We’ve talked about the importance of audits before, and this is yet another reminder that they’re vital in monitoring the health of your operation. But they’re only part of the puzzle.

They can tell you if the software and metrics you’re employing are working, but they can’t tell you how that work is being received…this is where we tell you that to get a full grasp on the health of your airline, you also need to monitor pain points. And then, you know, fix them.

Here are a few ways to do this:

• Gather customer feedback – one of the best ( and yes, probably hardest at times) is to hear straight from your customers. They more than anyone else will be brutally honest about what’s working and what they hate in terms of, well, everything from purchase to check-in, actual flight, and more. It might be hard to take sometimes, but identifying the problems, especially the ones that cause the most ire, will help you in the long run. A deep dive into angry tweets might not be a great time, but ultimately it can help you get some glowing reviews in the future.

• Make sure you’re on the cutting edge – is your software the best it can be? How about your check-in and boarding procedures? Are your inflight offerings competitive? One of the best ways to find out is by attending conferences that showcase the most up-to-date procedures and products in the aviation space. Collabs can also help you up your game, and ensure you stay competitive with your competitors.

• Mystery shop but for airlines – This is one of your best bets for accurate, non-biased feedback (since let’s be honest, customer feedback is vital, but there’s always the risk that someone is inflating their experience for some sweet compensatory miles). Investing in people whose sole job is to report back their customer experience means you get all of the honesty with none of the ulterior motive.