At Robosoft, our mission is to create digital solutions that can simplify lives of millions across the globe. Our talented team of software and product engineers, design thinkers, digital consultants and more, consistently work towards driving this mission.
In this interview-based series, we will meet these ‘behind the scenes’ experts, know their passions and inspirations and understand what drives them to create digital solutions that touch lives of millions of users and drive business results.
In this interview, we will get to know Navin Kumar Math, Technical Architect at Robosoft Technologies. Navin has been a part of Robosoft for more than a decade.
Q. Tell us about yourself and what you do, your hobbies and more?
Navin:Originally I am from Vijayapur (Bijapur), which is a heritage city well known for its historical monuments. I am a simple and fun-loving person and I apply the same principle in my personal and professional life. At Robosoft Technologies I work as a Technical Architect, that’s part of the project delivery division involved in developing custom-built platforms for the BFSI, e-Commerce & Healthcare industries. I’m currently working on a mobile payments and commerce platform, for a client based out of Japan which is into the Finance domain.
I love watching movies, playing cricket & carrom. I also enjoy shopping and traveling with friends and family once in a while.
Q. What inspired you to choose Robosoft Technologies & what is it that inspires you?
Navin: I was recruited through the Campus interview process and was fascinated to be a part of Robosoft as it was working on Mac and Windows drivers during that time. Honestly, it was an overwhelming experience to begin my professional journey with one of the best in the industry, but they were so open and accommodating that it just felt like home. Additionally, I love where the office was located, Udupi. It is such a scenic and serene place and the idea of working in a place like that was even more exciting. Well, it’s been 12+ years since then and counting.
What makes this place really special for me is, first and foremost all the learning and opportunities, but most importantly that it is driven by a deep sense of purpose, which makes work so meaningful. The culture is deeply embedded with the purpose of – ‘Simplifying lives through delightful experiences’. Thus, before developing any digital solution, we link it to our purpose and look back at why the organization exists, what problems it’s here to solve for users, and the impact it wants to bring to each individual’s life.’ The team is very well-knit and we work on each other’s strengths. We have a lot of team outings, events, and games, that bring us closer to stay united as a team and family.
Q. How has the quarantine phase been? What is it like to manage home and work responsibilities and your advice to peers alike?
Navin: The Quarantine phase is new, yet challenging for everyone. In terms of work though it has been smooth for us so far. Along with my project team, we have been able to manage work and keep-up with the timelines of our deliverables. It has been a novel experience and I have enjoyed working with my team.
Personally, in the initial phase, I did find it difficult to manage work along with household responsibilities especially in the mornings and late evening. However, now I have adjusted my routine in a way to manage both to the best of my abilities.
Advice to peers will be to just enjoy this work from home phase, as you get much more time to spend with your family. While work is important, health is important too hence have food on time. In terms of work – share even the small bottlenecks with your team or manager so that it can be resolved on time.
Q. In your view, what is the scope of this industry in the years to come?
Navin:The industry trends and scope evolve in the most unexpected ways. And what’s fascinating is that the most interesting opportunities often come by at places where they intersect. The global digital experience platform market size is projected to reach USD 15.80 billion by 2025, and enterprises across industries are developing customer-centric strategies by disrupting digital platforms due to the massive impact it can have on its growth.
Several of the decades’ trends represent intriguing combinations of macro forces and other technological advances. A growing class of AI-driven solutions are redefining the way we experience technology today. In the coming years, more enterprises are expected to adopt technologies in aid to better understand and respond to humans. Combing AI with human-centered design techniques to recognize the user’s emotional state and context to leverage emotionally intelligent platforms and emotional data is one of the biggest scope of the industry moving ahead.
I also admire the work that E-wallet companies like Paytm and PhonePe are doing, as I am currently working on the BFSI domain and want to learn and explore a lot from their work. I also admire leading e-Commerce companies like Amazon and Flipkart and wish to explore this industry alongside BFSI.
Q. Your advice to students & freshers exploring opportunities in this field?
Navin: Given the current market value it holds and how technology is an indispensable part of our lives, the future is extremely bright. In a world of infinite unknowns, what can help students exploring this niche is to channelize their interests and narrow down on a meaningful collection of technologies and look beyond the obvious, which could perhaps be the onset of an invention that simplifies the lives of millions of people around the globe.
In subsequent interviews of this series, we hope to introduce other talented members of our team, understand their inspirations, and what drives them to innovate to create digital solutions that simplify lives of millions.
In November 2017, Leonardo da Vinci’s last painting ‘Salvator Mundi’ was sold at an unbelievable price of $450 million, making it the most expensive painting in the world. Needless to say, not just the art community and the connoisseurs of art but the entire world was left astounded by the price of this sale.
So, why would someone pay such a huge fortune for a painting?
The answer? They are not buying the painting, they are making a statement. According to psychoanalysis done on the purchase, The individual who bought the painting is someone for whom the value of owning the world’s most expensive artwork outweighs literally everything else.
The above statement holds true for most luxury purchases made. We don’t pay for the product; we pay for the experience and the exclusivity and the aspiration associated with it. On the other hand, most days to day purchases are either need-based or impulsive, where price plays an important role.
For the same reason, the rules of customer engagement for the luxury retail sector are also different than the regular retail sector. For instance:
Creating a perfect customer experience is the most critical factor while engaging with customers.
Luxury brands seek exclusivity; they do not try to be everything to everyone.
Brand communication across touch-points focuses on creating an aura, a mystique and appeal to the emotional or irrational brain.
Until a few years ago, for luxury brands, conventional wisdom used to be creating the best-in-class customer experiences in the store and not much importance was attributed to the e-commerce channels, online interactions or multi-branded retail websites. However, with the changing times, the way shoppers buy luxury products has also altered – digital experiences play a critical role. While the reason behind purchasing luxury items remain the same, the modes of purchase are changing. A 2019 Deloitte report showed that HENRYs (High-Earners-Not–Rich-Yet), one of the most preferred and ideal target audience for luxury brands, paid online with mobile devices or with debit/credit cards to earn reward points. Another report by luxe states that the overall global luxury market sales will increase from 313 billion USD (in 2016) to 471 USD in 2025. Of this total, the sales made via online channels will increase from 25 billion USD (in 2016) to 91 billion USD.
The trend to note here is that while the global sales value is increasing by about 65%, the online sales value is increasing by over 300%. Interestingly, the same report showed that at least 40% of all luxury purchases were influenced by consumers’ online experience.
In a few years, Millennials and Gen Z will account for almost 45% of all luxury purchases made. Further, today’s luxury buyers are more tech-savvy than ever. According to this ICSC report:
Millennials and Gen Z shoppers will account for nearly 55% of the luxury retail market by 2025, becoming the primary target audience.
The mindset of the Millenials and Gen Z audience is tech-oriented, which is why luxury brands are making huge digital investments or partnering with other e-commerce companies for online distribution.
Today’s luxury product buyers are not just concerned with price and quality, but also look for premium and personalized experiences.
