IBM InfoSphere Software for Travel

Gain an understanding of the traveler
What happens when a preferred customer, who normally uses the Web, contacts your call center for information about flights or hotel availability? Without a common and shared understanding of the customer across all channels and systems, your call center doesn’t recognize this high-value customer. Siloed views of customer information combined with many sales channels—reservation call centers, the front desk, Web sites, travel agents, self-service kiosks—can lead to inconsistent customer service and the loss of your most frequent and What happens when a preferred customer, who normally uses the Web, contacts your call center for information about flights or hotel availability? Without a common and shared understanding of the customer across all channels and systems, your call center doesn’t recognize this high-value customer. Siloed views of customer information combined with many sales channels—reservation call centers, the front desk, Web sites, travel agents, self-service kiosks—can lead to inconsistent customer service and the loss of your most frequent and valuable customers.

A leader in data management
IBM has extensive experience in the transportation industry and is a leader in master data management (MDM), customer data integration (CDI) and master data integration (MDI).

• Gartner Magic Quadrant studies for 2006 and 2007 put IBM in the leader's quadrant for both customer data integration software and data integration, the designation reserved for vendors with the strongest vision and execution.
• IBM is one of the biggest suppliers of IT to the air transport industry, and has been working with the airline industry for more than 40 years. More than 3,000 IBM check-in kiosks are now installed or on order at over 200 locations.
• More than 11,000 professionals assigned to the transport and travel industry.
• Offer flexibility with outsourcing and hosting options, as well as competitive financing terms through IBM Global Financing.

Consistent and effective service and sales
Master a single view of customer, thereby enabling your organization to:

• Operationalize marketing and loyalty program guest insight within virtually all operational channels—hotel service, call centers, corporate Web sites, legacy customer data marts and reservation systems.
• Provide tailored service to guests regardless of which channel they use for reservations, which improves service and loyalty.
• Provide a customized travel experience based on past preferences such as flight times or room location.
• Manage multiple customers and the complex relationship among those guests.
• Maintain data on individual relationships or households as well as person-to-organization relationships.
• Enforce privacy and data-sharing business rules to help comply with privacy regulatory requirements, such as the U.S. Do Not Call lists.
• Help reduce merger and acquisition costs and time by integrating newly acquired companies’ channels and systems with the customer hub.
• Identify the most valuable customers to provide differentiated service.
• Streamline and automate business processes for greater efficiency.

Solution components can include InfoSphere Master Data Management Server for Product Information Management, InfoSphere Master Data Management Server, IBM Information Server, InfoSphere Data Models, InfoSphere Dynamic Warehousing, and WebSphere RFID Information Center.