‘Let’s persevere through this’
Sandeep Dwivedi, COO, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, feels that with the government backing collective pleas of airlines and being rigorously involved in finding a way out, the aviation industry is being offered practical and feasible solutions.
As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘Out of adversity comes opportunity’; we are blessed to be in a time when the entire nation can stay updated, find solutions and lead a change at remarkable velocity. It is true that no one person or agency can create a revival plan for an industry as vast as travel, especially with what we are witnessing today. Our industry, therefore, is in a dire need of collective endeavours aimed at revival, and innovations to sail through these troubled waters. With Government of India backing collective pleas of airlines and rigorously involved in finding a way out, we are receiving practical and feasible solutions.
Hopefully, Government of India will also extend financial support so that at least back-office solutions keep running and this sudden blow becomes bearable.
InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ) is taking every precaution and acting responsibly in this troubled time with the employees operating from home and being frequently updated of the ongoing status - they are abreast with latest developments and are constantly communicating the same to our community of travel agents.
Being a company for travel industry and by travel industry, ITQ urges businesses across industry to stay strong, especially for employees who have supported businesses and helped them grow. Let us not allow these times to lead to job cuts and pay cuts, as far as possible. Further, teams at ITQ are providing 24x7 support to travel agents for reissue and cancellation of flight bookings, and even helping install systems online for agents to work smoothly from home. In addition, following these sudden developments, we are providing handy Travelport Smartpoint hacks such as refunds using linear entry to make transacting easier and swifter for our agents.
We are on the edge, serving agents by resolving queries and recording apprehensions and issues for future in order to accommodate the same in our system, if adversity worsens or for when it smoothens out. On priority, we are taking all necessary actions to prepare ourselves and our system for managing any probable or unexpected requirements smoothly. Our innovation team is constantly involved in preparing for a future beyond COVID-19, developing systems to accommodate both expected and unforeseen abrupt developments in the industry, including extended and/or limited travel beyond domestic boundaries and airlines.
Our association with and services for agents is perpetual; we are constantly making the process easier whether it is consolidating and creating a tracker of airline refund and cancellation policies due to COVID-19 for our agents or mapping the way forward with smart modifications in and simplifications of the system. Understanding the value of time at hand, we are extending services by providing relevant trainings to both our agents and employees.
It is our humble request to the community and industry as a whole to stay strong and keep innovating, for there is no better time to show strength in unity and power in perseverance than now.
(The views expressed are the author’s own. The publication may or may not subscribe to the same.)
Our industry is in a dire need of collective endeavours aimed at revival, and innovations to sail through these troubled waters