“Beyond Satisfaction – Tap Emotions to Reach Delight”

A Conversation with
​

Sushanta Das
Founder and CEO
Retail Labs

Thorsten Merkle
Professor of Hospitality and Service Management
Zurich University of Applied Sciences

Watch the Video

Listen to Audio

Read a Transcript

​What if delight – not just satisfaction – was the CX benchmark for airports? What if understanding traveler emotional states – like Airside Enjoy, Airside Fear, and Airside Stress – could unlock commercial value across airport shopping and dining strategies?

These are questions Sushanta Das and Thorsten Merkle tackle in their groundbreaking research on airport concessions customer satisfaction. They introduce “CX Delightors,” a concept that moves beyond simply satisfying passengers to actively delighting them. Sushanta and Thorsten propose that passenger emotions – specifically “airside enjoy,” “airside stress,” and “airside fear” – directly influence spending behavior and outlet preferences in an airport’s unique environment where normal behavioral rules don’t apply. The research highlights the importance of appealing to emotions. Their bold conclusion: emotions drive revenue.
 
Our conversation with Sushanta and Thorsten presents a new frontier in planning and operating airport food & beverage and retail programs. Consider these three key takeaways:

1. Delight, not just satisfaction, is a new benchmark for airport customer experience: The CX Delightors framework emphasizes creating memorable, emotionally resonant experiences that encourage travelers to view airports as destinations rather than mere transit points.
2. Emotional states shape behavior: Passenger emotional states significantly impact outlet patronage and spending patterns creating what Sushanta and Thorsten call “emotion to spend pathways” that airports and concessionaires can leverage strategically.
3. Traveler personas are fluid, not fixed, reflecting emotional states rather than static demographics. Unlike traditional passenger segmentation, personas change based on context: the same person can be different personas on different trips or even different times of day.

 
These are just three takeaways. Throughout our conversation, Sushanta and Thorsten offer ways to view customer satisfaction from a new perspective. I encourage you to watch, listen to, or read our interesting and informative conversation at the following links:

Watch the Video

Listen to Audio

Read a Transcript

---

​MEET OUR GUESTS
​

​
​Sushanta Das
Founder and CEO
Retail Labs
 
Sushanta Das drives travel F&B and travel retail innovation to create tomorrow. He is the Founder and CEO of tRetail Labs. Sushanta is one of the very few people globally with a comprehensive understanding of operational travel retail / travel F&B / tourism along with an expanded knowledge of the AI/ Digital Transformation domain. He has more than 28 years of experience in retail operations, business strategy, consumer-inspired creative thinking and AI / Digitalization.
 
Experiences
 
AI & Digital Transformation roles

• Strategic partner to the C suite, BOD’s, and Executive teams leading, developing, and driving company strategy to maximize revenue & margin, enhance profitability, and grow market share.
• Expert in developing travel retail and travel F&B digital transformation by leveraging and enhancing key metrics and initiatives such as average transaction values, conversion enhancement, new business opportunities, and AI & Data Analytics.

 
Retail Strategy, Operations & Travel Retail Business Development on a Global scale

• Retail Formats: Travel Retail, Hypermarket, Supermarket, Watches, Apparel, Lifestyle.
• Retail Models: Dealer, Distribution, Franchise, COCO / FOCO / COFO / DODO Models.
• Retail Roles: AI & Digital, Proit Center / Operational Head, Process Improvement, L&D, Finance & Accounting,
• Business Development, Product & Innovation, Sales.
• Airport Bids: HK, Singapore, SFO, Mumbai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Jeddah/Riyadh, Beirut, Bali, Hawaii

 
Sushanta holds an MBA in Luxury Brand Management from ESSEC Business School (France) and a Master of Science of Business AI at New York University (USA).

​

​​Thorsten Merkle
Professor of Hospitality and Service Management
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
 
Professor Merkle combines academic and business skills to shape the future of food service. He is Head of the Hospitality Management Research Group at Zurich University of Applied Sciences. Holding a PhD in Business and Management and an MBA in General Management, Thorsten seamlessly bridges the gap between academic research and real-world business practice. His ability to translate research findings into actionable strategies makes him a sought-after expert in the field.
 
With deep expertise in Food Service and a particular focus on Airport F&B Concessions, Thorsten’s research provides valuable insights into consumer behavior in the unique airside environment.
 
Experiences
 
Food Service-related roles

• Managing Director for a subsidiary of the Wöllhaf Group (Airport Concessionaire), Stuttgart & Shanghai
• Strategy Development for LSG Sky Chefs Lounge GmbH, Frankfurt
• Senior Manager Catering & Guest Services, MATCH Hospitality, 2010 FIFA World Cup, Johannesburg
• Catering Manager, 2006 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee, Frankfurt
• Global Head of Quality for all Facility Services, Dussmann Group, Berlin

 
Academic Leadership roles

• César Ritz Colleges Switzerland, Module Leader (Brig)
• University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons, Director of Studies in Tourism & Service Design (Chur)
• Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Head of Hospitality Management Research Group (Zurich)

 
Beyond academia, Thorsten’s passion for aviation extends into his personal life — he serves as a part-time flight instructor in the scenic alpine region of Valais, further deepening his connection to the aviation industry.