Power retailing for empowered travellers
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Disruption in the travel industry is the new normal. Technology is leapfrogging itself daily as start-ups and innovators clamber to deliver the slickest, fastest, newest, cheapest ‘app du jour’. Advancements in telecommunications are fanning the flames – just yesterday we were getting comfortable with 4G and today we find ourselves on the cusp of 5G with speeds of up to 1 terabyte per second.
Surely now anything is possible?
It is easy to become giddy with excitement at the anticipation of what the future of travel might bring. Keeping ahead of the Joneses is a full time focus, but in The Age of Traveller Power there’s also a good argument to tap the brakes and refocus on the basics.
Recapturing the forgotten
In the excitement of an online world without geographic boundaries, the risk is that we lose sight of what retailing is truly about. Traffic acquisition has become front and centre for many online and mobile retailers, but has it come at the expense of creating loyalty and unique experiences?
After all, delivering a unique and professional service to the traveller has always been fundamental to the success of any travel business. And that is never truer than in today’s world where the traveller is better informed, better connected, has more experience and no shortage of choice. The power is quite literally in their hands. Finding the right balance of technology and customer intimacy is an art form that all must master, but – lamentably – too often we see the wrong balance leading to poor personalisation.
So I say let’s get back to basics and recapture what we have forgotten about the true essence of retailing. Let’s herald an era of Power Retailing: delivering to the traveller the most suitable and appropriate thing with minimum hassle.
A simple idea, but how is it done? Two things are key – expertise and personalisation.
Carve out an area of specialisation – whether it’s subject matter, destination, niche or tribe – and deliver real value through deep knowledge of that field and a unique proposition. Create loyalty by being the best at something, and consistently so.
Only then can retailers be truly focused on acquiring traffic that is “qualified to buy”, which should translate into better conversion rates and profitability. This is also where technology steps in, allowing retailers to inspire the right people, create personalised offers that are centred squarely on the traveller and convert traffic into a loyal customer base, regardless of channel.
On a journey… to win the empowered traveller
Today, Amadeus is working together with every part of the travel industry – from airlines to travel agents (both online and offline), hotels, rail companies and airports – to enable them to become ‘Power Retailers’, better connected with the customer across the entire end-to-end travel experience.
We are fanatical about personalisation, but with a clear ambition to use smart travel intelligence to help travel providers get it right.
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