Luxury brands have taken note of this shift well in time and are using technology in their favor to interact with today’s consumers at the same wavelength. Here’s how luxury brands across the globe are playing the technology game right and things that brands across industries can learn from:
Changing with the times – creating compelling digital experiences
The baby-boomer audience is brand loyal and values traditional buying, but they have also adopted the online spending patterns of the younger generations. The millennials are anyway the digital-natives.
The common thread between both these audiences is the rise in the online time spent and the shift towards online buying. With users spending a huge amount of their digital time on smartphones more so on apps, mobile has become a critical aspect of engaging with the consumers. Luxury retail segments are leveraging this love of consumers for their smartphones and the accessibility of apps to connect with them and create experiences that matter for their customers. Here are some examples:
Using apps for customer engagement
Gucci
Most luxury brands use their apps with a focus on brand awareness and keeping in touch with their customers. Nearly all of them have features like a catalog with new collections, videos or photos from fashion shows, fashion tips and trends, etc. However, very few get creative and create experiences that are sticky, interactive and delightful; and Gucci, the renowned Italian fashion brand, did just that.
In 2017, during the holiday season, Gucci added new features to its mobile app to make the most of the spending-heavy season.
The app offered a holiday gift guide, featuring a catalog of products either selected or designed for the season. The virtual guide was embellished with designs and artwork by Spanish artist Ignasi Monreal, making up an interactive “Book of Gifts” with shoppable GIFs and a holiday countdown calendar.
Other new features in the app included a virtual reality video, which had a nine-day countdown clock, Gucci-branded stickers, and emojis that could be placed over photos taken in the app. A “Cabinet of Curiosities” feature, which was unlocked when shoppers at Gucci boutiques scan a mobile sticker in window displays. Once the users scan the stickers, a virtual world with spell bounding designs featuring the 2017 gifts selection of ready-to-wear apparel and accessories by Alessandro Michele, opened up.
Luxury brands do not just have to create great brand experiences. They also have to make sure that their customers feel special and get exclusive attention from the brands. In such a scenario, Chatbots helps brands to deliver superior and personalized customer service as well. An example of a brand that leveraged the Chatbot technology to connect with their customers is:
The brand introduced its chatbot during New York Fashion Week, with the aim to drive traffic to their website and create personalized customer experience around their new collection. The bot lets the user steer the conversation in a different direction, based on what the user wants by giving them an option to get fashion styling advice, browse the full collection, or take a look behind the scenes of the latest fashion show starring Gigi Hadid.
Using the power of social media to build the aspirational value
According to Oberlo, approximately 42% (approximately 3.2 billion social media users in the world) of the world’s population is on some form of social media, and spend an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes on one or more social media platforms every day. Facebook leads the race in 2019 with approximately 2.32 billion active users every month. 90% of all millennials are active on some form of social media, and 77.5% of all Gen X users are active on some form of social media, both being the main audience for luxury brands.
These staggering statistics have shifted the focus for luxury retail brands towards social media marketing. The same Oberlo report states that 54 % of people who browse social media platforms use it to research products, and consequently, 73% of marketers who implemented social media marketing said their efforts were effective.
Jean-Paul Gaultier
The French luxury fashion brand used the power of Twitter hashtags to create enough noise about the brand, without posting a single tweet. The brand created a Glory wall on its website which featured users’ names when they tweeted about the JPG collection tagging them. If more users mentioned the brand the higher up their names would appear on the wall. The handle with the most tweets at the end of a designated period earned a bottle of their favorite perfume.
Tesla went beyond getting popular influencers for their campaign; they asked their existing customers to share their ‘Tesla stories’ and used these stories to build a connection with their consumers. The brand’s website has a dedicated section for a customer testimonial. By doing this Tesla not just strengthened the brand loyalty of the existing customer base; it also raised the aspirational value of the brand.
One of the most critical aspects of luxury retail is the overall shopping experience that the consumer gets while buying a luxury product and it is more than just ease of transaction. It is about creating an unforgettable luxurious experience. Most luxury brands are known for providing the best-in-class ambiance inside their store for this very reason.
According to a Forbes report, the overall global market for VR and AR in specifically the retail sector will reach 1.6 billion US dollars by 2025. Luxury retail brands have a lot to benefit from implementing AR and VR into their customer experience strategy.
Here are some examples of the brands which are using technologies like Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, mobile apps, etc. to create interesting in-store experiences.
Jaguar Land Rover
To enhance the luxury car experience, Jaguar Land Rover partnered with IBM to launch a new in-store virtual reality screen. The store enabled customers to experience the Jaguar or Land Rover model using a sensory-based technology. The consumer could control the environment around the experience through an iPad and Microsoft Kinect sensory technology and can choose the model, color, and features of a car. The experience also allowed consumers to get into the car to check out interior features with a 360-degree view, and to make real-time changes.
Dior
Christian Dior is blending technology and fashion design with the introduction of virtual reality headsets in a number of its boutiques, creating an immersive 3D experience with its collection and runway atmosphere. By rolling out ‘Dior Eyes’ in a number of its stores, Dior maintains its relevance and provides an elevated in-store experience. The headset is equipped with high-definition image resolution and integrated holophonic audio, creating a 3D immersion into the backstage world at a fashion show, including the sensation of 360° vision, letting visitors move about in the virtual universe.
Creating a sensory appeal
For the purchase of luxury brands, desire plays a key role. So luxury brands should aim to create that desire in their digital experiences too – be it offline or online. The regular display of merchandise which would be par for the course in an e-commerce app or a regular retail store will not apply here. One of the ways that luxury brands use to create desire and emotional connect is by appealing to the sensory stimulations of the shoppers, both for in-store and digital experiences.
When it comes to digital experiences, technologies like AR/VR see a lot of usages to appeal to the shoppers’ sense since they help brands to alter a consumer’s ambiance digitally. Some brands which are using sensory branding using digital technologies are:
Burberry
Burberry is one of the pioneers when it comes to using technology whether it is in-store or online. It has also done exemplary work when it comes to using these technologies to create sensory experiences in-store.
Burberry’s in its flagship store in London gave shoppers an experience of a theatre, with 500 speakers and 100 screens fitted throughout, which show original content created in-house at Burberry. In this store, customers can’t help but engage with all their senses with the brand.
The physical store aimed to replicate the user-friendly experience of the website and hence, they were not just engaged but were also effortlessly guided through the store through their intuitive navigation.
Prada x Prada the 360-degree VR experience platform launched by the brand takes consumers on a sensorial journey and an exploration of the world of Prada fragrances.
The VR-based app takes shoppers to an interactive digital journey. Through a transitional series of scenes and experiences – each one offering glimpses into the narrative and aesthetic codes of La Femme Prada and L’Homme Prada. Users are immersed in a three-dimensional space from which multiple experiences can be activated. The ensuing succession of textures, scents, sounds, and interactions evokes the multi-faceted nature of the fragrances and stimulates multiple senses of the user.
