Onboard presentation wows Chinese delegates
A presentation by Onboard Retail Solutions sales and marketing director, Dan Hayter, at the recent China Airline Ancillary Revenue Summit 2009, held at the New Otani Hotel in Beijing, is likely to play a major role in securing the company new business in the Asia region. The presentation clearly hit the right note with the 170 plus delegates and, says Hayter, 'as a result we are now in serious discussions with a number of regional airlines interested in taking on our onboard sales technology'.
Hayter's presentation was entitled: Building a Seamless and Integrated Onboard Retail Platform to Maximise Airlines' Profit and explained how technology can be better used to maximise inflight retail revenue - taking the options way beyond traditional duty free and food and beverage services. He explained that such technology can increase retail sales by up to 25% and profits by 10%, at the same time improving customer service and, thus, satisfaction. Hayter gave various examples of how airlines can expand the number and type of goods sold onboard, including VIPs (Virtual Inventory Products) - catalogue items that can be purchased onboard and delivered to the home. Other advantages of onboard technology included reduced fraud, offering a greater range of payment options, dynamic use of promotions and vouchers, better control of stock, quicker processing, greater management control and more!
Delegates were told that a seamless and integrated onboard retail platform could pay for itself in less than a year and can be purchased on a pay per sale basis, therefore requiring no capital investment.
'The reaction to the presentation was quite unbelievable,' says Hayter. 'At one point we were physically swamped by delegates from airlines wanting more information. It was an amazing response and we're now following up with most of China's airlines.'
Hosted by The China Air Transport Association and organised by GIS Events, the summit attracted delegates from airlines, airline distribution and technology solution providers, airline ticket and hotel booking agencies, internet software/system providers, inflight entertainment/communication service providers, onboard retail service providers and the media.
'I'd very much like to thank the CATA for inviting me and GIS Events for putting on a very well organised and attended conference. It has certainly proved worthwhile for Onboard and we look forward to next year's event,' says Hayter.
