TAP and Google today announced that the they have begun to work together to 'speed up the electronic transformation of the airline to maximise customer loyalty in the digital ecosystem.'
The deal is for a series of projects and initiatives to be developed over the next three years.
The main objective is to enable TAP to take advantage of opportunities to get more online bookings, or to ‘capture its natural market share in online bookings in all markets and routes in which it operates’ according to the press statement today.
The purpose is to ensure that TAP is considered by all potential online customers for the routes operated by the company and to maximise sales through the flytap.com website.
Then the system will track customers so as to offer them tailor made opportunities, much as other airlines do.
Google then aims to “equip and transform TAP beyond its relationship with customers by seeking to facilitate the adoption of best digital practices, position and strengthen the TAP brand in the different markets in which it operates and guarantee adequate levels of process automation in the areas of communication, marketing and sales.” Quite.
Commented Google, "We are very excited about this announcement. As has happened with the Portuguese tourism authorities - with whom Google has been working successfully to promote Portugal as a tourist destination abroad and help bring more tourists to visit the country - we hope this partnership can help TAP capture new customers in all the markets in which it operates and also boost tourism in Portugal.
“Also we hope to help TAP in its digital transformation process, facilitating the adoption of best practices in digital and provide tools and solutions that can help the company to innovate in its processes and become an even more efficient and innovative company," said a straight-faced José Antonio Martínez Aguilar, the director for Google in Spain and Portugal.
Luiz da Gama Mór, a TAP Board Member, said that "for TAP, the establishment of this collaboration with one of the best known global technology leaders, with their tremendous knowledge, comprehensive teams and great experience will improve the work that TAP has developed to help to achieve business goals that puts TAP in the position of digital leadership."
This deal has been signed with Google just weeks before TAP has a new majority owner, the Gateway consortium owned by David Neeleman and Humberto Pedroso.
These savvy entrepreneurs may well have their own ideas about how to ‘digitalise’ TAP and bring it from the technology dark ages which it currently inhabits.
