Intelenet Global Services is a large global Business Process Services player offering an innovate toolkit for the travel industry, including the iFARE tool that can interact and integrate airline ticketing fare rules from across multiple GDSs and websites. Rajendra Deshpande, CIO, Intelenet Global Services highlights the new technologies for the aviation sector
What are the key features of iFARE that benefit the airlines?
Intelenet’s iFARE tool has the ability to interact and integrate airline ticketing fare rules from across multiple Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and airline websites (this feature is a part of future enhancement). It enables faster calculation of amounts related to ticketing and schedule changes/ related to changes and cancellation of a ticket, while reducing retail losses through automation of fare calculation. Moreover, it is able to considerably improve the turnaround time for customer queries, while reducing customer service costs by approximately 30 per cent. This unique proposition improves customer experience, which is paramount in service oriented industries such as travel and hospitality.
What role can AI play in streamlining processes in the aviation sector?
Organisations or teams in charge of fulfilment within the travel industry have to deal with scheduling across multiple time zones, queues, POS, GDS and also cater to inquiries across different languages. The most significant challenge is to service these varied time zones in the most efficient manner, to ensure that no customer or travel agency is affected by the limited multitasking ability of the human mind. In line with these requirements, infusing artificial intelligence into the systems and processes helps aviation companies improve efficiency and achieve scale, while reducing costs and human intervention for mundane tasks that can be programmed.
According to a recent Accenture report, more than 85 percent of airline executives said that technology-driven change will increase rapidly in the airline sector over the next three years. This report also emphisises that more than half of all airlines have realised savings through the use of such technologies, ranging from online self-check-in systems to automated passport control and customs clearance. Other new technologies destined for the airline industry include drones used to fly over planes which would send data to help make better assessments of a plane’s reliability, or sensors embedded inside the planes that could send reports on airworthiness, stability and fuel efficiency to an airlines’ central control system. Airline carriers are also exploring new technologies as a means of gaining a competitive advantage, through modifying or adding new services to enhance the air travel experience for passengers, or by initiating new processes to ensure greater safety and security for the air travel sector.
Which airlines have implemented the tool in India? What have been your global deployments?
Our client base comprises a mix of UK, US and Indian entities operating in this industry. We are unable to divulge specific names due to client confidentiality.
How does it benefit the airline customer?
The iFARE tool devised by Intelenet is able to communicate across multiple GDSs to retrieve PNR details, fare rules basis applicable conditions, applicable charges or refund due post amendment or cancellation that considerably eliminates the time spent in toggling, reading conditions, manually calculating the charges/ refunds due, etc. From a customer service standpoint, we have enabled clients to improve first contact resolution and boost productivity through a 30 per cent increase in efficiency/services. The tool has also helped clients garner an 11 per cent reduction in terms of costs associated with servicing customer requests. Our clients have been able to significantly enhance customer experience, thereby leading to repeat business.
Which are the other sectors in travel and hospitality vertical where iFARE can be implemented?
The iFARE tool has the potential to transform a variety of business functions, such as marketing, sales, customer service, finance and accounting and fulfilment and contract loading, within the travel and hospitality vertical, by infusing a higher degree of efficiency. For instance, it has the ability to provide high end complex services such as the Retention & Resolution Desk (RRD) for resolution of customer service escalations, complaints, claims and tier-2 backend service support.
What are your other products and solutions for travel and hospitality?
Intelenet, a leading provider of services and solutions designed to drive more profitability, offers a creative and innovate toolkit for the travel industry that is designed to increase profitability and customer loyalty. Apart from iFARE, the toolkit also consists of iSAFE, a fully integrated Robotics workflow solution; and iCAN, an intelligent communications management tool.
I-Load for hotel contract loading, I-Unify to bring multiple applications under single screen, Insight for Quality management and I-Schedule for automation of Schedule Change Process.