Microsoft and Travelport are joining forces to help “address challenges†for the travel industry.
The two companies, which have worked on specific projects before, are now planning to develop a range of services for leisure agents, travel management companies, and suppliers.
They claim the services, due to be rolled out in the first quarter of 2009, will provide the trade with a new level of personalisation in their relationships with customers.
The pair are also promising “new revenue and cost reduction opportunities, broader distribution reach, and improved customer satisfaction and loyaltyâ€.
Travelport GDS senior vice president Keith Woodcock said software was already being tested and it was now in dialogue with a number of companies about being launch partners.
“Although we have had a relationship with Microsoft for some time, this has been invisible to our customers,” he said.
“In having this relationship, we have had some dialogue about potential ideas more in the travel space,†he said.
But he stressed that the two would not be launching another Expedia.
“This series of software solutions is really all about expanding the support for the traveller during their journey, not just throughout the booking experience.â€
For example, if two people are travelling to a conference from different departure points, and one is delayed, the other will receive a notification and a reminder that dinner has been booked at the hotel.
The pair said the partnership looks to make use of each company’s particular strength.
While Microsoft’s expertise is in identifying travellers, understanding their individual preferences and needs, and building a strong emotional connection through all stages of travel, Travelport provides technologies and services through the global travel distribution chain, helping the trade to drive productivity and lower operating costs.
The two companies previously collaborated on Travelport’s e-Pricing shopping technology, which was originally developed for Expedia and is now available to all Travelport customers.
In addition, Travelport Cache Control was developed with Microsoft, and Travelport provides the Microsoft corporate travel booking solution.
By Bev Fearis
