ETW STAFF – Mumbai
Over the next three years, all airlines plan to invest in IT systems which will allow them to get to know their passengers better and deliver tailored services directly to them, according to the 15th annual SITA/ Airline Business IT Trends Survey.
This year 100 per cent of airlines surveyed plan to invest in business intelligence (BI) solutions, which allow them to know more about their customers and have better information for decision making in their operations. This is a huge jump from last year, when one in five airlines had no plans at all. By 2016, 97 pr cent also plan investments in mobile passenger services and personalization. Together these will help boost sales via direct channels, from 54 per cent up to 67 per cent, and change how airlines deliver services to passengers.
At the launch of the 2013 Airline IT Trends Survey Results, Francesco Violante, CEO, SITA said: “All airlines are investing in business intelligence to improve their operations and boost revenues. We see a strong desire to increase revenues using techniques borrowed from the retail industry, including personalization. Nearly three quarters of airlines rate business intelligence for sales and marketing as a high priority. The airlines’ investment plans show the future of the industry is smarter, more mobile and more personal.”
The need for investment in business intelligence is evident. Only 9 per cent of airlines currently rate data quality as meeting all their requirements, while just 7 per cent have achieved the necessary integration of different data sources from across their company.
Violante added, “Sharing and integrating data is fundamental to successful business intelligence solutions. To make it work all parties across our industry need to collaborate. By sharing data and working together, we can maximise return on investment and deliver a better passenger experience, as well as improved financial performance.”
