Software AG Case Studies Leading Travel Company Books Webmethods to Improve Customer Service

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	Leading Travel Company Books Webmethods to Improve Customer Service Software AG

Leading Travel Company Books Webmethods to Improve Customer Service

Software AG

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
Applicable Industries	Marine & Shipping
Applicable Functions	Sales & Marketing Business Operation
Use Cases	Real-Time Location System (RTLS) Remote Asset Management
Services	System Integration
Challenge	Fast-growing Costa Crociere wanted to improve its booking process to handle more service options and more reservations than ever before. Travel agents and customers needed to be able to make a reservation through any channel. Behind the scenes, corporate systems needed to be integrated into the booking process. With such a large number of travelers to serve, the group’s booking system is equivalent to the ordering system of a large manufacturer. Costa’s ERP system must guarantee efficient functionality to reduce the time it takes to manage bookings, and it must constantly adapt to new business developments. The system stores and manages all the essential information about the cruise holidays chosen by customers: the itinerary, cabin type, personal details and additional services, such as flights, transfers and hotels. The job of managing this huge amount of information is further complicated by the fact that the booking system also offers options for purchasing cruises and associated ser- vices that are open for varying periods, prior to booking confirmation. If a booking is not confirmed, all cabins and other options must be made available in real-time to other potential customers. Read More
About Customer	The Costa Crociere Group is the largest Italian holiday corporation and Europe’s No. 1 cruise line. With a 60-year history, the group has the largest fleet of any of Europe’s operators, representing a total investment of 9.6 billion Euros. Ships operate in the mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. In 2010, Costa Crociere rated in the Top 10 for profitability and No. 49 in sales in an independent study of 3,700 Italian leading companies. The Costa Crociere Group is focused on meeting the every need of more than 2 million annual holiday travelers. It has a passion for customer service. Innovation, tradition, creativity and team- work are also fundamental corporate values. Read More
Solution	Costa Crociere found the webMethods integration platform was just the right ticket for making its booking process more flexible. Now the company offers greater conveniences for travelers and connects in new ways with travel agents and other business partners. The IT department decided to create software applications that would allow easy integration of the group’s booking system with other Web systems for purchasing cruises. In order to ensure these software applications were efficient, quick to develop and easy to maintain, Costa Crociere chose the webMethods integration platform. The platform made it possible to inte- grate and “show” software services via Web services, quite simply and effortlessly, in order to use these in different applications. In particular, the webMethods solution facilitates: Management of the sales process for the Web site called Costa Click, which is specifically aimed at travel agents, Increased integration with travel/leisure portals (Web affiliation and cruise engines), Extending the whole booking service to the Global Distribution System, the booking system used by travel agents and other business partners, such as credit card companies and insurers, A guarantee of greater flexibility, real-time operations and the possibility of using satellite links to integrate onboard systems with Costa enhanced processes. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Applicable Industries

Marine & Shipping

Applicable Functions

Sales & Marketing

Business Operation

Use Cases

Real-Time Location System (RTLS)

Remote Asset Management

Services

System Integration

Challenge

Fast-growing Costa Crociere wanted to improve its booking process to handle more service options and more reservations than ever before. Travel agents and customers needed to be able to make a reservation through any channel. Behind the scenes, corporate systems needed to be integrated into the booking process. With such a large number of travelers to serve, the group’s booking system is equivalent to the ordering system of a large manufacturer. Costa’s ERP system must guarantee efficient functionality to reduce the time it takes to manage bookings, and it must constantly adapt to new business developments. The system stores and manages all the essential information about the cruise holidays chosen by customers: the itinerary, cabin type, personal details and additional services, such as flights, transfers and hotels. The job of managing this huge amount of information is further complicated by the fact that the booking system also offers options for purchasing cruises and associated ser- vices that are open for varying periods, prior to booking confirmation. If a booking is not confirmed, all cabins and other options must be made available in real-time to other potential customers.

About Customer

The Costa Crociere Group is the largest Italian holiday corporation and Europe’s No. 1 cruise line. With a 60-year history, the group has the largest fleet of any of Europe’s operators, representing a total investment of 9.6 billion Euros. Ships operate in the mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the United Arab Emirates, the Far East, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. In 2010, Costa Crociere rated in the Top 10 for profitability and No. 49 in sales in an independent study of 3,700 Italian leading companies. The Costa Crociere Group is focused on meeting the every need of more than 2 million annual holiday travelers. It has a passion for customer service. Innovation, tradition, creativity and team- work are also fundamental corporate values.

Solution

Costa Crociere found the webMethods integration platform was just the right ticket for making its booking process more flexible. Now the company offers greater conveniences for travelers and connects in new ways with travel agents and other business partners. The IT department decided to create software applications that would allow easy integration of the group’s booking system with other Web systems for purchasing cruises. In order to ensure these software applications were efficient, quick to develop and easy to maintain, Costa Crociere chose the webMethods integration platform. The platform made it possible to inte- grate and “show” software services via Web services, quite simply and effortlessly, in order to use these in different applications. In particular, the webMethods solution facilitates: Management of the sales process for the Web site called Costa Click, which is specifically aimed at travel agents, Increased integration with travel/leisure portals (Web affiliation and cruise engines), Extending the whole booking service to the Global Distribution System, the booking system used by travel agents and other business partners, such as credit card companies and insurers, A guarantee of greater flexibility, real-time operations and the possibility of using satellite links to integrate onboard systems with Costa enhanced processes.

Impact #1	Some 630,000 requests a day handled via Web services
Impact #2	Increased customer services—for example, customers can arrange additional travel without ever leaving the Costa booking system
Impact #3	Increased integration with other systems

Impact #1

Some 630,000 requests a day handled via Web services

Impact #2

Increased customer services—for example, customers can arrange additional travel without ever leaving the Costa booking system

Impact #3

Increased integration with other systems

Benefit #1	Handles 630,000 requests a day

Benefit #1

Handles 630,000 requests a day

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Overview

Leading Travel Company Books Webmethods to Improve Customer Service

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit