Health and technology are coming together like never before. The blending of these two distinct entities has lead to explorations that not only question the existing system but dare to rethink and replace trodden concepts and address untapped needs. 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.
All these amazing, ground-breaking innovations are questioning conventional approaches to healthcare at every stage. But this also prompts us to observe and reflect on these happenings around.
Are we looking at the essence of health and applying technology as a tool to simplify the journey, or are we looking at simplifying technology to address the healthcare sector?
The word ‘health’ is defined as a state of being, free from illness or injury. It invariably gets associated with the notion of something going wrong and rectifying a problem. It is also perceived as an individual-centered term, where the sense of self is strong and the feeling of looking inwards is overpowering.
However, the inclusion of ‘care’ almost instantly adds a positive feeling of concern. It makes the entire concept more humane and embracing. The focus beautifully shifts to the overall wellbeing of a person, rather than looking at health in isolation.
The attachment of this word has lead to exploring diverse facets of this proposition and a desire to seek a more holistic in nature approach. This is gradually making the perception of healthcare more universal in terms of access, economical without compromising the quality and understandable in terms of a science.
Technology is striving to play an important role in identifying various touch points, where it can interact with people in their healthcare journey. This is not restricted to pre, during and post health problems, but also explores the idea of empowering people to own their health, stay informed and focus on individual wellbeing.
Today, we are witnessing varied types of innovation being explored in order to achieve a democratic approach towards healthcare. These innovations primarily are categorised into 3 buckets.
Process Innovation
Technology Innovation
Business Innovation
Process innovation — the very method of buying and using healthcare is being redefined.
PillPack redefines the function of a pharmacy. The personalized service monitors and manages your medication directly with your doctors. It responds to your prescriptions, packages the medication by the dose and ships it directly to your door.
MediPay has identified the most latent pain point in healthcare servicing. A seamless, stress-free experience that gives you a clear picture of the medical insurance you are entitled to based on your profile, using it at the right time and place and even paying your doctor directly.
A 3-step easy, transparent and fair payment plan for every medical need
Technology innovation — uses technology as a tool to develop and improve new products and treatments.
Cue Health is developing convenient technology to solve innate health problems. Their health monitoring system connects you to your health at a deeper level. You can use their portable device by adding your sample and simply loading it into the disposable cartridge. This gives them access to information, which otherwise would come after a long wait and unpredictable costs.
Cue’s portable device (L). Cue’s software delivers a personalized mobile health dashboard, which stores test results and connects directly with on-demand telemedicine and prescription services (R).
Business model innovation — creating new business models that are now matching the incumbents.
Apple ResearchKit is making catalogued research data available to research facilities and laboratories. The software framework for apps lets medical researchers gather robust and meaningful data. This has accelerated breakthroughs in specific diseases like autism and depression through rich medical insights and discoveries.
Apps created with the ResearchKit are already producing medical insights and discoveries at a pace and scale never seen before.
Bowhead is positioned as having fun with self-care. This approachable wellness tracker and personalized guidance tool prompts you to celebrate your health. You can earn tokens for tracking daily health behaviour, test your nutrients and hormones in realtime and get prescribed medication based on your body’s unique needs.
Bowhead Health is designed for individuals who want to take control of their health data and outcomes.
We see all these amazing interventions around us and are awed by the very possibilities of the same.
Though, on the flip side, this also sheds light to the fact that 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. It is more of a ‘Eureka Moment’ of one than a syndicate driven transformation of a system.
Why can’t the healthcare system be more connected? Where each touch point in a person’s healthcare journey that is remotely associated with the concept of care, is inconspicuously connected to form a strong network of sorts.
The answer to this predicament lies in creating a symbiotic relationship between primary healthcare needs, where there is an understanding and sharing of rich insights across care settings.
A systematic three-step process:
1. Patient information can be accessed and exchanged across care settings.
2. Collection of a wide range of vital health data that can help diagnose and treat patients in real-time from a preventive perspective.
3. Rely on this strong network to diagnose and treat more patients in ways that use time, money and human resources efficiently and effectively.
