Imagine a day when, to make a trip, all you need to do is to wake up and be ready to board! Sounds surreal, doesn’t it? Well that time is not too far off. Finding flights, booking tickets, providing documents and reserving hotels, will all be taken care of by digital advancements in technology.
Increased customer-centricity is prompting the travel industry stakeholders – airlines, hotels, cabs etc., to embrace digital. Of course the other incentive of embracing digital is the prospect of gaining convenience at the operational levels; heavily cutting down on time and effort.
So how can tomorrow’s travel experience be enhanced through digital developments? Here are 7 simple steps that can get you there: -
- Mass Customization:
Years ago, a customized service or preferential treatment was given only for a select few people with power, money or influence. Digital has just about broken the barriers and opened up the venue for anyone – customization will soon be at a mass level. A classic example is that of the booking engine interface that provides every user with the same experience and options. - Virtual Documents:
Collecting all the relevant documents is not only a hassle, but also brings with it the fear of losing the material. Pretty soon, technology will enable airports to ‘’access’’ all relevant documents such as passport, identity proof and even tickets through Cloud, virtually. This would create a very stress-free travel for the passengers and also help prevent loss of these essential documents. - Pre-flight Experience:
Airlines have begun to understand that the service does not end with a ‘’ticket confirmation,’’ that rather it begins there. Airlines are looking to assist passengers before boarding and are coming up with applications to help them. Mobile applications, which send alerts and reminders on travel, facilities, check-in timings, gate numbers etc. would be in demand. - Chatbots and Apps:
A few airlines are using chatbots both on their websites and on social media pages to assist passengers and promote offers. A few others have mobile applications loaded with features like booking cancellations, seating upgrade, adding additional family members to bookings etc. Some airlines are providing airport terminal maps to ease the process of finding the way out of the airport. - In-Flight Experience:
While some airlines have limited the use of social media for promotions and advertising, some have moved up a level in terms of how social media information can be better utilized. A popular European airline has initiated a program where passengers can look at each other’s social media profiles (Facebook, LinkedIn) and based on relevance, industry or interests can choose to meet and seat themselves beside each other. This opens up new opportunities for passengers to connect and co-create a more socially engaging and meaningful flight experience. - Post-Flight Experience:
Airlines want to stay connected with their passengers even after the flight in the hope of maintaining the contact and establishing stronger customer relationships. They are developing mobile apps for passengers to post reviews on and also avail interesting offers for their next flight. Alerts on flight schedules, prices and seating are provided. Airlines are also engaging their passengers actively on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter etc. They are posting pictures and videos of satisfied customers to create a positive brand image and trust. - Personalized Recommendation:
If, for instance, your flight got delayed, your travel brand ought to know about it and should be able to take action accordingly. Not only will your travel brand be informed about your situation, when you next get in touch with him, he will also be able to give you the best option of a hotel that you can check into.
As customer experience becomes more central to the policy of stakeholders, technology is being embraced with great intensity in the race to pep up the service levels and enhance the overall travel experience. Tomorrow’s travel experience will depend on the kind of technology adopted and how well the various stakeholders across the travel value chain maximize the potential of the digital!
Take a look at Sonata’s Digital Travel page to see how we can transform the travel business with technology.