The 3-3-3 Challenge: How a frequent flyer networks from Asia to the U.S.

In-flight networking is a growing trend among the business set. How does traveling
make it different from networking on terra firma? All Nippon Airways (ANA) invited Karl
Chong angel investor, co-founder of Groupon (Singapore) and a seasoned networker
to discern the differences.

We connected him business class from Singapore to Tokyo and flew him to New York
on one of ANA's nonstop services from Tokyo to ten cities in North America, which also
includes Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle,
Vancouver and Washington D.C. These routes come with a wide variety of connecting
times, giving the business traveler a broad range of departure and arrival schedules to
choose from.

On this journey that took him from Asia to U.S. almost as quickly as a direct flight on
account of a short transit in Tokyo, we tasked Karl to meet people from three
nationalities, three industries, across three locations, and to share his observations on
what we've come to call the 3-3-3 Challenge.

This is his account.

"Every good networker knows that timing and opportunity are what gets you a
conversation with someone you want to meet for business. While that should be no
different when you're traveling for business, the 3-3-3 Challenge got me thinking: many
things that happen when you fly, happen in a routine. Two to three hours ahead of your
flight, you're checking in your luggage at the airport. Between that and boarding ,
you're most probably relaxing in the airport lounge. You can identify what the right
timings are even before you take the trip, and where the good opportunities lay I
used this knowledge to pre-plan my networking journey.
The hour before landing
The best time for networking is the hour or two before the captain pilots you back to
firm ground. The cabin lights are fully turned on and you've just finished a wonderful
meal. People are awake and generally happy at this time. Case in point, my neighbor
on the flight to Tokyo.

"ANA prepares some of the finest and most exquisitely-

plated business class Japanese meals in my opinion. Not
what youd expect from an in-flight meal."
He was sound asleep most of the flight, no surprise considering that the business class
seats fully recline to become a flat bed. It was only when we were descending that he
was finally bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I jumped at the opportunity to small talk. I
casually remarked that he looked like he had a great sleep. That kick started a
pleasant chat, and I quickly discovered he was a Greek commodities trader, traveling
to Japan to see clients.

When the forms come around

This usually happens right before descent on short-haul flights, and midflight on long-hauls. It's
when the ever-smiling cabin attendant walks over the disembarkation/embarkation and customs
declaration forms to you the time when most people start feeling around for a pen. For the
serious networker, this is your cue.

On the New York flight, I asked to borrow a pen from the passenger seated across the aisle. By
the time I returned the pen, I was well on my way to finding out that this passenger is an
independent trader from Toronto and living in New York. We even had a good talk about
trading strategies and schools in the Big Apple (a mutual topic because we're both parents).

"ANAs business class seats are staggered. It affords you

privacy when you need it and at the same time, it gives you
enough openness to talk to someone across the aisle."
Leverage omotenashi
ANA is known for omotenashi, or the spirit of Japanese hospitality. But I'm not making a sales
pitch here. What I am making is a networking opportunity out ofomotenashi.

Whether by nature or by training, the cabin attendants seem intuitively attuned to the needs of
the business class passenger. So before I approach one of my in-flight neighbors to network, I
would first observe how they interact with the passenger. Say an attendant comes by to offer
him a glass of Hibiki without going through the rest of the drinks on the menu with him, I
would assume she knows he's a whisky lover and I would prepare to frame my conversation
starter around the topic of whisky.

I didn't get a chance to exercise this networking tactic, but it's worth highlighting because a
good networker knows how to leverage context to create conversation.

"Your omotenashi experience begins from the moment

you settle into your business class seat for the first time,
when your cabin attendant comes up to you to welcome
you by name and introduce herself."
Make full use of the transit
The airport lounge is a natural networking hotspot. People of different nationalities from all
walks of life congregate here. It's where the weary traveler comes to find food, shower and rest
fertile hunting ground for the networker.

I stepped into the ANA Lounge at Haneda Airport just after 6 a.m. The lounge was relatively
quiet at this time of day, so I was lucky that a fellow traveler decided to take the seat right next
to me. The relaxing mood played to my advantage and I struck up a conversation with the man.
He didn't seem too keen on the small talk at first, but opened up once I shifted the topic to
business. With some people, this is key: they'd rather talk shop than about their personal lives.
He ended the conversation with an invitation to re-connect on business matters, post our flights.
"It was first light when I stepped into the ANA Lounge at
Haneda Airport, and Im appreciative of the bay windows
that let me savor the sunrise before I got down to
networking."
The noodle bar at the ANA Lounge is also great place to position yourself. Here, people make
an order for a piping hot bowl of ramen, take a number and wait a few minutes for their noodles
to be ready. These precious few minutes could earn you a new business contact. In my case, I
connected with a travel executive from Japan.

Altogether I networked with four persons in the airport lounges across Singapore and Tokyo.
They also included a Singaporean lawyer from the oil and gas sector and a Buddhist monk from
Colombo on his way home from Japan. It was especially interesting to meet the latter. With his
orange robes, it is clear that he isn't from the Zen school of Buddhism that is widely practiced in
Japan. Yet, he had just been to the country to discuss the building of a new temple in Hiroshima.
Fascinating.

"Met a potential business partner? Dont forget to follow up

with a brief, personal email to suggest a follow-up meeting."
The line at the departure gate
Surprisingly, the simple act of standing in line can be a networking opportunity in itself. ANA
boards its passengers in an orderly manner by lining them up according to cabin classes at the
departure gate. Here, you stand shoulder to shoulder with fellow business class travelers, locked
together in the same space for a few minutes of inactivity, unless of course, you're networking.

I was lining up to board the flight to New York when I noticed a fellow passenger using the
Google Pixel. I have the same smartphone and given that it's brand new to the market, I jumped
on the chance to ask him how he liked it. We went on trade advice and then some. He told me
he's a New Yorker, and was planning to move into a new neighborhood. I happen to live in this
neighborhood and we had a good conversation about this.
The usual networking sensibilities still apply
The rules of engagement that apply on the ground also apply up in the air. While there are no
lack of general advice floating on the internet, here are some tips I've picked up over years. You
may find them useful.
The final tally: from 3-3-3 to 7-6-5
In total, I connected with people from seven nationalities, six industries and did it across five
locations. Success was the result of two things. Firstly, leveraging the right timings and
"Im calling the 3-3-3
opportunities as outlined above, and secondly, ANA.
Challenge a success, thanks in part to ANAs onboard
comfort and exceptional meal service."
Thanks to its fully reclinable business class seat, I was able to get a solid night's sleep and keep
my energy levels up for the challenge. It's also thanks to ANA's impressively crafted Japanese
meals that I was able to keep my mood uplifted throughout. My journey was certainly made
more fruitful with these factors added to the mix."

Karl

About ANA and the 3-3-3 Challenge

Advancing technology and the new habits that come with it, are changing the way people
connect with one another. Even as ANA breaks down distances to bring the world closer
together with its fast-expanding network of global flights, it is also tearing down the barriers
to networking within the business class environment, so that it can better serve the needs of
its passengers. The 3-3-3 Challenge was conceived as a demonstration of this commitment, in
line with ANAs omotenashi spirit of Japanese hospitality.

About ANA

With its ever-expanding international network and seamless connections between Asia and
10 cities in the U.S., ANA is the global airline of choice for many business professionals who
frequently travel across the Pacific. Its renowned omotenashi service, stress-minimized
business class experience and world-class transit lounges are prized by travelers who value a
relaxing journey above all.

http://www.cnbc.com/advertorial/2016/12/13/how-a-frequent-flyer-networks-from-asia-to-the-us.html