Healthcare data that can be leveraged to create a robust system (Source — IBM Watson Health)
Can we create an ecosystem of sorts?
My lopsided diet can connect me for a free first-time consultation with a dietician — a vitamin deficiency identified in my body is verified by a local doctor — the required nutrition pills are on its way home.
A niggling pain in your back takes you to your family doctor — he is unable to give you a precise diagnosis — you are directed to the best available specialist (considering your urgency and insurance scheme) — you check the reviews and experiences shared by people — you visit the doctor and he prescribes 10 days of therapy sessions and weekly medication to strengthen your back — your appointment with your local physiotherapist is scheduled and your pharmacy sends you an intimation that the medicines are on its way — a yoga center in the vicinity offers you a free yoga session trial.
These are just two use cases, but the mental respite and positive affirmation people desire concerning their health needs to be felt and understood. Can every journey associated with health be reiterated with care? Care that is simple to understand and easy to execute.
A system where primary care, long-term care and post-op care are smoothly handed over from one to the other. Where support groups are introduced in the care process not as a last resort, but more as a first resort towards recovery.
The connected Healthcare system
The possible solution
The possibility of this strong ecosystem lies in creating a Unique Identity System, something like an Aadhar for health. A system built on your biometric and demographic data, which is built on the premise of well being, care and trust. A platform binding key areas of effective healthcare, giving rise to the concept of a Unique Health ID.
A unified Health ID, which is unique to a person. This ID is an integral part of the health ecosystem — a rich health repository, where each vertical can cross-reference and talk to the other if allowed to. This also leads to the provision of a relevant, specialized and complete health solution.
The identification method can be anything from a smart card (corresponding to your blood group), biometrics (iris scan, fingerprints or face scan), or something as futuristic as an injectable or tattoo. The user is given a digital key, deciding who can see the data.
UHI can be an identification method : (l to r) Scannable tattoo, injectable, smart card, iris scan, fingerprints, face ID
The larger intent behind creating this system is to form this Circle of Care, where the quadrants of Diagnosis, Treatment, Wellbeing and Payments all group together to form the greater whole. Each is playing its own special role, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The four pillars in this circle define the ideal approach to healthcare, where each pillar is essential to design a system of care. Diagnosis is linked to your medical centres, research and IOT devices. This corresponds to the nature of treatment and their offshoots, like medical facilities, pharmacies or support groups. Payments mainly consist of medical insurances and bills, which are seamlessly fitted in. This is invariably the area of contention in your journey and thus needs to be addressed tactfully. Wellbeing as a concept exists in isolation and is completely missing from the current system of care. Areas like health and nutrition, fitness, mental health organisations and advisories need to be brought in the forefront as the fourth pillar of strength.
This synergy will completely change the game. We will gradually set to build a structure, where the very concept of health goes beyond the defined line. It fundamentally changes the way we perceive and interact with the system. This unified and holistic approach will make people more positively proactive about health, rather than negatively reactive.
The feasibility and practicality of this mammoth transformation is a discussion by itself. But can we aim to gradually, but consciously shift our focus from just celebrating the current, revolutionary ideas by one to a collective, evolutionary approach towards a unified healthcare system?
An entire neighbourhood gathering on a Sunday morning to watch Mahabharata, lazy afternoons with Shanti or insightful evenings with Amul Surabhi; television has a special place in the hearts of Indians.
In a digital world, where we have the flexibility of consuming content anywhere anytime, and across mediums – our relationship with television has changed. With the deluge of digital content, television as a device also serves as an extension of the digital medium via technologies like Google Chromecast and Amazon Stick.
So, does this mean that OTT or digital content viewership will supersede television content viewership and our good old friend will lose its sheen?
While this might be a possibility in the distant future, television medium isn’t going to fade away soon. Yes, the time spent and the way we consume television content is bound to see a shift, television will still be one of dominant medium for the coming few years.
