Air France has teamed up with IBM to roll out its next-generation B2C Web sites and has launched the first in France. The site is the first of 50 similar e-business platforms Air France plans around the world and is a key component of the Air France strategy to generate between 10% and 15% of its bookings worldwide through the Web by 2003/2004.
The new sites are designed to allow Air France to build personalized online relationships with its customers. They offer a full line of services to help them prepare for their trip: online booking and payment, schedules and a personalized self-service access space called “Mon Air France” (My Air France).
“Mon Air France” lets customers select the sections they are interested in to create their own personalized space. The site features several new sections, allowing customers to find a selection of hotels throughout the world, check the weather forecast for their destination, find out what the exchange rate is for the local currency, which vaccinations are required, and more. And for every destination, Internet users can check out the main tourist guides and maps and find out what`s going on locally.
“Air France`s e-business strategy addresses the fast-changing needs of the air transportation market,” said Bertrand Lebel, director of e-business innovation and development at Air France. “We are leveraging Internet technologies to support our corporate strategy for distribution, customer relationship management and promotion of the Air France brand image. The revamped www.airfrance.com website - the fruit of close collaboration with IBM Global Services and BroadVision - lies at the heart of this strategy. This next generation of websites will allow Air France to bring customers reliable and easy-to-access information and make online booking and payment even easier.”
A new version of the Web site will come online each quarter. Air France and IBM are working together to define enhancements that will be phased in as needs evolve. These include functional upgrades to the site, user and navigation interfaces, content development, personalization and one-to-one marketing, technical architecture and solutions and organizational impact.
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