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Customer Service Design
& Implementation
Greenfield Contact Centers
Orbitz was launching in nine (9) months and needed both the customer experience design and implementation expertise for inbound and outbound customer interaction infrastructure; capable of supporting and meet the needs of a rapidly scaling business launch. The company’s challenge was to provide high-quality customer service with a lower cost structure than its competitors.
Prior to the website’s successful June 2001 launch, The Customer Group (TCG) was selected by Orbitz management and partners to design, develop and implement the customer service and ticketing operation and infrastructure rapidly and in response to overwhelming sales volume resulting from the large scale size of the website’s launch.
TCG also led the internal development of the Traveler Care Center, staffed with FAA/ Air Traffic experts and focused on monitoring flight status and potential customer delays.
People, Process, Technology and Infrastructure
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.
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.
Top Rated Customer Service
The Customer Group remained at Orbitz supporting various customer service and traveler care initiatives, as Orbitz became a formidable player in the online travel market. Shortly after launch Orbitz was already being recognized as delivering top rated customer service and remains a leader in the online travel business today.
Industry: Online Travel
Geography: Global
Components: Call Center design & build, outsourcing vendor evaluation, technology, staffing