Yes, you read that correctly. I did not write Web 2.0. Of course, that’s not because it’s not relevant – it’s terribly relevant – but because this newer term encompasses Web 2.0 and then some. So what exactly do I mean by Mobile 2.0 and why is it important? Cutting to the chase, here are some things we all know: first, ordinary feature phones are dying a fast death and smartphone shipments are rising as iOS and Android become increasingly popular with others, such as Windows Phone 7, hot in pursuit. Second, people are increasingly using their phones to do tasks they earlier used their laptops or desktops for: hotel search, ticket bookings, banking, emails, etc. Third, smartphones are creating an all new category of the always connected traveler – a web-savvy, social-networking geek who isn’t afraid to declare to his virtual networks what he’s thinking or doing.
The future is mobile
Given the rapidly changing interactional/behavioural habits of the traveler, it has become important for airlines to target them where they can be found. Close your eyes and think for a moment about what the word mobile phone means to you: I’m quite certain that most of the readers here …

Once in a while, I get a chance to meet a person who totally knows what he’s talking about, and the world knows what he’s talking about too. Chris Brogan (@chrisbrogan on Twitter) is such a man.

In this exclusive interview, Chris Brogan, the social media mogul (yeah, not just any guru, but a mogul) is put in the hotseat of an airline CEO. He shares with us what he’d do to run the airline, how he’d implement Web 2.0 strategies at the airline to build the brand and how he’d make them work for the airline and for the customer.
As the CEO of an airline, Chris Brogan would…
Optimize customer service – by providing virtual concierge service

In the past, operational optimization has been the name of the game. But Chris has a different take on the running of an airline – focus on providing customer service.

“Now, there’s a need to understand that customer service is an opportunity house, not a cost center. Use social media to reach people where they are, to give them what they’re asking for, to forge a new relationship that goes beyond my gates, my dates and my planes.”

Tap on social …

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Continuing my conversation with Randy Petersen – probably the world’s best known frequent flyer – we chat about the relevance of social media to airlines, the future of Flyertalk and Randy’s predictions for aviation in 2009.
Frequent Flyers + Web 2.0
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Traditionally, travelers have picked frequent flyer programs for convenience, not always because they are the best program.

But today, they choose a program because of its merits, because the Internet is open and it breaks down boundaries. “Self-selecting… is the biggest testimony of a good program”, Randy claims.

Randy believes that most of the current business travelers are going to retire soon and will be replaced by the next generation that lives and breathes social media. These customers are going to be totally immersed into it, and airlines need to adopt it sooner than later. Exactly the same point I’ve been trying to make in my recent articles on airline branding and social media.
Flyertalk as the next Web 2.0 powerhouse?
Flyertalk, a community for frequent flyers Randy started 11 years ago is one of the most popular of its kind out there. Though Flyertalk wasn’t started as a social media …

63% of airline executives think that ancillary revenues will be a major source of profits in the future. But are they getting it right with the short-term moves like charging for water and then reversing the charge? Probably not. And this was the issue I addressed in my webinar entitled “Airlines 2.0: 5 ways to unleash the potential of ancillary revenues in a downturn.” The webinar was very well received with some very interesting questions asked by the participants.
And I’m sharing the slides from that webinar here. The slides include a bonus video (see slide 14) which I couldn’t show during the webinar since it wasn’t possible to do it remotely. But I’ve integrated them here exclusively for my blog readers.
Here’s what you’ll learn from these slides:

Make un-bundling work to suit your customers’ lifestyles

Entice customers through “reverse-bundling” in the recession
Maximize existing revenue channels, without compromising the brand
Cultivate new revenue channels using Web 2.0 tools, like Facebook, Twitter and blogs
Increase conversion rates for ancillary channels
Keep the brand intact while …

Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about how airlines can use Web 2.0 tools to connect with their customers. This is a re-post of an article first published on the NewMediaChatter website, where the author re-counted his experience with JetBlue and Southwest Airlines’ Twitter “agents” – and both of these airlines are at the forefront of using this technology. It’s a very interesting story, and offers many lessons to not just airlines, but also other companies looking to tap on this medium. Let’s discuss what you think JetBlue did wrong or Southwest did right.

Special thanks to David Peck, for the permission to re-post this article on SimpliFlying.