Luxury marketing has a code of its own. A key aspect of luxury brands is to create desire. It is anchored at tapping into the emotional, even irrational brand. We all have our emotional brain and rational brain playing a role in decision making. But almost always it is the emotional brain that leads our purchase decisions. Prof Baba Shiv of Stanford University said that:
‘’The rational brain is only good at rationalizing what the emotional brain has already decided.’’
We see this all the time with the purchase of fashion brands. In the case of luxury brand retailing, such irrational behavior is taken to an extreme where desire plays a key role.
Over the years Robosoft has partnered with leading luxury retailers including a leading brand of super-premium writing instruments and a German automobile manufacturer, to create state of the art digital experiences.
While working for these brands we have learned that luxury brands should aim to create the desire in their digital experiences too – be it a website, an iPad app or a mobile app. Some of the key elements of creating desire are mystique, sensory visual appeal, and the design approach. The design of such experiences should be simple wherein the content is always the main focus, celebrating each product.
‘’ Luxury brands should be mindful of quality vs quantity, control that urges to add everything in the guise of Product Visibility. There is indeed a stark difference between abundance and unnecessary choices.’’
Technology opens up the door of the luxury brands to create these elements for their audiences in an omni-channel environment.
The first ever aeroplane took flight on 17th December 1903. Today, over a hundred years later, with 3.7 Billion passengers a year and delivering one-third of the world’s trade, the airline industry has come a long way.
With the growth of airline industry, the players have also mushroomed, each trying to win over customers by delighting them through value and innovation. The customer too expects something more with every flight they take. Airlines are stepping up their game with technology and are trying not just to meet customer expectations but exceed them.
Building personalisation, a seamless digital interface at every touch point, operational efficiencies, environmentally friendly technologies and so on are all the elements a utopian airline world is made of. This utopian dream might soon become a reality with the fast-growing technology space.
Let us look at how technology helps airlines meet inherent industry challenges and create memorable and delightful flight experiences for their customers.
Industry challenges and how digitisation can solve them
Operational efficiency:
Flight delays and operational inefficiencies are not just annoying for the flyers, but also cost a great deal of dollars for the airline industry. It is estimated that during any given flight the travel time, fuel use, and flight path are 18% to 22% inefficient and an idle plane costs the operator $81 every minute. Time wasted due to operational glitches like unplanned maintenance, or inspection delays are unnecessary and avoidable. Such operational inefficiencies mean extra costs to the airline and most importantly they also add to the dissatisfaction of the customer.
In the age of digitisation and social media ‘hell hath no fury like that of a disgruntled customer’. Hence, airlines try to improve their services continuously. Thankfully, technologies implemented right help them do it easily.
Digital applications can considerably reduce the instances of operational malfunctions. E.g. they can notify the engineers on the maintenance required even before a plane touches down, through digital twins simulating the wear and tear on an aircraft’s systems and parts.
Flight delays and the costs associated with them are an even bigger deal for airlines. To reduce instances of delays and improve operational efficiencies, GE has created an innovative problem-solving process called FastWorks, which airlines are using to address customer issues more quickly and efficiently. Further, PASSUR, a business intelligence company also partnered with GE to build intelligence solutions for the aviation industry to address biggest operational challenges and opportunities with the goal of improving overall airline and airport reliability, service, and cash flow.
Personalisation:
“It’s all about showing the business what is possible and what the technology could do for them and their customers.” – Tim Graham, Technology Innovation & Development Manager at Virgin Atlantic.
According to the SITA 2017 Air Transport IT Trends Insights report, airlines and airports are estimated to spend nearly US$33 billion on IT this year. More than half of these investments (68 percent) are expected to be spent on customer personalisation. These numbers clearly suggest that airlines are well aware of the fact that today’s digital natives are used to customised interactions and personalised solutions, thanks to the growth of e-commerce and the popularity of social media channels.
For airlines, customer interactions start way before the flight is even boarded; the test begins when the flyer is looking for a flight and extends way after they unboard the plane. It can be a daunting task to keep up with the changing customer demands and provide a seamless and delightful experience throughout the passenger journey.
Before airlines even begin to personalise a passenger’s experience, they have to be sure of what do air travellers want? What problem do they want to be solved? And, how can they work with the other members of the industry – airports, travel agents/sites to build a 360-degree digital experience?
Technology provides enough customer data enabling airlines to get to know their customers well. Further, when it comes to providing data to airlines, customers don’t shy away. According to a research, 85% of travellers are happy to provide additional personal data to airlines. Analytics can help immensely in making sense of all this data and help airlines answer the questions mentioned above.
Digital applications can help airlines personalise customer experience across every touch point. Technology can delight customers with customised offers, easy and faster check-ins, providing options to track and control their luggage remotely so on and so forth.
Cost efficiency:
It is estimated that just 1% reduction in jet fuel use alone could save the industry $30 billion over 15 years. We know that the commercial aviation industry trades on low margins and high volume. Even minimal changes in fuel efficiency, reduction in operational and training costs etc. can save huge costs for the sector.
Over the years fuel efficiency of aircrafts has increased. Today, fuel per passenger kilometre has come down to 70% since the 1960’s, and aircrafts have become 75% quieter. But simultaneously, the number of flights has also increased by leaps and bounds. This prolific rise in the volume of flights not just impacts costs; it is also detrimental to the environment.
Digitisation can help airlines in reducing the environmental implications due to the increase in air traffic. For instance, pilots can follow pre-programmed landing patterns that save energy and improve safety, while airlines can also analyse this data to optimise routes and altitudes to reduce emissions.
Further, digitisation implemented right can go a long way in helping the industry with less downtime, better service and higher margins. Biometric identity management, Beacons and Way Finding solutions, Pre-airport self-service options etc. are some ways the airlines are delegating manual tasks to technology and saving costs,
How airlines are using technology in creating delightful experiences for flyers
“We wanted technology that would help us better understand our guests’ needs, focus on their individual priorities, and create an experience they can’t get with any other airline. These new solutions give us invaluable insights into our guests to create tailored experiences that drive loyalty, and support our mission to make flying good again.” – David Cush, president and chief executive officer of Virgin America.
A sentiment echoed by most airline professionals, and thus airlines are trying to offer the best possible service, keeping in mind the expectations of their tech-savvy customers, with a plethora of options at their disposal.
Though airlines do provide some personalisation options, they are mostly limited to offers and recommendations. An omnichannel digital experience is amiss. Some of the reasons for this are reliance on ageing systems, a lack of omnichannel capabilities and an inability to seamlessly coordinate the activities of multiple partners in the value chain.
According to a study done: on a scale of 5, the average mood rating of customers using airline websites was 2.4, with only 30% of customers rating themselves as satisfied. The majority of the feedback was submitted on the desktop (59%). However, mobile users reported the highest levels of overall satisfaction – with an average mood rate of 2.8.
The above statistics aptly explains what a PWC report stated in 2015 – ‘’Air travel remains for many a disappointing, grumble-worthy experience.’’ And in today’s world this experience starts right from the booking stage.