Here’s why:
India has a huge viewer base when it comes to television:
While the growing content on the digital medium and the exceptional amount of time spent on internet might give an impression that the audience is moving away from TV content. That isn’t the case. According to a recent report, India has a massive TV audience base of 780 million. An interesting thing to note is, that despite the growing interest in the digital content, TV viewership has seen a rise of whopping 21% among the young audiences, with 224 minutes of daily time spent.
One of the reasons for this seemingly contradictory trend is audience expectations from both the mediums are different. When it comes to the digital medium most video content is seen on the smartphones. The drawback of this is the dwindling attention span of viewers, where users are constantly switching between apps. Further, most of the digital content is watched while the users are on a commute, and hence, shorter versions of episodes or web series work. However, when it comes to TV people expect longer versions of episodes. Another important aspect is television is a part of the daily family routine of Indians, a place that is difficult for any of the digital media platform to occupy at present.
The unique Indian habit of the entire family sitting together prevails.
Hence, given the current scenario, digital video growth is led by it becoming the second or third screen as 97% of India is still single TV homes.
Largest media spends are on television
When it comes to the digital medium, the time spent in India is lower than that of US and China. Further, according to BARC, youth viewership has grown on TV.
Given the increasing popularity of the digital medium it is surely gaining advertisers’ monies, however, television is still getting the major share. Hence pumping more monies in the television medium to produce content, which isn’t the case with the digital medium. Since traditional mediums like television and print still dominate overall ad spends in India and brand building is still largely happening through mature ad mediums such as television. Given the huge viewer base that TV enjoys, from an advertiser perspective, TV viewership is more valuable than a similar viewership on digital video.
Another reason why television gains advertisers interest is the fact that chances of viewers skipping a channel is lesser than skipping pre-roll or ads. So, brands will have to think about integrating their communications with the content instead of generating generic communications for all mediums.
As Ajay Chacko, Co-Founder and CEO, Arre, rightly puts it
“Advertisers, both traditional and new-age, are welcoming of content as a route to marketing. Brands are evaluating a balance between performance and impact when planning their media spends. There is cognisance of the fact that pre-rolls/ads can be skipped or blocked or muted when pushed down user’s timelines and feeds, but content is what consumers actively seek out and hence, more effective or impactful.”
Digitization yet to permeate the rural markets
When it comes to the overall split of the OTT viewership, the majority exists in urban India. Rural India is still predominantly a television market and a huge one at that.
One of the reasons for this is the poor penetration of fixed broadband. According to a recent report, while Internet penetration in urban India reached at 64.84 per cent in December 2017 compared to 60.6 per cent in December 2016, the rural Internet penetration grew only a little — from 18 per cent in 2016 to 20.26 per cent in December 2017. However, with the introduction of low-cost network providers like Reliance Jio, this scenario is expected to change. The number of users of Jio is on the rise and video is an important driver for Reliance Jio’s high mobile data traffic. On the Jio network, subscribers watched an average of 13.4 hours of video each month in 2017. While low-cost network providers like Jio will further boost the consumption of digital content it is unlikely to have an effect on the television viewership, as yet.
Best of regional content is still on Television
One of the major reasons why Television is widely consumed is the huge library and options of regional content it provides. According to a recent BARC report –
The General Entertainment Channels (GEC) dominates the genre viewership pie with the highest share of eyeballs (51%), followed by Movies (25%). These are the two biggest genres on television.
Further, in the recent years, the share of GEC has declined by only a meagre 2%, which might be a function of increasing number of youth viewership.
Producing high quality original regional content is going to be an important aspect for OTT players to grow. In this case, Indian channels and media houses with their apps have an advantage because of the already available library of content. For instance, players such as Hotstar and Voot have higher access to Star India and Viacom 18 media libraries. According to a recent Deloitte report, currently, 40% of the viewership of OTT platform comes from regional content.
So far, OTT players like Netflix and Amazon Prime have focussed on pushing global content to Indian subscribers, but they have realised how critical it is for them to offer regional and original content to viewers.
Amazon Prime is likely to invest around $300 million in the Indian market for acquiring rights of Bollywood films and also producing original content, similarly, Netflix is producing more Hindi content like the recently launched series ‘Sacred Games’.
