Download - Using Social Media for Travel Business
Using Social MediaFor Travel Business
Presentation made at India TravelDistribution Summit : 2010
Hareesh [email protected]
Agenda
• What can Social Media be used for– Case studies
• Social Media Monitoring– In house study of the domestic airline brands
• Communication Approach• Social Media MegaTrends
What can Social Media be used for
• Brand Building• Generating Sales• Customer Service• Reputation Management• Co creating products• Creating B2B relationships
Manage PR Crisis
• South West Airlines– Autumn 2009
• Aircraft in W.Virginia had to make an emergency landing
• Customer service team kept a close watch on Twitter conversations
• Ready with message if anything about the emergency came up..and it sure did
• Even before mass media put the story out. South West was already there putting out facts and responding to customers
Discounts and Deals
• Farecompare.com– Operate about 160 Twitter
accounts– Accounts are segregated
airport wise– Tweet out latest offers for
outbound travel from that location
– Boon for bargain hunters
Building Online Community
• Virgin Atlantic– Vtravelled.com– Review site where visitors
write their reviews about places they have visited
– Share their pictures– Give recommendations
about where to stay, places to visit, things to do
• BA has now launched Metrotwin in India
Domestic AirlinesSample Conversations
In-house Project By Social Wavelength
Handling Social Media CommunicationHow Jet Blue Does It
• What happened– Flight attendant Slater choose to come down via the
air-chute instead of the normal aircraft exit ! Claims he was provoked to do so
• What Jet Blue did – It wouldn’t be fair for us to point out absurdities in
other corners of the industry without acknowledging when it’s about us….. ongoing investigation…. to recognize our 2,300 fantastic, awesome and professional Inflight crew
Handling Social Media CommunicationHow Jet Blue Does It
• What happened– Looks like Jet Blue’s legal dept is stifling social
media responses. And getting snippy. Not good PR or SM. http://ow.ly/2oqkv #jetblue
• What Jet Blue did – @kathybabb Not entirely. http://bit.ly/aAvnJQ
Handling Social Media CommunicationHow Jet Blue Does It
• What happened– Hey Jet Blue — am hearing that you are giving $100
vouchers to the passengers on Monday’s Flight 1052. True?”
• What Jet Blue did – @BrookebCNN it’s not uncommon to give vouchers
to customers that have an experience outside the norm – including things as simple as no TV!”
Communication Approach
• Social Media is not about shouting out loud. It is about quiet conversations
• You have to learn to listen, before you start talking
• It is about creating “shareable” content. Your users (consumers) are also your content distributors
Communication Approach
• It is not a ‘campaign’, it is a process that will eventually evolve into a culture
• Once you start, there is no going back. Therefore start with baby steps. But start you must
• Social Media is a part of integrated marketing communication…it has to align with your other communication channels
• “Rich content” is the king
Social Media Mega Trends
• Web 2.0 is bigger than Web 1.0• Carry your friends recommendation where ever
you go• Social Media will force us to be more honest• Role of Brand Manager will change : more like
a ATC• Corporate silos will vanish
Questions?
If you need a copy of this presentation, please leave your business card. We
will email it to you.
Hareesh TibrewalaJt. CEO, Social [email protected]
Company blog: blog.socialwavelength.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/hareeshtibrewala