EyeforTravel Research Case Study
The School of Mobile Vol. 2 - The Detail Chapter 1 - The Travel Buying Cycle
Bri�sh Airways -
Mobile takes off
Key Highlights
BA’s Mobile Journey….
• BA’s third a�empt at mobile engagement, their
mobile portal, has now taken off and is soaring
2000: BA releases WAP based, online check-in
• The crea�on of their iPhone app with no ini�al
system.
drive from the top shows the poten�al value of
2001: Online system taken down a�er 2 years
evalua�ng your internal abili�es.
due to negligible usage and high maintenance
• BA’s mobile focus is on customer service and the
costs
belief is that the market is not yet ready for mobile
2005: In collabora�on with Vodafone,
BA.com
payment for ‘big �cket’ items
launch a WAP service on Vodafone live with
flight informa�on. However this was only in Third �me is a charm: The mobile portal takes
the UK.
off
2006: Vodafone live lis�ng ends due to
maintenance costs and small scope of
The key for BA is that it is not just about re-presen�ng
exposure. the exis�ng webpage, they are actually trying to build a
service around what the page is doing. Due to that they
2007: BA launches small internal trial of online
were actually able to op�mise it for mobile.
check-in service which runs for a few weeks.
2008: BA iPhone app becomes available as the “You are not just going to get
ba.com but smaller, we
Apple app store goes live.
are able to change the flows, break them, shi� the pages
around for example, our online check in via mobile is
BA Useable Net portal goes live and shows
good uptake by consumers to date.
actually shorter and quicker than that on the PC. Which
is ideal given people’s usage of their mobiles.”- Chris
Carmichael, Bri�sh Airways
What happens when the
aircra� lands?
This allows customers to check-in while on the bus on the
way to the airport rather than worrying about finding a
“The example I like to give in terms of defining
computer or kiosk. The other thing is that it allows mobile
the acceptance of Mobile is what happens when
users to get in quickly and choose the best seats. Also, if
the aircra� actually lands? Everybody picks up
their mobile phone and switches it on. Five years
they are on flexible �ckets, it allow them to check into
ago, in the business cabin almost everybody
the flight that is the best for them. If they are in a group
would have called their secretary and asked
or travelling as a family it allows them to choose the ideal
what has changed? What’s happened? Where
group of seats for them. So it gives quite a bit of flexibility
do they have to go next? Three years ago they and it is not just the business users that benefit. When
would have switched on their blackberries and
combined with the email & SMS no�fica�on system,
got their emails with their calendar changes,
customers can jump in and check-in on their mobiles
and gone off and carried on their plans.
straight away.
Following on from that they started integra�ng
business data and informa�on into the hands
With the text no�fica�on service, BA has had really great
set. They not only get plans and changes and
communica�ons but now could get the latest
feedback and this is a very effec�ve vehicle to drive
sales figures and everything else they need.
improved customer service. The no�fica�on service is a
So now we are really star�ng to see the move
combina�on of internal and external technology. BA is
from just a mobile phone to the device where
linked to the Amadeus GDS. BA had to develop procedures
all their business data is held. This is what our that trawl through this massive database and determine
customers are doing today, really using the
those customers that are ready to receive a message,
mobile as far more than a phone.”
then generate that message. BA did the complex part
- Chris Carmichael, Bri�sh Airways
of building the robots (procedures), se�ng the business
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