Below are some major customer pain points when it comes to digital interactions with airlines and how some forward-thinking airlines are addressing them:
Search and Navigation
As soon as customers start looking for a flight, airlines’ interaction with them begins. First and foremost their website must be SEO friendly and geared up to rank on the search engine’s first page – that’s elementary of course. But as soon as the customers land on the site their experience starts. Navigation on site must be easy for all kinds of passengers, those who exactly know the itinerary of their travel and those who are just vaguely planning a vacation.
Little things can make the website extremely easy or complicated for the users. One such function on the website can be the calendar view, which has the potential for causing confusion.
Should it scroll vertically or horizontally? What is the ideal number of months to display at one time? Should different dates with lower prices be displayed? – These may sound like basic questions, yet are extremely important.
One airline which has got this right is Raynair, with their smart calendar option which allows the customer to slide through different dates to compare prices simply, and when the departure date is altered, the return date calendar automatically slides across to the days following this date.
Emirates’ responsive calendar is another such great example, which has an ‘Inspire Me’ function which allows the user to input selected information about their ideal trip, then offers several different options of destinations and prices.
Nothing can be more annoying for a customer than going through a cumbersome process of searching, selecting and entering information on an airline’s website and having an error on the booking page after all the hard work is done. The booking to payments checkout process on most airlines’ websites is somewhere between 5-7 steps.
It can be incredibly frustrating for the customers to go through the grill of flight selection, upsells, seat selection, payment and confirmation etc. Thus, it is important to simplify the process and make it engaging.
Adding layers to checkout process also irks the customer as every step, and with every upgrade, their cost is going up. They start booking a flight thinking it costs an amount X, however after adding meals, extra baggage, seat selection etc. most of the times the cost goes up significantly. This leads the customer to think that either the airline is ripping them of money, or they are compromising on luxuries to actually get the value of their booking. In any case, the result is a dissatisfied customer.
According to Joe Leech, author of Psychology for Designers, and an expert in the design of UX for maximum consumer engagement:
“It’s all about timing. There are two ways to sell any item: talking about the positive things that a purchase gives you, or about the negative things that a purchase solves. During overnight flights, you’re most likely to upgrade if it’s a flight when you want to sleep. Flying back it could be about getting most successful upsells are at the right time when the problem might arise, selling travel insurance two or three days before they visit, for example.”
Some of the things which Leech suggests can elevate customer experience are:
a) Upselling the customer an insurance nearer to the date of journey, when they are more likely to prepare for the trip and take appropriate precautions envisioning the problems that may arise during their journey. At this point, they are more likely to buy, considering it as a necessary expense.
b) Similarly, he suggests, passengers may be more likely to buy extra luggage allowance on their return trip—when they may be packing their bags and find they’ve purchased more at their destination than they can fit. A call to action for extra baggage allowance, through email, app notification or text message, is ideally timed at this point in the journey.
This unbundling of the services is known as ‘ancillary unbundling’. Kulula is an airline that has benefited by selling unbundled ancillaries on its website and believes offering critical services along the journey could further increase sales and improve customer service.
According to Lain Meaker, executive manager for commercial distribution for Comair Ltd., a unit of Kulula.com
“Products like seat pre-purchases discounted extra baggage, priority boarding all help customers in accessing specific preferences up front help with overall satisfaction. Giving customers access to these at all possible interaction points in an easy and simple interface is key to closing the loop.’’
Some of the other key tips to keep in mind to improve the booking experience for customers are:
1) Making sure customers are engaged on the site and do not lose track of the most relevant information on the site. Most airlines ensure that selected flight and price are fixed in the sidebar, that way they remain in view.
2) Easy currency conversions – while booking international flights currency conversions can be extremely confusing for the customer. To ease this out, some airlines like KLM, automatically alter the currency when the customer changes their country selection. This minimises the chances of confusion and adds an element of security for the user.
3) Making mobile bookings easy – according to the Google Travel Trends report, 46% of travellers make their travel decision on mobile, but finish bookings on a different device. Therefore, it is important for airlines to ensure that their mobile interface is geared up to handle the complexity of the booking process. Introducing a mobile app will further help this cause.
Post booking interactions
An airline’s digital interaction with the customer does not end with booking the flight. After sales services play an important role when it comes to retaining the customer and building a positive interaction for them. However, nudging customers towards seat selection, adding luggage, or investing in partner companies for amenities like insurance or rental cars should be done subtly and non-intrusively.
KLM airlines does this well with their minimalist page design; the options for adding extra luggage etc. are there but they don’t have an overwhelming presence, just a simple option to select or not.
Mobile apps also play a significant role when it comes to booking management. According to a study, around two-thirds of travellers use airline apps. Amongst them 40%, use the apps to replace paper tickets and boarding passes. Among them, 13% are most likely to use apps to make flight arrangements or to manage flight disruptions.
Recently Kulula upgraded digital channels and introduced a new mobile app which has improved the airline’s digital relationships with their customers, and the efficiency of its operations. According to Lain Meaker, executive manager for commercial distribution for Comair Ltd., a unit of Kulula.com:
“The mobile app that we introduced was a simple extension to our customer self-service that took place on our website. It’s a very simple application that allows for content on schedules, policies etc., mobile check-in, weather and flight status. It’s purely a supporting application for servicing. So while it’s a simple application, it has helped in driving more people to check-in online. This has the benefit of better customer satisfaction as those that don’t have baggage don’t have to queue, as well as the process efficiencies the airports with fewer people to deal with at the counters. Online check-in on the web has been available for some time.”
Easing out the check-in process
While mobile apps and websites ease out the check-in process to some extent, there remains a lot of scope for improving it further. According to a survey, 31% of customers who used mobile, rated the experience as negative due to the check-in process.
According to SITA’s Air Transport IT Trends report, in 2017, more than 91% of travellers use an airline’s mobile app for doing check-ins. While airlines are investing in mobile-specific apps, today most airlines are also trying to take out the stress out of the check-in process with Kiosks at the airport. Whatever be the medium, it is important for them to provide a seamless and an easy to navigate interface on the platform.
In-flight app experience
Smartphones are revolutionising customer experiences across industries and airlines are leveraging the medium to provide 360-degree digital experience to the passenger while flying. Here are some ways smartphones have changed the way people fly.
Panasonic’s Waterfront concept suite lets passengers customise their in-flight experience with their smartphone:
Last year, Panasonic in partnership with B/E Aerospace, Formation Design Group and TEAGUE launched Waterfront concept seat. According to Panasonic, the objective with the new seat is to “take care of a passenger’s wellbeing in a more holistic way.” Using B/E Aerospace’s Super Diamond seat as a platform, the Waterfront seat features a full privacy door, which “gives a First-Class feel within the confines of a Business Class footprint,” as RGN puts it.
1) Passengers will be able to control the in-flight entertainment system and the suite’s environment from their phone or from a supplied 7” tablet.
