How One Airline Won Customer Loyalty with an API-First Strategy
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Maintaining customer loyalty in the travel industry is no easy feat. There are so many factors and variables on the customer journey, many of which are out of an airline’s control. So how is Air France-KLM working toward accomplishing its goal of becoming the most customer-centric airline group in Europe?
Air France-KLM knew it had to find a way to address those variables, making every step of the journey less stressful. To do this, the airline implemented an API-led strategy that enabled agile change in order to move faster than their competition, and their customer’s expectations. The airline group connected every step of a customer’s travel journey using APIs, making any and all relevant information available in one central app, and in real-time.
Air France-KLM is now able to deliver new digital services such as flight change recommendations, seat upgrades, and partner inventory more quickly, with one update reaching the entire ecosystem of connected channels. Customers, partners, and the airline group all have benefitted from the API-first strategy. For example, the group relies on its loyalty programs to retain customers, and APIs make it easier for Air France-KLM as well as its SkyTeam partners, such as hotels and transportation services, to provide the personalized experiences loyal customers expect.
This API-led strategy has proved successful, with Air France-KLM’s Net Promoter Score increasing by 20% since they partnered with TIBCO. To learn more about Air France-KLM’s journey to becoming the most customer-centric airline in Europe, read the full case study.