Future-proofing airline sales strategy, in the age of Uber – Presentation from Accelya eSmash

Last week, I was invited by aviation technology firm Accelya to deliver a keynote presentation at their annual customer summit, eSmash, in Rome. I addressed a group of senior airline sales and marketing executives on the “Uberisation of airlines”. It wasn’t really about a self-service model that Uber is known for, but rather about how apps like Uber are shaping travellers’ habits and what airlines can do to keep up.

In essence, I focussed on four key apps:

1. Amazon, and how it’s changed the way we shop
2. Uber, and how changed the way we book(1-2 clicks) and input information
3. AirBnB, and how it’s changed the way we interact and create trust
4. Tripadvisor, on how it’s going to change the way airline bookings are made

All of this culminated in recommendations from me on how airlines can adapt to target both travellers and travel agents better. Ultimately, it’s not about changing customer behavior but about going with it.

I’ve embedded the presentation here for reference. Would love a discussion on Twitter (@simpliflying) and in the comments below. You can view some more photos from the event here.

Future-proofing your strategy

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