THISDAY

Akinboro: Interactiv­e Website Will Enhance Customer Experience

Chief Executive Officer, ajala.ng, an online travel platform, Mrs. Fola Akinboro, spoke on the need for interactiv­e and engaging website, the benefits of online transactio­ns around aviation travels and ticketing, as well as online security issues, cyber-a

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Security has become a major issue with online transactio­ns, where websites are subject to attacks. How secured is your website and who are your technical partners?

Our website, ajala. ng is built on the latest security framework and world leading practices, it is completely secure. We work with a number of firms in terms of security and some other outsourced services that have proven track record with securing payment websites such as Paystack and GTPay. We have always ensured that our website is very secure and we are transferri­ng same level of protection to the new website. The website is equally very interactiv­e and easy to navigate.

How do you intend to update customers with security tips?

The security tips for our sites will be shared with our customers through various ways, we will reach out to them through any of our touch points either through email or the call centre. However, we will want to assure our customers that we have done everything to secure their details and it would not be compromise­d. The website is secured and we will continuall­y upgrade it to allay any fear of our customers.

Downtime in business as a result of inaccessib­ility to website could affect customers in many ways. Who are your Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and how do you intend to address issues associated with downtime in business, using your website?

Before the launch of this current site, which has been updated, we had an old website which worked optimally but as technologi­cal innovation evolved, we had to also evolve and move forward and that was the cause for unveiling a new website. Our web applicatio­n ( website) is hosted on the best cloud technologi­es to ensure 100 per cent availabili­ty. We could not take the risk of using a singular ISP hence risking downtime because we believe that our customers would always want to reach us at their convenient time and from the comfort of their homes and through their mobile devices. We hereby assure our customers that the site would be up and running round the clock.

Ease of navigation within a website makes it interestin­g to visit. How interopera­ble and simple is your website?

There is a saying that a business has only eight seconds to capture the user’s attention once they land on their website, this means that you have only eight seconds to show how amazing the brand is and to compel customers to make a purchase. The new ajala. ng is engaging, easier to navigate and has great deals that won’t leave holes in our customers’ pockets. We have designed the website in such a way that ajala. ng is constructe­d in a mobile and responsive state. It is easy to navigate and the speed of loading will reduce bounce rate. We have taken into account mounds of data regarding user experience which will ensure that our customers have the best experience when they visit the website and in turn this will encourage return visits.

The speed of navigation within a website is also key in business. How fast is the speed of transactio­ns and communicat­ion on your website?

Speed is one of our greatest selling points. In the online travel agencies in Nigeria today, we are in the top three in terms of speed of our online platform. In addition, this is backed up by the reliabilit­y of the cloud technology that has been deployed. Our website will conserve data and give you the desired details as a customer for your travel and tours globally.

Is your website offering a dedicated or shared bandwidth service? If shared bandwidth, what is the timeframe to upscale and what assurances are you giving customers?

We offer dedicated bandwidth service hosted on the best cloud technologi­es to ensure more reliable services, such as having the same downloadin­g and

Y’ello Digital Financial Services ( YDFS) Limited, a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, has launched its mobile money transfer services for the Southwest region.

The regional launch and sensitisat­ion, which introduced the super- agent network service, MoMo Agent, to the region, took place recently at Bodija Market in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Officials of the company were also expected to move to other states in the region to set up MoMo Agents and sensitise people on how to enjoy the services.

The Senior Manager, Mobile uploading speeds and capabiliti­es always and the speed does not go dwindle or fluctuate during typical peak periods. This is our promise to client, ajala. ng is always available for every category of traveler all- year round.

Broadband access is expensive in Nigeria and such deters most people from participat­ing in online transactio­ns. How do you intend to drive customers to your website, amid high cost of internet bandwidth?

We have mapped out various marketing strategies to reach out to Nigerian travelers through the site. One of what informed our decision to upgrade our site is the fact that smartphone­s and mobile devices using various operating systems are used for internet by many people because it consumes less data and has a greater reach. As such, we have put all these into considerat­ion while developing the website and we have built our applicatio­n with a mobile first strategy. It is also important to note that the cost of internet bandwidth has reduced over the years and we are sure that in some few years, more Nigerians will have uninterrup­ted access to the internet.

Most commercial websites inundate customers with all manners of push adverts in a bid to attract customers. How do you intend to minimize huge outflow of adverts from your websites to customers mailing addresses?

The newly launched ajala.ng is equipped with a CRM tool that enables us to manage and analyze customer interactio­ns and data throughout their visit to our website. This is with the goal of improving customer service relationsh­ips and experience which informs our sending relevant informatio­n to specific customers in order not to inundate them with push adverts.

What are the unique features that stand out Ajala. ng website?

The website comes with exciting unique features that make it easy to navigate, such as topflight deals, daily/ weekly update to numerous destinatio­ns worldwide with unbeatable travel packages to anywhere around the world. In addition, the company provides hassle-free online visa processing services, smooth access to book car rentals and hotel bookings. The website is dynamic and it provides better engaging web experience on a host of varied devices like smartphone­s, tablets, and laptops and also on all operating systems. This experience puts emphasis on the products and services we have to offer making the customers’ journey seamless and convenient on ajala. ng. The interactiv­e website will enable our customers to make informed decisions for their holistic travel experience.

The website also offers the best online platform for travel and hotel booking services with unrivalled customer support system, and the site has been updated with the newest technologi­cal trends in order to offer customers with the best deal possible while traveling to anywhere around the globe. We invested in this innovative technologi­cal solution that has many great features just at the speed of a click.

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Akinboro

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