Internet travel sites have to get better at replicating the high street retail experience, according to Amadeus multi-national customer group vice-president Gillian Gibson.
Speaking at Travel Weekly sister publication Travolution’s conference at World Travel Market on Tuesday Gibson cited figures claiming 70% of high-street customers are happy with their retail experience compared to only 26% online, while online travel firms fail to convert 97% of customers.
Gibson highlighted Amazon as an online retailer that has embraced the high street’s good experience and maximised margins.
“It’s time we went back to basics,” Gibson said. “On the high street customers make up their mind within 11.5 seconds and we must make sure consumers can also do that on the web.”
She showed prototype slides of technology Amadeus is currently developing to help sites recreate the high street shopping experience.
The technology brings back searches on a grid basis which allows the consumer to see how much more it costs to trade up to a more expensive flight class or room.
Gibson claimed the system would improve the customer experience while at the same time improve margins as its search results aren’t based on the lowest fare.