Four top innovators battle it out in London

The EyeforTravel start-up and innovation in travel awards in London this year saw four companies shortlisted, but only one could take home the prize. Mariam Sharp reports

If you find a gap in a competitive market, then you need to be able to sell your idea to potential investors. That’s exactly what the four companies that were shortlisted for this year’s start-up and innovation awards at EyeforTravel’s recent Travel Distribution Summit, Europe had to do – in five minutes!

Here was the line up:

1. Boxever: Managing data, improving customer loyalty

David O’Flannigen of Boxever, a start-up that claims to have found a new way to manage big data is certain of one thing: the need is there. He argued that with 60% growth in data annually and five extra bytes being produced every two days, not to mention the increase resulting from uptake of mobile formats, unstructured data is growing exponentially faster than the structures available to manage it. However, while the ‘big data’ is seen as the big challenge, ‘little data’ remains a problem too. As many as 75% of businesses today can’t recognise customers in real time,and 70% have no online or offline integration. So it’s important not to think of it as big or little data, says O’Flannigen, rather as customer data.

It’s important not to think of it as big or little data rather as customer data

Boxever

The scenario: A passenger whose previous flight had been cancelled or delayed has been venting his anger on social media. With this knowledge, the airline crew could approach the customer when he finally boards the plane to offer a complimentary coffee or drink. The customer is placated and the airline manages its reputation.

The solution: Boxever is an omnichannel solution that provides real-time analytics and insight to improve customer loyalty and engagement with the aim of increasing transaction revenues and improving reputation management. The cloud-based platform furnishes inflight cabin crews with a single customer view, and relevant real-time information that allows them to immediately engage on a one-to-one basis. Meanwhile, the analytics engine delivers insight into how each traveller searches, shops and books travel across every channel. Boxever’s leverages customer data by bringing existing enterprise systems such as CRM, booking payment and loyalty together.

2. UserStats: Engaging and influencing the herd

Next up was UserStats’ Dr David Darmanin and if you’re talking about customer engagement, his presentation set the bar high. He started by encouraging participants to clap loudly and cheer with the aim of attracting more people to his session. It worked! Within minutes people were peering in to find out what they were missing. Clapping, as Darmanin explained, was a technique used by the organisers of 18th century Italian opera. Then people were employed to ‘clap’ with the aim of influencing others to engage with the genre. Darmanin talked about social proof and the herd effect using studies to back up his point. One of these was an experiment, by social psychologists Stanley Milgram, Leonard Bickman and Lawrence Berkowitz. It showed that if one person points to the sky, observers mostly walk on by. However, if four people do the same thing, a crowd would gather. At one point the experiment had to be paused as so many people stopped they held up the traffic!

The scenario: If a customer walks past a parade of restaurants and one is packed, the others empty, it’s clear to people which is more popular, and people respond by coveting the busier restaurant. But how does that work in the digital world?

The solution: Enter UserStats, which provides real-time displays to show how many units are left or how many customers are online at any point in time. Maps are available too that mark the location of the latest online activity - a booking or order for example. Showing your customer activity across all devices is possible with this system. By showing how popular your offering is at any one time, can help create a sense of urgency and increase conversions.

3. BoardConnect at Lufthansa Systems: In-flight entertainment focused on the user

Lufthansa Systems, which provides IT development and implement solutions supported by their international data centres, has a new venture – BoardConnect. In essence this is an inflight entertainment solution, which aims to deliver a better experience throughout the customer journey. As Norbert Müller, Senior Vice President of BoardConnect at Lufthansa Systems pointed out: “The future is user devices”.

The future is user devices

Norbert Müller, Senior Vice President, BoardConnect at Lufthansa Systems

The scenario: While onboard internet is now relatively easy to provide, streaming video directly to people’s devices is anything but. For one, the IT infrastructure to large amounts of data is often too heavy, increasing fuel costs and carbon emissions.

The solution: At 30 kilograms, BoardConnect is a lightweight solution that can offer content, connectivity and e-commerce that can be streamed to 250 people wirelessly through a range of screens. Think movies, menus, duty-free shopping, destination information, passenger announcements and anything else that entertains and informs. Although it works through any screen, those onboard could be removed making the system even lighter, as the focus shifts to user devices. The system could be used on cruises and by hotels, trains, buses and so on.

4. TourCMS: In destination entertainment

Alex Bainbridge CEO of TourCMS, the final presenter, said that: “Mobile platforms are beginning to create a new paradigm for dealing with in destination entertainment.” In other words, people are becoming more spontaneous about the entertainment they enjoy while on holiday and booking via mobile will become more commonplace. “We aim to work on a supply direct model rather than an agency model, we are not disrupting the tour and activity sector we are fixing it,” Bainbridge said.

The scenario: Tourists waiting to see the Eiffel Tower in Paris were shown in queues snaking across Bainbridge’s Power Point slide. “People no longer want to wait for their entertainment on holiday. Waiting in queues doesn’t appeal to anyone.”

The solution: The ability to pre-book activities is becoming more attractive and spontaneous booking via mobile is also increasing. TourCMS, which focuses on small and medium sized tour operators, activity organisers and travel agents, provides a solution for mobile platforms that would enable ticket booking in real-time. A key benefit is that tour operators enjoy can remotely log in to check and review their bookings.

And the winner of EyeforTravel Start-up and Innovation in Travel Awards was…

Boardconnect from Lufthansa Systems. TourCMS was runner up.

Wifi on planes is the future. The lightweight solution of BoardConnect means savings on fuel which is a win-win solution for owners and consumers

Tim Hentschel, chief executive, Hotel Planner

The entries to the EyeforTravel’s start up awards were shortlisted by three judges: Suzanna Chiu, Principle of Amadeus Ventures, Tim Gunstone, Managing Director, EyeforTravel and Christopher Persson, General Partner of RECAPEX. Leading the judging was Tim Hentschel, chief executive of Hotel Planner, who said: “Wifi on planes is the future. The lightweight solution of BoardConnect means savings on fuel which is a win-win solution for owners and consumers.”

Conference delegates voted using the Bizzabo app from their smart phones.

Guest columnist Mariam Sharp is a business consultant focusing on projects that promote international exchange. She can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter

Related Reads

comments powered by Disqus