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airlines and web 2.0
Web 2.0 has opened up new marketing and communication opportunities for airlines.
Web 2.0 is based by definition on conversation, on direct, personalised contact. Businesses are no longer distant, far-off entities and customers become more than just anonymous voices. Participation in this virtual community boom could mean significant profits for airlines. However, the approach should be significantly different from the criteria employed in traditional websites.
The rules of the game are different here,the goal being to establish one to one communication with users. Several key concepts should be kept in mind whether spaces are to be defined on the company’s own website or in pre-existent communities:
Respect for privacy
Non-invasive attitude
Surveillance of network presence
Leisure proposals
Prizes
Active listening
Coherent communication
Creativity
An extraordinary branding process, simple micro-segmentation, the definition of campaigns and personalised messages, the detection of new consumer trends, information on real customer perceptions of services and the promotion of customer loyalty are all positive effects of the tool .
Here are some initiatives that are already under development in the sector:
Lufthansa has created a service that allows users to view information on altitude, estimated arrival and departure times in real time through Facebook or Twitter.
Lufthansa transmits this information to the different social networks so that the customers’ friends or whoever is going to meet them at the airport will be able to view their flight status in real time. The Myskystatus tool launches tweets to Twitter or update messages to Facebook automatically
The presence of airlines in social networks has become an attractive way of promoting brand services and values. There are several different ways of keeping up a presence in these network.
American Airlines and Virgin Atlantic use Facebook as parallel reservation platform. American Airlines allows customers to make searches for the cheapest prices, to share them with other users and save them until they decide whether or not to make the booking.
One of the main advantages obtained by the company is that these networks are not only useful for capturing new customers but also for obtaining more information on consumer habits as well as a greater degree of segmentation.
Virgin Atlantic with an attractive, well thought out Facebook site has made it possible for users to share comments, photos, videos etc as well as offering such options as flight searches or verification of flight status.
JetBlue has a group in Flickr with over 5000 photographs taken by customers, staff etc. and in Twiitter permits access to exclusive short-termpromotions providing the airline with the opportunity to increase revenue.
In an earlier post we have already commented upon resources for the generation of the companies own communities as is the case of KLM China Club. Other similar initiatives include the KLM Africa Club and Flying Blue Golf.
YouTube has not fallen behind as a platform for access to millions of Internet users. Some companies such as Delta airlines have even used humorous slow motion scenes from their own safety footage.
However probably the most outstanding features of web 2.0 are that it knows no bounds and the many new options yet to be invented and developed. The greater the value users invest the service with, the more its use will be promoted and the better the results will be .
Striking a balance between flight information, fun elements and prizes or free services could well be the key to a good 2.0 website.
Sources:
http://www.dirjournal.com/articles/airlines-social-media/
http://www.fundaciontt.org/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=884
Author: Ángeles Vargas
link Hosteltur
http://blog.amaramagazine.com/2009/04/20/marketing-marcas-y-redes-sociales-quien-le-pone-el-cascabel-a-la-web-20/#more-108
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