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Subject: ONLINE TRAVEL COMPANIES TOO CAUGHT UP IN MARKET SHARE Posted on: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 09:29:35 PDT

To Whom It May Concern:

We came across this information in the trades and thought it would be of
interest to this newsgroup as well.



Happy sailing,
John Sisker
SHIP-TO-SHORE CRUISE AGENCY®
(714) 536-3850 or toll free at
(800) 724-6644 & (pagoo ID: 714.536.3850)
http://www.shiptoshorecruise.com




TTI conference special report: Online travel companies are preoccupied with
grabbing market share from each other at the expense of customer experience
according to one internet player.

Opodo head of user experience Tanya Lidstone said companies were spending
vast amounts on acquiring customers who could not even tell the difference
between one site and the next.

She said: "It is difficult to be brand loyal when everyone has the same
product and same technology. Good service and usability are the
differentiator. It's about the way you talk to customers and present your
product."

Lidstone highlighted market research revealing that 97% of online retailers
fail to convert shoppers into buyers and that it is customer satisfaction
which drives people to buy online not price.

She also advised travel companies to take advantage of new technologies
which make it easier for customers to find what they want and prevent
virtual dead ends.

"If you take a holistic view of customer experience you will get great
conversion and great retention. A lot of the things you do in a shop are the
same online but people's expectations are that it should be a better
experience."

Lidstone also advised TTI delegates to use customer testimonials and bring
the online experience to life with images.

She said: "We should be trying to replicate Crate & Barrel's website in
travel. Anything to do with travel should be fun. Instead of spending money
on marketing the product it would better to spend it on improving it."