Regional content is going to be a major game-changer when it comes to changing the dynamics of the OTT market. However, it will not immediately impact the television market given the huge viewership, reach and the library of content available on the medium.
Paying for Television vs OTT
The Indian market is still fairly unaffected by the phenomenon of cord cutting. The major reason for this is, there is no economic reason to cut the cord as yet, since, TV delivers the highest value for money. Most OTT players work on the subscription model.
According to a research the majority of Indian audiences are still stuck to the free or ad-supported model as of now. Further, several options including web-series, stand-up comedies, etc. are already available on YouTube free of cost.
This implies that the OTT players will have to compete with the lower cost of Cable/Dish TV subscriptions and also provide compelling content for viewers to do so. This shift will also depend on the factors mentioned earlier in the article.
Future
In the near future, both TV and digital video will grow in parallel. Television viewership will see a steady increase, video OTT will grow as a second screen. Also, with the growth of viewership of the digital media, we will see advertisers spending more money on the medium, though, television will still get the major share of ad spend compared to the OTT medium.
Ad-led online video platforms will also grow by manifolds in India (as wireless 4G ecosystem explodes) and subscription led online video platforms will grow as the fixed broadband infrastructure improves.
Further, with the cheap data network providers like Jio, we see a rise in the consumption of OTT content. However, it is unlikely to have a huge impact of the share that television medium enjoys.
We will also see OTT players pushing in more regional original content to suit the taste of the younger generation on the portals since the current viewer base is mostly the youth.
At present the OTT market is highly dispersed with pure OTT players (Netflix), channels and media houses (Viacom’s Voot, Hotstar), telcos (Jio TV, Airtel TV) etc. In the coming years, we will see an emergence of a more collaborative ecosystem.
India is a major market for the global OTT players and the boost in the infrastructure and digitisation is surely going to further shift the way media is consumed across mediums. It is a critical time for both TV and the OTT medium with a plethora of opportunities. Players across mediums will reap the benefits of this growth, and TV & the video OTT platforms will find a perfect platform to co-exist in India.
To fly, we must. For some, the regularity has numbed us, for others less frequent; it remains a daunting chore — You stand, you wait, you get frisked, you wait, you fly, you eat, you sit and stand again, and then you make a last restless dash for the doors, as if every second counted in this inevitable race to nowhere. The baggage carousels and Uber queues are the great levelers. Nobody gets ahead of this game.
This essay is about design suggestions that would help create a deeper, more intimate “airport experience”. These insights are personal, derived from hours of waiting at airports and watching. And over time the process has become almost meditative, resulting in a few distilled concepts around design and technology. I hope this would urge airlines to embrace emotionally designed journeys, wherein technology becomes a pillar of dependability rather than just another tick-mark to a digital transformation mandate.
It’s only through consistency and reliability, born out of unflinching focus that a business can truly succeed. And not through the contemporaneous handstands of forced digital disruption.
The 7 Stages of flying
There are subtle rhythms behind every process. They are like musical compositions, miss a beat and the tune goes for a toss. To better understand these rhythms we need to break a process down into precise stages, with each stage possessing a clear demarcation of purpose.
Currently, a typical airline journey is broken down into four stages — Booking, Departure, Flying and Arrival. While this may hold good from a macro perspective, there are micro-rhythms that are missed. How do users plan their journeys? There is definitely more to planning than just a pretty booking interface. What are the strains from pre-trip anxiety? And arrival at a port of call is not necessarily the end of a journey.
In order to accommodate these micro-rhythms of the new age traveler, I expanded these four stages into seven steps. The new flow adds three essential stages — Planning, Pre-trip, and Post-Arrival. These seven steps form the base-framework of the new UX flow.
Image 01 – Seven steps that form the base-framework of the new UX flow
The Users
Decades ago, flying was a unique experience, happened once in a while, and to distant places. There was a certain romance that existed. Airports weren’t crowded, counter experiences personalised, flight attendants were courteous, security personnels smiled, and your baggage weight was not part of a revenue model. You had butterflies in your stomach every time you entered an airport. I still have butterflies occasionally, especially at take-off. With the advent of low-cost carriers, flying went supernova, and almost everyone flies now.