2) Passengers can then use their smartphone to control the in-flight entertainment system, as well as order food, drinks and snacks to their seat. For passengers who have previously flown with the airline, the app keeps track of any food, drink or viewing preferences from previous flights.
3) When passengers want to get some sleep, the app can be used to adjust the seat’s recline – including turning it into a fully-flat 79-inch bed.
4) When the flight lands, the app will provide gate, baggage claim and car rental information and remind passengers to check the seat for any items they may have left behind.
Flight Stages Timeline on IFE system:
Developed in-house in partnership with creative agency Reaktor, Finnair has dubbed its Panasonic IFE system ‘Nordic Sky’. The on-screen display shows the main stages of the flight, guiding passengers from departure throughout all stages of their journey, informing them in advance when meals will be served, when rest lighting will be activated, and when passengers can make purchases from the in-flight shopping service.
Cabin crew announcements appear at the top of the display and inform passengers of events such as flight schedule and meal delivery. The cabin crew can update all flight events – such as the flight schedule and the food menu – in real time.
Delta Airlines creates ‘glass bottom’ iPad app for its planes so passengers can look at view
Delta airlines introduced an iPad app, which lets aeroplane passengers admire the view, keep up to speed with their flight’s progress and find out what is going on 30,000ft below.
The ‘glass bottom jet’ feature is accessed through in-flight Wi-Fi from 10,000 ft and allows passengers to track their flight by watching a computerised image of the plane on their handheld device.
The modern-day travellers expect airline experiences which are inline and at par with other industries, as innovative products and services in one industry raise the bar for all industries. To cater to these travellers airlines and airports must consistently work towards designing customer experiences from a holistic perspective, integrating both online and offline channels.
Today’s digitally-savvy customers expect personalised, on-time solutions which solve real-life problems for them. Simply adding digital assets is not the solution, the new-age flyer expects a seamless and delightful experience. As airlines consistently work towards building on-demand, real-time and end-to-end solutions for customers, we can expect that the future of airline travel is going to be a lot more exciting for flyers and profitable for the airlines.
Each passing year How technology deconstructs Teaches to start afresh
As we come to the end of 2018, this Haiku seems to be a fitting goodbye to the year. Endings are always about looking back appreciating what went well, gathering the learnings and moving ahead.
All year long, we have tried to do good work with our partners, explore and learn newer technologies and also sharing our experiences through our blog posts, e-books and case studies. So, as we arrive at the end of the year, we are taking a look at all that we learnt and shared through our blog, in 2018.
In this article, we have picked the 5 of the best reads for you. We hope you enjoy reading all of them…once again!
Ease of use of a digital product is paramount to client satisfaction and both FinTech companies and traditional banks realize this. And, as we all know – client satisfaction is the key to overall customer engagement, sales, long-term banking-client relationships and growth.
But do banking executives understand just how important exceptional user experience is for consumers? According to a recent survey, banks are misinterpreting and miscalculating the role user experience plays in the overall satisfaction customers have with a banking product. Something which FinTech enterprises and some prudent banks have gotten right. However, most banking executives are completely missing the mark at correctly understanding the rise in popularity for fintech products.
In this article, we will show a series of 15 different user experience features which have reached mass adoption among consumers. In doing so, we want to help banking executives visualize the difference between what their digital experiences offer and what consumers expect. And, hopefully, help them bridge the gap.
According to a recent study by U.S. Bank, 46 percent of people say that they do cash transactions less than eight days a month and 5 percent say they never use cash. Even if they do cash transactions, the amount spent is on the lower side. Most people keep less than $50 cash in their wallet. While for smaller transaction values cash remains the predominant mode of payment, spending through digital payment modes are on the rise.
It is predicted that by 2025, the overall spending through digital wallets will have increased by ten folds!
Digital Transformation is imperative for all businesses. However, Digital Transformation will look different for different companies. At Robosoft we understand both the necessities as well as the risks surrounding Digital Transformation. That’s why when we work with our clients to implement Digital Transformation in their organizations, we do it based on the principles of a holistic problem-solving framework: Design Thinking – a practical and creative method for problem-solving that has evolved from fields as varied as engineering, architecture and business.
In this article, we outline what is design thinking, the key principles around it and how it can accelerate an organization’s digital transformation journey.
Voice searches and voice assistants have piqued users’ interest over the years. According to Gartner, about 30% of all searches will be done without a screen by 2020 and as per Comscore, 50% of all searches will be voice searches. Voice assistants have changed customers’ relationship with smartphones from being a communication device to being enablers of simplifying some of our daily tasks.
In this article, we outline how today’s consumers are using voice assistant and how the retail industry can use voice assistants to engage with consumers and offer a delightful user experience for them.
Health and technology are coming together like never before. From self-prognosis to smart diagnosis, from wearables for technophobes to object sensors for elderly care, from real-time health monitoring to remote patient management, from smart pharmacies to timely medicine dispensers, and from biostamps to injectables — processes, services and devices in the health spectrum are being vehemently explored. Today, we are witnessing varied types of innovations being explored in order to achieve a democratic approach towards healthcare. However, these healthcare interactions are happening in isolation. They are solving one problem at a time across the journey, waiting for the rest to be solved by another. So, there is a gap that the industry still needs to fill – integrating all the pieces on technologies together to create a connected ecosystem.
In this article, we outline, how process innovations, technology innovations and business innovations are changing the healthcare landscape and the need for a unified healthcare ecosystem and various possibilities towards achieving that.
As we begin our preparations to welcome 2019, a lot of us will be keeping our reading lists for the coming year ready to grow in our professional and personal lives. As our CEO, Ravi Teja Bommireddipalli, puts it across –
‘’Aside from hands-on experience, I realized that the holistic thinking outlined in several books helped me immensely to grasp the problems at hand and offer solutions.’’
Among many such books, here are Ravi’s top five picks, which would help CXOs and budding CXO’s take a 360-degree approach in solving business problems.
In today’s world ‘patient cycle time’ doesn’t start with a visit to a doctor’s clinic or a hospital and ends when the treatment stops.
It starts right from the time patients start researching on their ailments’ symptoms on the internet, look for doctors’ reviews online and book appointments on an app. And, this cycle goes on till patients get post-treatment consultations from their doctors via a chatbot or a chatting app like Messenger.
Digital technologies, especially in the area of Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud (SMAC), are helping in transforming the healthcare domain into an efficient, cost-effective, transparent and customized service.
From Terminator to Iron Man, movies have kindled our interest in technologies like Augmented Reality for many years. While storytellers have used their imagination to show us an augmented world-view and implications of such technologies, many of that imaginary stuff which may have looked too advanced for the real world, have today become a reality.