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Jet Blue, Swing and a Miss.. Southwest Airlines Hits A Twitter Homerun

I am back from SXSW. I had a blast. It was one of the best events I have ever been to. So many familiar faces, so many new faces. Im already looking forward to next year. So, let me tell you about my flight back  from Austin last night.

I arrived at the airport 90 minutes early to bard my Jet Blue flight …

A picture speaks a thousand words, isn’t it? I’ve included two here, this Sunday, and I think they speak more than 2,000 words when put together. The first graphic shows the bad state of the airline industry, and the second shows what traditional forms of marketing mean.

The good thing is that social media combines the benefit of all of the traditional marketing aspects, and may very well be what puts airlines back in the black. I’ve discussed this in much greater detail in my case studies on airlines using Web 2.0. What do you think? Have a great Sunday!

Image via Wikipedia

In my recent webinar on airline branding, I used the examples of JetBlue Airways to demonstrate how an airline can successfully adopt a holistic Web 2.0 branding strategy. A number of webinar participants wanted to learn more about it, so I got to the heart of the matter.

So that you could hear it from the horse’s mouth, I got in touch with Morgan Johnston, who leads the Twitter initiative at JetBlue Corporate Communications. This is the same Morgan who famously started “following” the popular blogger Jonathan Fields, who got freaked out and wrote a story about it.

Here is an email interview with Morgan, regarding JetBlue’s digital branding strategy and a good behind-the-scenes look at how JetBlue does it.

SimpliFlying: Who’s the driving force behind the technology initiatives at JetBlue, and how big is the team?

Morgan: Responsibility for our online initiatives span many groups, from our brand, sales, or web teams, to corporate communications, or customer service.  We each have different requirements and ideas that we bring forward to create an …

The first webinar of the Airlines 2.0 branding series has been a roaring success. Thanks to everyone who attended the webinar. I’ve been getting some very positive feedback about it already. Here’s what one participant had to say:
“Nigam has an excellent grasp of branding fundamentals. Couple this with his deep understanding of the airline industry and you have a compelling combination that deserves attention and serious consideration.” – Max

I will be posting up the Q&A during the session from the participants in the next couple of days.

Meanwhile, I’m happy to share with you the slides presented during the webinar. You can view them below, or download them for later viewing. Incidentally, the slides were chosen by Slideshare.net as the “Pick of the day” yesterday, alongside a Google Talk! I will be posting the actual webinar recording for the benefit of those who missed out.

Please feel free to send me any thoughts or questions on the presentation.

Special thanks to Jeff Ogden for inviting me to lead the seminar. He’s been my best “remote working” experience till …

Image via Wikipedia

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In my first post of the year, I had collated predictions from industry experts for the future of the airline industry in 2009. Here’s my own analysis on the current situation, and I feel, among other things, 2009 presents an opportunity for airlines to tap on technology to build stronger brands.

Allen Adamson, MD of Landor Associates, made a statement in a recent article he wrote that resonated with me completely.
“Conventional wisdom says that in tough economic times you take out the scalpel. You cut jobs, budgets, and programs, especially in the areas of advertising and brand-building. Well, for the first time in marketing history, there’s an option that will increase rather than decrease your horsepower.”
Allen was referring to digital branding – or using technology to build the brand. And as you’d have realized from some of my previous articles, I’m a die-hard fan of this emerging field. Branding through technology allows not just airlines, but all companies to leverage on …

In Part 2 of this exclusive interview, Laura Reis discusses her frank opinions on how airlines should (and shouldn’t) be using technology.

Laura is the president of Ries & Ries, an Atlanta-based marketing strategy firm that she runs with her father Al Ries – the branding guru. Together, they have written four books on branding, with a fifth one coming out in February. She is also a frequently quoted marketing expert in the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Advertising Age, and other publications. Finally, she shares her thoughts on airline branding at SimpliFlying.
Social networks? Airlines are “kidding themselves”
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“Who’s going to be on an airline’s social network? People will go to Facebook or MySpace if they want to socialize online.” This is what Laura feels about airlines’ foray into the social networking world. She believes that exceptions like Virgin might just pull it off, because of Richard Branson’s PR genius and bravado, but for any other airline, it’s “just ridiculous and doesn’t make any sense at all”.

As you must have realized from my previous articles on the topic, I’m a believer in the use of latest technologies …