Time is of the essence and when that happens romance jumps out of the window.
To keep things simple, I have bucketed the users of new age airline travelers into four profiles based on their needs.
Image 02 – Four user profiles based on their needs
Four user profiles based on their needs
Business Traveler — Always late or in a hurry, quick check-ins are the priority. Connectivity and swift transfers always on their minds. The rewards and lounges access is something they gun for.
Switching between phones and laptop, emails and messages, coming and going, lost in transit and they sometimes get isolated.
The Leisure Traveler — Off to places where the sunny side is up. Usually, on a tight budget, they make choices on recommendations and keep a sharp eye out for deals on tickets. Flying frequently, they are casual and relaxed. Shopping at the arcades, they look at things they otherwise wouldn’t need. May buy a book but not the Sony LCD. May have a beer as opposed to a coffee. All is good, a life of fun awaits.
Family Groups — Large groups shuffling through the airport, constant head counts of children and luggage alike. Seats need to be together. Baby tantrums and seat belt extensions for the grandfather. Check-in, in-flight food and comfort are a priority.
Special Needs — Care for specially-abled and elderly calls for a rooted sense of empathy. Flying can become an extremely anxious experience of our older folks. The sheer sizes of airports today, language barriers, new digital systems that breed impersonal attitudes all cause a fair amount of disorientation.
Wheelchair or personal assistance is not just limited to a physical want. It needs to be administered in the most gentle manner, it is only then that the experience has a profound emotional effect. Care-giving is the focus here.
The experience map of family travelers
I have chosen to elaborate the experience of the family groups, as their needs are more varied and demanding. Compressing the entire journey into main nodal points, the red dots are the areas of maximum pain.
Image 03 – Experience map of a family traveller
In the above map, while planning and bookings having their own hurdles, the focus here is on what happens in and around the airport like immigration and security checks. There is the chaos of the boarding lounge, then baggage collection and finally transportation at the destination, while check-ins, baggage drop-offs, lounges could all do with some improvements.
Pain points summarized for the Family Traveler
Besides Facebook and banks, airlines seem to have access to a lot of user data. By efficiently using frequent flyer data, can we answer some of the below questions?
It’s been a long and hectic year. We need to take a break. Where can we go this year?
Challenge — Planning a family trip is an emotional and repetitive decision. Can airlines preempt this need and help suggest relevant destinations?
With more significant aspects of the travel taken care of. “Hope I haven’t missed out on anything.”
Challenge — At the last minute, small things tend to be forgotten. Travelling with family requires meticulous planning & confirmation of all logistics.
“Hopefully, we are done quickly with immigration and get our bags soon.”
Challenge — Travel doesn’t end at the port of destination. Being a reliable partner means focusing on the complete end-to-end travel experience, from the baggage carousel to the hotel room.
Below is the experience map for a Business Traveler.
Image 04 – The experience map for a Business Traveller
Business Travelers are usually too preoccupied with their personal agendas and don’t get into the nuances of travel planning and execution. They want to just go with the flow, herd their way through.
The emotional pillars
Identify the negative emotions, and you will understand the nature of a specific pain-state.
The primary need of product features is to address these pain-states. Very often we do not resonate with the real pain and land up treating superficial pain points, creating features that are benign.
Hence I make it a practice of drawing up the key emotional pillars — celebrating the positive emotions that negate the negative ones. In this case, designing that end-to-end travel experience requires three key emotional pillars.
Image 05 – Emotional Pillars
Reliability
Air-travel seems to be caught in a continuous tug-of-war with time. And it’s not just about flights taking off on-time, it starts with the booking experiences, counter transactions, baggage safety and a host of other services. Reliability is not about doing new stuff every time, but doing a few essentials correctly and consistently, so that travelers can depend on these services blindly.
Comfort
When things get reliable, they start to get comfortable. True comfort transcends the physical needs. It is not just about creature comforts, it is more about mentally being at ease. Hassle free rescheduling, notifying a change in boarding gates, subtle in-flight experiences, baggage drops-offs and so on.
