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United Airlines' Digital Transformation Journey
Partnership and the Airline Industry
- United Airlines and DXC Technology have been partners for decades, working together to transform the digital customer experience.
- The airline industry is highly dependent on partnerships, from air traffic control to governments and airports, to deliver the final product to customers.
- Partnerships are crucial, especially during challenging times like the pandemic, when United had to innovate rapidly to survive.
- Effective partnerships are not just about pricing, but about having each other's backs, adding value, and being there when needed most.
Leveraging Cloud and Modernization
- United has gone through a significant technology transformation, moving from on-premises data centers to a global, distributed microservices architecture powered by the cloud.
- This cloud-based approach has enabled United to achieve incredible digital adoption, self-service capabilities, and faster release cycles compared to competitors.
- However, the journey isn't just about technology – it's about deeply understanding the customer and their personas.
Focusing on the Customer Journey
- United shifted its mindset from siloed digital products to a holistic customer journey approach, considering the full experience from inspiration to purchasing and beyond.
- They identified key customer personas, such as the frustrated traveler, the business traveler, customers with accessibility needs, the middle seat passenger, and families, and designed features to address their specific pain points.
- Examples include:
- "Every Flight Has a Story" – providing real-time, transparent information to customers during disruptions, leveraging generative AI to improve the experience.
- In-route weather and flight plan information for business travelers.
- Wheelchair dimensions filtering to better accommodate customers with personal mobility devices.
- Automatic seat assignments for passengers who prefer specific seat types.
- Live activities on mobile devices for families, providing contextual information and one-click access to relevant functionalities.
Measuring Success and Driving Continuous Improvement
- United is seeing growth in customer satisfaction, with the app usage and self-service features driving significant improvements in Net Promoter Scores (NPS).
- The company is continuously innovating and improving, using data-driven experimentation and rapid iteration to understand customer needs and deliver new capabilities.
- Partnerships with companies like DXC and AWS have been crucial in supporting United's digital transformation and customer-centric approach.
Organizational Resilience and Operational Excellence
- Operational resilience is critical in the airline industry, where disruptions happen daily, not just during major events.
- United has focused on building a data-driven, event-driven approach to quickly identify and respond to disruptions, using real-time information to take the appropriate actions.
- Scenario planning, cross-departmental collaboration, and a relentless focus on the customer experience are key to maintaining operational excellence.
The Importance of Security and Ongoing Innovation
- Security is a top priority, requiring a proactive, end-to-end approach that is integrated into the development process from the beginning.
- The industry is also seeing significant changes in customer behavior and expectations, driven by personalization, digital-first experiences, and a desire for unique, memorable journeys.
- United is committed to continuous innovation and improvement, leveraging technology like generative AI to enhance the customer experience and stay ahead of the competition.
