Technology Update

Today’s Technology Update is brought to you by Travelport. How customer centricity is at the heart of a good mobile strategy.

Many of today’s well-connected and highly informed travelers are seeking out of the box and personalized travel experiences. It’s estimated that 2.3bn smartphones will be in use globally by the end of the year, so travel brands should focus on how mobile technologies are used to ensure that the customer remains central. Therefore, it is not enough to be mobile-first. Travel brands need to be “experience- first.” The heart of a good mobile strategy is understanding the customers’ needs. Travelers are more spontaneous than ever and often book activities at their destination, especially on arrival. Being able to offer in-destination mobile enabled services can help a brand retain its connection and therefore, loyalty, with the traveler. If technology answers customer needs and helps retention, then it is also likely to save the travel brand a significant cost in acquisition marketing. It is said that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by 75%. Travelport plays a key role in customer centricity by “empowering travel experiences”, where its commerce platform enables travel brands to engage with their consumers and build loyalty in the digital economy. This includes the creating and selling of more tailored itineraries and staying in contact with the traveler at all mobile touchpoints throughout a trip, beyond mobile and across all sales channels. To learn more please check out