AirPlus Air Travel Card Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH

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AirPlus Air Travel Card Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, a subsidiary of AUA Beteiligungen GmbH, UniCredit Bank Austria AG and Lufthansa AirPlus Servicekarten GmbH, markets an extensive range of credit cards and billing systems to both private customers and companies. For private customers, the company’s product range includes Diners Club cards and the Austrian Airlines VISA Miles & More cards. The main focus in the corporate sector is Travel Accounts (a billing system for airline tickets) and Road Accounts (a billing system for truck tolls). This comprehensive offering is rounded off by personal corporate cards offered by both Diners Club and VISA.

In 2007, AirPlus recorded its best ever results, with billed sales amounting to over €1.3 billion and card volumes exceeding the 200,000 mark for the first time. The Austrian head office, located in the 4^th district of Vienna, currently employs 73 staff.

Challenges Faced
The AirPlus search for the ideal business intelligence (BI) solution dates back to 2003, with an implementation handled by the certified IBM Cognos partner Vector Software Datenverarbeitung GmbH in Vienna. The AirPlus Business Intelligence team, including IT Manager Thomas Cattorozzi, had decided in favour of an IBM Cognos solution and, in partnership with the Vector BI team, drew up the successful concept for this project. Almost every department in the company now uses IBM Cognos BI products.

All analyses and reports are produced using an Oracle application based on the IBM Cognos platform. From management, sales and marketing to the risk management, contract partners and corporate customer departments, regular analyses enable the company to identify any changes in the market quickly.

Strategy Followed
Up until 2006, AirPlus used a combination of IBM Cognos Impromptu® and IBM Cognos PowerPlay® Web. However, the company’s success was resulting in growing volumes of data and a wider range of reporting requirements. Increasing numbers of detailed reports called for an upgrade, resulting in the conversion to IBM Cognos 8 BI.

“Reports were migrated smoothly, with no disruption to day-to-day business,” explains Thomas Cattorozzi. AirPlus therefore became one of the first customers in Austria to successfully implement IBM Cognos 8 BI.

Vector Software Datenverarbeitung GmbH, an IBM Cognos partner of many years, was on hand to provide AirPlus with professional and reliable support during the successful implementation and training phases. Vector is also responsible for future business intelligence and performance management support at AirPlus.

Benefits Realized
AirPlus employees can easily access their reports and analyses from any location at a click of their mouse, guaranteeing up-to-date results at all times. These reports also often provide the foundations for management decisions.

“The clarity and user-friendliness of the IBM Cognos interface means that many users are able to produce their own analyses,” says Thomas Cattorozzi.

AirPlus maintains the IBM Cognos platform in-house. Following on from the successful migration to IBM Cognos 8 BI, Air Plus is already working with Vector on the next project. The keyword is: data warehouse.

About IBM Cognos BI and Performance Management
IBM Cognos business intelligence (BI) and performance management solutions deliver world-leading enterprise planning, consolidation and BI software, support and services to help companies plan, understand and manage financial and operational performance. IBM Cognos solutions bring together technology, analytical applications, best practices, and a broad network of partners to give customers an open, adaptive and complete performance solution. Over 23,000 customers in more than 135 countries around the world choose IBM Cognos solutions.