Trends have been the hallmark of the fashion industry over the last few decades. Such trends are usually short lived – they probably last for a season or so. Now we live in a social media world, where trends last less than a day! But on a serious note, paying attention to game-changing trends in the mobile & tech world makes sense for enterprises lest they miss out on opportunities which impact their very existence. If Kodak had only paid attention to how photography changed through digital cameras and then mobile phones, the company would still be thriving in an era where selfies and point & shoot are common
Recently we welcomed Ravi Teja Bommireddipalli as our CEO. Ravi is a rare blend of engineering, business development, design thinking and transformational business strategy. Ravi is a global digital consulting leader with experience across diverse industries in the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Emerging technologies are making things exciting in every realm of life; things which were imagined only in fairy tales are becoming a reality today. Mobile made it possible to communicate with anyone we want to from anywhere and anytime, Virtual Reality is opening up possibilities to be anywhere we want to anytime we want to.
When the first commercial flight took off over a century ago, carrying 1200 passengers in a short span of 4 months, little did we know that the airline industry is going to change the way people travel forever. Back then, it was a mode of travel only for the elite; the first air ticket ever sold was purchased for $400 (a sum that would be equal to $10,000 today). Today, air travel has become accessible to most and carries a humungous 3.7 billion passengers per year. The airline industry has not just seen an avalanche of passengers but also an immense shift in the way it operates, thanks to the new and exciting technologies impacting the airline landscape.
The industry was firmly on cruise control when suddenly it crash landed in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world, one of the major industry to get hit severely was the aviation industry. The profits for airline carriers were at all time low and many private carriers shutting shop due to heavy losses. The total cumulative losses for aviation industry between the period of 2020-2022 is estimated to be $201 Bn.
But thanks to the ever-changing dynamics of the industry owing to the technological revolution and the ever-evolving nature of consumer behavior, the airline industry has managed to recover well from the unforeseen challenges and is on a trajectory to regain its earlier status. There are however still prevalent challenges pre-pandemic that have become major concerns for all airline organizations.
Some of the challenges that the airline industry has continuously been facing even in the pre-pandemic era are:
#1 Operational efficiency
#2 Declining workforce
#3 Increasing CX while maintaining operational costs
#4 Increasing fuel prices
#5 Maintaining quality service in wake of high customer demands
#6 Volatility in certain geo markets
In our article: How technology is giving flight to customer experiences in the airline industry, we detailed the way some challenges mentioned above impact the airline industry and how technology is helping them address these. We have also pitched for a new pricing model – Right Price Model, for airline business which tackles the important CX initiatives while maintaining operational costs.
Taking the discussion further, in this article we will look at the emerging technologies which are digitally transforming the airline industry and paving the way for the future of a digitally transformed and customer-centric airline industry.
1. Blockchain Technology
A blockchain is a distributed database that maintains a shared list of data or records.
Blockchain technology started out as one of the revolutionary solutions in financial sector. But the recent years have shown that this technology has many uses across multiple industries, including airlines.
The operation of the airline industry has a lot of moving parts and requires data sharing at multiple touchpoints from booking to arrival and even after that amongst multiple players including airlines, online travel portals, airports, immigration so on and so forth. Any leakage of the data through the entire cycle has the potential to not only diminish user experience and affect revenue but jeopardize passenger safety and security as well.
Benefits of blockchain technology in airline industry:
Identity Management & Record Keeping – Blockchain technology enables a hassle-free remote identity management system for airlines as compared to the laborious current biometric system. It can also help in safely keeping records of critical information such as passenger details, baggage onboarding, flight path, tracking down a lost entity, etc.
Cross Integrations for Seamless Travel Experience – Blockchain technology can help airlines turn the miles offered to the flyers into a more valuable asset that customers can use beyond the flying. It can integrate with other aspects of travel industry like ticketing, loyalty programs and non-airline logistical industries like transportation and hotels to create a unified seamless experience for travelers.
Building a robust data security system – With so many passenger records to maintain it is an uphill task for the airlines to manage and maintain the sanity and privacy of this data. Blockchain technology with a security wrapper can help in creating a unique and secure way of sharing and managing this information through the use of authorized access requirements.
Airline maintenance – Airlines have to deal with a humungous amount of data including cumbersome databases and sometimes manual binders when it comes to keeping a log of maintenance records. Blockchain can help the industry to ensure that these records are virtually recorded. Ensuring that all information regarding the procurement of the parts of the aircraft, the maintenance history, the person who has handled the maintenance, modifications that were done, etc. are recorded in real-time, virtually, and is accessible to relevant people when the records need to be accessed. All these details available at the right time without the chances of any error can improve the practice of maintenance, security, and safety to new levels.
Examples of blockchain technology uses in the airline industry:
– Air France deployed blockchain technologies to create a COVID-19 test verification system via a mobile app during the pandemic.
– British Airways and Zamna are working towards facial recognition features using blockchain.
– Etihad Airways partnered with Winding Tree for their blockchain travel platform.
– Singapore Airlines uses blockchain technology for their frequent flyer loyalty program using KrisPay. It also offers promotions to customers along with the program.
2. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
Industries like retail, healthcare, etc. are seeing a lot of uses of the AR/VR revolution. The airline industry is also following suit. Right now one of the most obvious applications of these technologies can be expected to be seen in the airport arena. AI can not only lessen the burden on human resource but increase satisfaction when used for customer service in airports.
Examples of AR/VR uses by some airports to delight their customers:
– The Gatwick airport uses AR to help passengers navigate the complex layout of the airport, and London City Airport has installed AR tech to help air traffic controllers with the vital job of keeping planes safe.
– Vodka brand Grey Goose created a multi-sensorial interactive AR experience at Heathrow Airport to engage with customers. As part of this experience, the customers can unveil three new flavors of the brand with simple hand gestures.
– Istanbul Airport created a virtual character called CiGA through AR technology that’ll accompany passengers around retail stores. The character presents special offers from participating retailers and directs them within iGA Istanbul Airport International Arrivals Bosphorus area.
– Another example of AR technology enhancing the airport experience is San Jose International Airport partnering with the Google Tango team for a trial of augmented reality technology in wayfinding, through airport retail promotions and even AR billboards displaying destination information.
According to Jonathan Vaden, lead of the project “Once augmented reality technology becomes ubiquitous, we will see many new and creative ways in which airports around the world begin taking advantage of its capabilities.’’
– Airlines are also starting to use AR/VR technology to create delightful customer experiences for their customers. Qantas is one such airline that has launched a VR app that provides its passengers with immersive, engaging, and experiential videos of the beautiful Australian destinations.
– Together, American and Microsoft are applying the power of AI, machine learning and data analytics to reduce the taxi time for flights, giving connecting customers extra time to make their next flight while also saving thousands of gallons of jet fuel and decreasing CO2 emissions for the American Airlines fleet. Built on Azure, American’s intelligent gating program provides real-time analysis of data points, including routing and runway information to automatically assign the nearest available gate to arriving aircraft.
3. Artificial Intelligence
AI is gaining traction in present times and becoming more and more equipped to understand human interactions. Many industries are using it to upgrade customer experience at every touchpoint. From chatbots to voice-based AI tools there are umpteen use cases of AI being utilized.
