Orbitz
Since its successful June 2001 launch, Orbitz.com, the on-line travel portal founded by the world's five leading airlines, is poised to garner a very large share of the over $12 billion annual market for Internet travel bookings. In its first month of operation, the site attracted over 1 million registered members and continues to grow at a rapid pace. The site offers the most comprehensive search of airfares available and provides customers with the highest level of service among all e-travel sites.

Challenge
To fulfill its commitment of providing premium service to all its customers, Orbitz needed to design and implement a customer interaction infrastructure capable of supporting a sizeable launch through both inbound and outbound contact, voice and email ticket processing and customer support. Orbitz also required strategic and implementation support on the launch of its pro-active, technology-enabled outbound voice and e-messaging customer care capability. Orbitz's challenge was to provide high-quality customer service with a lower cost structure than its competitors. In addition to procuring and customizing state-of-the-art contact center technologies, Orbitz needed to staff its customer service operations with people qualified to provide the quality of support needed to exceed customer expectations.

Orbitz selected The Customer Group, LLC. to assist in this effort for its expertise in:

• Customer Center Architecture
  
  
• Outsourcing Effectiveness
  
  
• Customer Value Analysis
  
  
• Enabling Customer Technology Solutions
  
  
• Customer Interaction Insights
  
  
• Project Management

Approach
The Customer Group was engaged over an 18-month period to assist in the design, development, implementation and oversight of the customer service operations and infrastructure, including identification and contract negotiation with all outsourced component providers. The Customer Group worked with Orbitz to define their technological needs, including telecommunications, customer service and ticketing. The Customer Group rigorously screened vendors who could supply these needs and assisted in the negotiation of contractual arrangements to ensure the optimal cost structure for the service provided. Once vendors were secured, The Customer Group continued to manage their operational performance in order to ensure that Orbitz's interests and needs were being fulfilled.

The Customer Group also led the internal development of Orbitz's Traveler Care Center, which monitors flights and pro-actively notifies customers with flight status updates (on-time, delayed, or canceled status). The Care Center is staffed with former FAA/Air Traffic Control Specialists and other travel experts to provide real-time travel alerts to travelers affected by ATC delay programs, severe weather, or other unanticipated events. A cost analysis was performed to ensure maximum ROI for Orbitz's investment in the necessary staffing and technology to operationalize the Care Center.

Result
Upon launching the site, Orbitz was overwhelmed by both sales volume and the corresponding contact volumes, each of which significantly exceeded projections. The Customer Group was again deployed to assist in the rapid ramp-up of the customer service and ticketing operations. The Customer Group remains at Orbitz today supporting various customer service and traveler care initiatives, as Orbitz becomes a formidable player in the online travel market.

Initial media and customer reviews of the site have been favorable. The defining characteristic, most frequently cited, is the Orbitz dedication and delivery of top rate customer service.