electric vine travel technology
channel challenges
Technology
The travel industry as a whole has been slow to adopt technology due partly to deep entrenchment in an aging technology infrastructure and legacy systems. There are also a number of other factors including; uncertainty about the time required to implement new solutions, the hidden costs of new technology, ROI, and uncertainty about how best to implement new technology. Associated issues are the ongoing cost of maintaining and updating content and the half-life of technology. Electric Vine’s modular approach helps mitigate these concerns and allows you to build your technology infrastructure one piece at a time as opposed to implementing costly enterprise-wide solutions. EVI will help you formulate an IT strategy designed to maximize your IT spending and increase ROI.
Multiple Distribution Channels
For travel service providers (air, hotels, etc.), the cost of maintaining multiple distribution channels (brick & mortar, call centers, Web sites) has created some harsh economic realities that have a trickle-down effect to tour operators and travel agents. Large, established airlines, faced with stiff competition from no-frills entrants have attempted to cut costs by cutting commissions to travel agents who in turn have imposed consultant fees to consumers. They have also attempted to cut out GDSs which created a backlash that is still unresolved. The bottom line is that all players in the new ultra competitive travel industry need to be able to connect with customers in the way that a customer wants to be contacted. EVI will work with you to identify those technologies that most closely match your business model and enable you to position your products and services in the most cost-effective manner possible.
Customer Loyalty
Customer loyalty as a concept is generally extinct as services such as air travel become commoditized. Customers will be targeted by airlines, dotcoms (Expedia, Orbitz, G2, SideStep, et al), hotels, car rental firms and tour operators directly. The idea of ‘owning a customer’ is becoming less and less relevant. What travel providers and agents can do however is to ‘know’ their customers. Knowing a customer means collecting data on customer shopping preferences, purchasing preferences, product experience, and getting feedback all of which amounts to CRM. Equally as important is keeping in touch with existing customers. EVI understands marketing and will create a CRM strategy that develops meaningful customer data and makes the best use of the customer data you already have.