AI integrated with machine learning, and predictive analytics can help immensely in providing a connected and customized experience to the flyers. Further, AI also has the potential to ease out various operational processes of airlines like revenue management, managing ticket pricing, etc. A lot of forward-thinking airlines understand the impact AI can have in multiple areas of the industry and are already investing in the same.
Examples of AI technology uses in the airline industry:
– Shenzhen airport in China uses AI for AI airbridge allocation as well as for AI turnaround times. Another application of AI in airports can be found in autonomous airside operations.
– UK-based EasyJet uses AI predictive analysis to make sense of all the available customer data and use these insights to create offers and services personalized for individual travelers. The airline also has a recognition tool that reads passports and fills out all the information for flyers—easing the data entry and data management tasks more manageable.
– Air France implemented the specialized AI platform called Sky Breath that collects data from the flight, performs in-depth analytics, and helps identify fuel-saving opportunities and increase efficiency.
– Delta Airlines installed four self-service kiosks at the St. Paul International Airport that used facial recognition technology to verify customer identity by matching customer faces to their passport photos.
4. Beacons technology
Beacon technology has seen a lot of success when it comes to retail. Given the fact that GPS or Global Positioning System is dependent on the low ranging indoor satellite signals, there is a huge potential for the airline industry to use Beacons in making navigation easy for travelers between different terminals at the airport. Further, Beacons can help airports and vendors at the airport premises to know where passengers are and then send them personalized and relevant information accordingly. These updates can be about boarding gate number, baggage carousel, flight status, or also about the shops and eateries around the customer.
Examples of Beacons technology uses in the airline industry:
– MIAMI International airport is already leveraging Beacons on its premises to create a personalized experience for travelers. The app provides information about the entire airport as travelers navigate through various places on the premises. Further, they are also updated with relevant information depending on their individual journey, e.g. gate numbers, flight updates, baggage collection details, etc. Additionally, with the ‘blue-dot’ functionality, map rotation, turn-by-turn directions, ‘walk times’, and a ‘near me’ feature, they allow passengers to quickly locate virtually anything inside the airport.
– Central America’s one of the largest regional commercial operators, Aeromexico Connect, are trialing Beacon platform for key maintenance bases for a few months. The beacon will be assisting all maintenance operations and accelerate an aircraft’s return-to-service time. Further, it will integrate the platform into the airline’s stations to include their on-call maintenance providers as well.
When we talk about use of robotics in aviation, we normally refer to manufacturing process of an airplane. As you know robotics help in various tasks during manufacturing such as drilling and fastening, welding, sealing and dispensing, inspection, rigid manufacturing, and transportation of parts.
However, the airline industry has also been using robotics in assisting various manual tasks at the airports. These include baggage handling, car parking, assisting with passenger check-in, temperature testing, or security, etc. Now, the implementation of robotics has gone beyond previous mentions as a customer-facing technology at airport terminals.
Examples of usage of robotics in aviation:
– The introduction of KLM’s socially aware ‘Spencer Robot’ in 2016 created a lot of buzz. This robot has been equipped with the capability to deal with social situations between people and can ‘see’ and analyze people nearby with his sensors. Spencer can also distinguish between individuals, families, and larger groups, and also learns about and then complies with social rules, ultimately acting in a human-friendly way.
– Airports like Glasgow Airport and airlines like Japan Airlines, EVA Air, etc. use robots as customer-service agents.
– Kansai Airport in Japan has deployed two security robots since 25 October 2021. These robots autonomously navigate and patrol routes, use a laser sensor to identify their locations and capture images with built-in cameras. They are programmed to stop and stand guard at their designated positions once their other tasks are finished.
– The robot named Pepper, launched by EVA Air, scans boarding passes to provide departure details, gives passengers weather updates for their destination, and informs them of duty-free special offers and airline promotions. Pepper can also play games, shake hands, dance, and pose for photos with travelers.
Biometrics is not new to aviation. All the major and minor airports started implementing it since 9/11 to improve their security details. But over the years it has found use in improving passenger experience as well by improving the time and speed of check-in and other operations.
Adopting Biometrics Technology at airlines and airport touchpoints is an attempt by the industry to add value to customers by delivering a delightful experience. For e.g. Delta Airlines launched the world’s first self-service biometric-enabled baggage drop to “free up more Delta people” to deal with customers.
The advantage of using biometrics at bag drop is two-fold: it helps in saving time for passengers and creating a visual record of the actual passenger dropping the bag – not just someone who might have picked up the suitcase owner’s boarding card.
Some examples of Biometric technology use in airports:
– Fraport in conjunction with Zwipe have agreed to trial their biometric solutions to boost security at Franfurt airport. The biometric data will not be stored in any centralized location which decreases the chance of a large security leak. Also, the use of contactless solutions decreases the chance of any spreading of germs or viruses in wake of the pandemic.
– Miami International Airport and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) started rolling out biometric technology with a few airlines back in 2019. MIA is now seeking a huge biometric push by 2023 that will serve multiple purposes. Quoting Ralph Cutié, MIA Director and CEO here:
“We look forward to elevating our passenger experience with this state-of-the-art boarding solution. MIA is now the busiest U.S. airport for international travel and continues to set new records each month for passenger growth. Biometric boarding is one of the major steps we are taking to pave the way for additional growth in the years to come.”
Some of the critical locations where biometrics can be used are
Check-in
Bag-drop
Security screening
Duty free
Airline lounge
Border control
Self-service boarding gate
Destination immigration
Wearable technology
The wearable devices market was valued at $14.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $85.6 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 24.8%.
Initially designed to supplement the healthcare and fitness industry, wearables have found usage across other industries like retail, banking, and insurance to manufacturing and travel as well.
Airlines have started to use wearable technology in various ways to do more than improve customer experience on flights.
Some of the examples of airlines using wearable technology are:
– Hamad International Airport (HIA) has implemented the use of robotics and advanced thermal helmets in the post COVID-19 era as part of new measures being taken.
The Smart Screening Helmet is a wearable intelligent helmet, which is portable, safe and effective, and enables contactless temperature measurement.
– Japan Airlines use Microsoft’s HoloLens for training its new crew members and engineers. Using HoloLens, the mechanics can be trained in engine mechanics akin to the experience they will have working on an actual plane.
Microsoft has also demonstrated earlier that HoloLens can help in designing airport terminals by providing designers with imagery of the new terminals even before starting the construction.
– EasyJet and British Airways are among the airlines that have created apps for the Apple Watch, enabling passengers to store boarding passes and receive real-time updates on their wrists.
EasyJet has also introduced wearable uniforms for its crew and ground staff. The suit is fitted with hems and LEDs on the shoulders and can provide visual guidance to passengers. It is also equipped with built-in microphones to enable direct communication with passengers. Additionally, the uniform also has a LED-based scrolling ticker, on the lapel jacket, which displays basic information such as the number of the flight, the flight destinations, and lighting guidance in case of emergencies.
– Another, example of wearable devices being used to improve flight experience is the SkyZen app launched by The International Air Transport Association. The app is connected to the Jawbone fitness wristband and enables flyers to view their activity and sleep patterns throughout the flight and creates personalized insights based on their sleep and activity patterns.
