and future,” delivered by Mr Michael Min, Head of CRM and Digital Marketing at AirAsia MOVE.

Drawing on his industry experience, Mr Michael demonstrated how CRM has evolved beyond customer data management into a strategic function that combines behavioural analytics, personalisation, and digital engagement to foster meaningful, long-term customer relationships.

Students also discovered how AirAsia MOVE leverages CRM to better understand customer preferences, enhance user experiences, strengthen customer loyalty, and deliver personalised offerings throughout every stage of the customer journey.

The session further explored customer segmentation, data-driven decision-making, omnichannel engagement, loyalty programmes, customer retention strategies, and the integration of technology in creating seamless customer experiences.

By connecting these concepts with real business applications, students gained practical perspectives that complemented their CRM-related coursework and strengthened their understanding of contemporary marketing practices.

Activity 3: Experiencing AirAsia’s Innovative Workplace

The experience concluded with an exclusive tour of AirAsia’s office, offering students a first-hand look at the company’s dynamic and collaborative work environment.

During the tour, students explored the workplace setup and gained insights into how different teams collaborate to support AirAsia’s operations; from business functions to customer-focused initiatives.

The experience allowed them to observe how innovation, teamwork, and digital-driven strategies are integrated into the company’s daily activities; providing a better understanding of how industry practices align with concepts learned in the classroom.

Student Perspectives

1. Muhammad Abdullah Ashfaq, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Marketing Management with a specialism in Digital Marketing: “The visit offered me valuable insight into how a leading brand continuously evolves to meet changing customer expectations, while the real-world examples presented during the discussions helped me understand how CRM strategies can be used to build stronger customer relationships and create more personalised experiences.”
2. Reshika Ravichandran, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Marketing Management with a specialism in Digital Marketing: “Seeing how AirAsia integrates CRM into its everyday operations showed me that building lasting customer relationships relies not only on technology, but also on understanding customer needs and delivering meaningful experiences at every touchpoint.”
3. Isoev Mirzohamzullo, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in International Business Management: “Experiencing AirAsia’s collaborative and employee-centric workplace gave me a deeper appreciation of how organisational culture can drive innovation and motivate employees to deliver meaningful impact.”
4. Victoria Liew Yung Weei, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Business Management with a specialism in AI & Business Analytics: “The visit to AirAsia was both inspiring and insightful, as observing the company’s innovative and customer-focused approach encouraged me to think more critically about how businesses can leverage technology and data to remain competitive in a rapidly changing world.”
    

Reflections on the Industrial Visit

Ms Harjinder expressed her appreciation to AirAsia for providing students with an invaluable opportunity to gain first-hand insights into CRM, digital marketing, and customer experience strategies in a real industry setting.

“This meaningful visit offered our students the opportunity to connect classroom theories with real-world practices; inspiring them to think critically about the evolving role of marketing and technology in a rapidly changing world, while developing greater awareness of the skills and knowledge required to thrive in the digital economy.”