In conversation... with Stefan Patermann, ceo Retail in Motion

Stefan Patermann, ceo Retail Inmotion, looks to the future as he tells us how his team designs retail and tech solutions for over 40 airlines

Retail INMOTION has seen tremendous growth as a 360° onboard retail provider in the past two years. We are a young, agile company full of creative, ambitious, problem solvers striving to change how this industry works.

We manage fully-outsourced onboard retail programmes for some of the world's largest airlines. We are especially strong in Europe, where we work with over 50% of the continent's airlines, but we're moving into the Americas and Asia too.

In the short-term, we're focused on rolling out our software solutions and aim to stay ahead of the curve by creating game-changing technology, products and services which drive ancillary revenue.

One of our biggest challenges has been scaling up to meet the growth in onboard retail. Five years ago, we had only one customer, today, we're working with airlines on five continents. Our integration into the LSG Group has certainly helped.

Our key goal is to anticipate and meet the needs of the industry by combining strong, reliable solutions with agile and innovative software. We aim to solve problems in creative ways.

While there will always be a strong market for airline catering and culinary excellence for long-haul operations, we see a clear trend towards significant and steady growth in onboard retail in midand long-haul operation. In Europe, 67% of all air travellers receive an onboard retail service. Other markets globally are moving in this direction too, especially Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.

We focus on technology and product solutions that give airlines complete control over their ancillary scheme and reach passengers when and where they want to be reached. I firmly believe that the way airlines interact with customers will fundamentally change in the next decade. That's why we have started to deliver our end-to-end retail platform, connecting passengers throughout the entire travel chain to ancillary services.

We have also developed solutions like mobile payments, IFE/retail integration, comprehensive pre-ordering and reliable data collection that take the guesswork out of product selection.

It's impossible to deny the financial benefits of a well-developed, wellfunctioning onboard retail programme and I think that across the travel retail market, managers see that. Add in the personalisation and choice these programmes bring passengers and it's a win-win all round.