8. Internet of Things
The objective of industries adopting IoT is to create a seamless and integrated ecosystem connecting organizational functions with the end consumers. The airline industry plunged into the IoT revolution with the same agenda – building a seamless and integrated ecosystem integrating the organizational functions to increase efficiencies and provide a seamless experience to their customers.
According to the FTE:
‘’Over the course of the next decade, it is likely that all “things” onboard will be connected and the health of everything, from engine performance to the IFE system, will be monitored in real-time. Sensors will automatically detect and report faults to maintenance teams on the ground, removing the need for the crew to manually report faults. Moreover, the addition of sensors to aircraft seats will enable the crew to monitor individual passenger health and wellbeing, and to proactively respond to their needs.’’
Examples of IoT in aviation industry:
– Virgin Airlines have implemented IoT in its Boeing 787. Every single element on the plane is attached to a wireless airplane network, providing real-time IoT data on elements like performance, maintenance, etc.
The airline is using the deluge of data that it is collecting through these flights to improve the efficiency of the aircraft and also be proactive. For example, a jet engine that is performing poorly mid-flight is relaying that information to ground staff throughout its journey, and when the plane lands, airport engineers can then be ready to look into the issue.
– Another example of the implementation of IoT by airlines is EasyJet’s Mobile Host at London’s Gatwick Airport. In this pilot, travelers’ flight details are combined with the live data from the airport’s Google indoor maps. This allows the airline to deliver updated check-in reminders, gate updates, and even personalized directions.
Though the implementation of a 360-degree implementation of IoT systems by airlines still has a long way to go, the process has definitely started on the right note.
9. Big Data
In a digitally connected universe, consumers leave their digital footprints at every touchpoint. Airlines can drive valuable insights by analyzing this data to create delightful experiences for travelers. E.g. Airlines can use this data to understand customer preferences in real-time based on data of their purchase history, travel itineraries, etc., and provide them with customized offers.
Some examples of Big data usage in aviation industry:
– United Airlines uses a smart ‘’collect, detect, act’’ system to analyze around 150 variables in the customer profile including their previous purchases, preferences, etc., and provide tailor-made offers to them. United Airlines has seen a YoY revenue increase of 15% after the implementation of this system.
Further, this data can also help in increasing operational efficiencies through predictive analytics. Predictive analytics can pre-empt any delays that might happen due to the weather forecast and in turn, inform the airline staff about it to keep their customers updated. Further, during any flight, a huge amount of data is generated with regards to pilot reports, incident reports, control positions, warning reports, etc. This data can be used in improving flight efficiency and safety.
– Southwest Airlines has partnered with NASA to indicate potential safety issues. By using machine-learning algorithms, they have built an automated system capable of crunching vast data sets to warn about anomalies and prevent potential accidents.
10. Mobile solutions
Today, smartphones have become an integral part of people’s life. With people spending a huge amount of time interacting with their devices, it has become increasingly important for industries to connect with their customers through the mobile platform.
Airlines have started venturing into the world of mobile solutions and are using this platform to connect with their customers throughout the passenger journey starting from booking a flight to deplaning it.
Examples of mobile solutions implementation in aviation:
– Delta Airlines recently started providing their passengers virtual boarding passes 24 hours before their journey through their mobile app, easing out the check-in process for their passengers.
Airlines not just are using mobile apps to make the entire process of booking flights, check-ins, etc. easier for travelers, they are also using apps in innovative ways to provide awesome in-flight experiences to the customers.
In our article, we take a detailed look at how Airlines are using the mobile platform to create delightful customer experiences.
5 ways how technology solutions can transform your Airport Facility Management ready for any pandemic level contingency
#1 IoT connectivity across user touchpoints
IoT enables the integration of data, systems, IoT connected tools, and mobile devices to create a unified platform to operate on. It detects data patterns left behind by customers and then translate the data into actionable insights. The insights act as recommendations and help detect problems before they occur.
IoT can be applied across various touchpoints of passenger journey from parking and departure to arrival and baggage claim.
Airport restrooms are using IoT equipped flush and urinal valves, faucet alerts for leaks and clogs, water usage monitoring and vacancy indicator lights – all these aid combine together to provide a streamlined experience for travelers.
Other aspects of airport operations, like retail revenue, luggage tracking and efficient terminal navigation can all be enhanced by IoT software.
#2 Touchless facility offerings
The coronavirus pandemic has been one such unprecedented event which forever changed our perception towards cleanliness and hygiene. The multitude of passengers coming and going from airports make them a prime hub for bacteria and pathogen transmission. Hence, the impetus is on airports to provide a touchless service across the whole journey of any passenger. According to Airport Council International, 89% of airports plan to implement touchless check-in self-service initiatives by 2023.
Major airports have already implemented touchless equipment upgrades across their facilities for both passengers and their employees. These equipment laced with features like biometric facial recognition and thermal scanning operations are making the airways a much safer way to travel.
#3 Smart restrooms across the entire arena
Restroom experience play a major role than anticipated in customer satisfaction when it comes to airports. Restrooms also act as an ideal place to gather real time data around restroom cleanliness and overall experience. Feedback devices placed around restrooms can notify facility management regarding immediate action required and save untimely cleanliness issues.
Devices and apps like autonomous floor scrubbers, attendant communication apps and automatic mobile alerts for faulty equipment help in providing a cleaner restroom experience. Also, some smart restroom apps can direct crew members to specific gates and times to respond to a specific day’s air traffic.
#4 Intelligent platform for airport operations
Airports can combine cutting edge technologies like AI, beacons, and mobile devices to optimize and streamline passenger experience.
Beacon technology can be used to help deliver real-time results like work order statuses, team member locations, audit results and other operational data. AI combined with beacons can provide real-time proximity data to mobile apps and drive airport cleaning efficiency, automatically dispatching the nearest team member to support emergent work orders.
Adopting up to date innovations and big data creates opportunities for airports to elevate passenger experience while optimizing operational efficiency, cost savings and resource management.
#5 Centralized control center
The fast transmission of coronavirus across international borders through air passengers have showed the importance of having a centralized data point and information center. Airports now find a routinely collected information about arrivals, departures and passenger counts more important than ever.
Airports can build a centralized dashboard and control center to have a single data source collected in one place to help airport teams make informed, long term, less reactive decisions. It can also help in having ultra-efficient labor management, data driven metrics to determine the macro effects of facility services and integrated predictive analytics. Also, a centralized data center can assist in proactive trend identification like passenger forecasts and seasonal peak models. These in turn help build proactively predictive models in case of potential surge.
In conclusion:
The course of travel industry was changed when Wright Brothers introduced the world to the flying machine. Today a century later the airline industry has grown by leaps and bound. Digital technologies are changing the landscape of every industry and the digital revolution in the airline industry has just begun. In times to come the airline travel experiences are set to become more personalized, valuable and memorable for the flyers.
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