Delight
You are happy when an experience exceeds your expectation, you are delighted when you least expect it.
Through the essence of reliability and comfort, delight can be experienced time over. Only when an airline has embodied reliability, will it have the ability and time to focus on the other more humane micro-rhythms — the gentleness of speech, seamless transfers, quick rescheduling, the rhythms of baggage handling, ownership of screw-ups, quick compensations and forgiveness.
User errors and mistakes should not be looked upon as a monetisation event but as an opportunity to delight the traveller.
The new experience
Here is a new take to create a seamless airline experience. Below are insights that help address the above pain points, creating a connected experience of delight.
How can airlines understand emotions and use big data to help users plan a trip?
We all have a fair guess as to how much of our information is really out there. Every time we fly, there is information we voluntarily and involuntarily divulge — the time of year we tend to travel, the places we have visited and how long we stayed, the exact dates of entry and exit. The seats we preferred and the food we like, our payment modes and credit cards. The extra baggage we haggled on, whether we have been “good or bad”, it’s all out there.
Image 06 – Airlines tap into those past moments to create relevant discounts and offers
The aftermath of a holiday is nostalgia — “The passion of reliving a good moment.” Can airlines tap into these past moments, based on the user’s flight histories, to understand where and when was the last significant event/holiday, and at the right time suggest new/similar places?
Can an email/notification sound like this:
“Remember Sweden, the snow-clad mountains and the beautiful museums? This summer we offer a customized 20% discount not just on your tickets but on your hotels too. And to make it easier, you can pick a destination anywhere in Europe!”
All you need to do is to pack a bag. Click here to let our Travel Planners sort the rest out.
Tapping into our nostalgia, they can create a desire to travel and then facilitate this new want further by relevant discounts rather than a generic 20% off. Also, bring in assisted travel planning through the seamless booking of tickets, hotels etc. A host of services can then be added on. (Image 06)
Create a “pull” notification instead of a “push” notification.
Focusing on the UX of the booking interface is a start to an error-free journey
The primary needs of the booking interface are to — discover, communicate, and encourage a booking.
Family or multiple bookings can get complicated, simple things like getting the names, dates, destination or timings right need a certain amount of effort and focus. For example, there are many cases where the users had selected the dates right but mistakenly booked the destinations in reverse order. To avoid these human errors visual checks should be designed to communicate and validate each decision made by the users at every step.
It is important to avoid jargon by maintaining a direct, uncomplicated tone of voice. Large and legible type should be encouraged. Section grouping brings focus, for example, have a clear demarcation between selecting destinations, dates and number of people flying help in quickly comprehending the priority of information needed. (Image 07)
Avoid the hidden costs and click bait prices. Final booking dates, time and cost should be summarized with clarity before a payment gets initiated.
Image 07 – Flight Bookings — An elegant interface makes booking flights a breeze
Check-ins, boarding passes and rescheduling from the comfort of your phone
Create one step mobile check-ins, which are designed to be inclusive of seat upgrades, meal preferences and choice of entertainment. For repeat user, these preferences should automatically be auto-recognized, linking them directly to the user’s airline membership and loyalty programs, earning points as you go.
Cancellation and rescheduling trips are often last-minute decisions that give rise to a fair amount of anxiety. Once a booking is done, they should appear upfront on the ticket interface as prominent buttons. (Image 07)
The cancellation should offer immediate clarity on implications such as the refund amount/policy. The rescheduling journeys need to intuitively recognize rescheduling from a normal booking and produce smart results instead of querying the user for previously stated information like destination, passenger info etc.
Relevant weather updates
Most often the weather within a country varies – it might be dry on the west coast and pouring on the east. Rather than just displaying temperatures, a thoughtful reminder to carry an umbrella would go a long way.
Image 07 — With seats, meal preferences and weather updates, check-in is only a tap away
Mobile boarding passes
While some airlines have adopted digital boarding passes, many have not. It’s time we replaced the printed tickets with a digital one. Besides being eco-friendly, this feature creates a seamless journey especially for the business traveller who is always in a rush. (Image 08)
Image 08 — Mobile boarding pass, clubbed with relevant features like cab bookings and rescheduling
A notification strategy built on the pillars of time and relevancy
The core of an effective notification-strategy is based on time and relevancy. Notifying the users about an event that had or will have a direct impact on their lives.
Over-enthusiasm in firing out generalised notifications can antagonize users. The notification triggers have to based on personal actions of a specific user’s micro-actions that are developed over time through intelligent learnings of the macro behavioural pattern.
A notification strategy for a traveller should able to pre-empt a future situation, avoid anxiety, be sympathetic through an honest tone of voice and most importantly do not generalize the moment through irrelevant offers and suggestions.
Boarding reminders and gate change notifications
Today most airports are going silent, minimizing boarding and flight announcements. While this seems like a boon, for the sleepyheads it could spell disaster. I know of quite a few tired folks who have slept off in the terminal, missing their flights.
Often times, boarding gates are changed at the last moment. Then sprinting across a large airport with your hand baggage needs a certain sense of humor. A timely mobile notification of a gate change will have travelers board on time, especially the elderly. (Image 09)
Image 09 – Boarding or gate change notifications
Baggage tracking notifications lead to peace of mind
Even though this may be your hundred and tenth flight, your baggage is always on your mind. Has it been loaded on the same flight? Will get lost in transit?
A thoughtful system can be designed that monitors baggage loading. It can send out a gentle notification keeping travelers informed about their baggage status, helping them have a relaxed flight. (Image 10)
Image 10 – Bags loaded. All is safe!
Carousel notifications
Once travelers land, a notification should be triggered informing passengers of the carousel location of their bags. In spite of all good intentions if baggage does get misplaced, a quick call to action to flag the lost baggage should be instantly available. This will provide some comfort by sparing the unnecessary anxiety of a runaround. (Image 11)
Image 11 – Carousel notification and lost bags
Getting your ride home
All’s well that ends well! The last leg of the journey is about getting your ride home. An integrated transport booking & tracking system built into the app will let users plan and pre-book their travel at their end destination. (Image 12)
Image 12 – Out of the airport and into a cab. An end to end travel experience
A notification on your Air Miles.
Every time I fly I wonder if my air miles would get auto-credited to my account. Sometimes I ask the lady at the counter and with a smile, she tells me “This time, it has.” Too lazy to keep a tab of the many past times, I let it slip of my mind.
A timely confirmation of air-miles updates works as a great way to proactively acknowledge a customer’s patronage, rather than just a generic notification — “Thank you for flying with us.” (Image 13)
Image13 – Proactively addressing a customer’s patronage
In my view, loyalty programs should be based on the fundamentals of micro-patronizing and smart redemption. Repeated usage of any part of a service offering should be rewarded seamlessly, and should not be limited to only big-ticket items or purchases. In this case, Airmiles — flying should not be the only opportunity for rewards, the program should extend to measurable acts done within the airport, early check-ins, pre-booking of meals, the overall good behavior of a guest could be a reason to reward and appreciated. Just like Uber rates its guest, letting them know that being polite matters.
Redemption programs should be smart and meaningful. Rather than the users having to keep a tab on their point score or waiting until they are about to expire, redemption deals should be intelligently invoked when the opportunity arises.
For example, when you have earned enough number of points an auto upgrade to business class or a seat of your choice can be an automatic prompt. In an intelligent eco-system, users do not need to figure out how and when to redeem points.
Remember, a reward program is only as good as its redemption. The ultimate goal here is to genuinely appreciate loyalty and encourage healthy usage.
Summary
To summarize, in the above image, I have broadly listed down the features that would help make a traveler’s journey comfortable. Some of them are basic hygiene features, things I would personally like to have. Though some of the features may seem simple, there is always much more to simplicity than what meets the eye. Finally, through quality and consistency, an airline reflects its true personality.
Disclaimer: All logos shown here belong to the respective brands and used in mock ups for illustrative purpose only.
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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