The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way organisations operate and, according to a McKinsey survey, their response to COVID-19 has increased the rate of adoption of digital technologies by several years.[1] the organisations' response to COVID-19 has increased the rate of adoption of digital technologies by several years. Working remotely became the new normal almost overnight, and as such, there was a need to rapidly accelerate digital transformation.
One area where companies have had to adapt is customer deployment. As international blocking measures prohibited face-to-face interactions, digital delivery capabilities became a priority.
Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading software and technology company powering the global travel industry, recognised the needs of customers during these challenging times, including the need to innovate quickly. The company quickly took action and employed technology and resources to transform to a digital-only onboarding (integrating and familiarising customers with the Sabre platform), ensuring that delivery was fast, simple and efficient for customers from airlines to agencies.
Typically, implementation processes involve working hand-in-hand with the customer on data migration, conducting a full series of face-to-face meetings and training sessions, and quickly establishing good communication and trust between all parties, which is critical for change management. Having to move to a virtual-only implementation process almost overnight involved rapid transformation, innovation and adaptability.
"When Sabre was pushed into the remote working environment, we didn't let our inability to physically work side-by-side with our customers get in the way of delivering on our commitments," said Cem Tanyel, Director of Services, Sabre Travel Solutions. "The way our teams and clients have collaborated to pioneer complex migrations virtually is truly impressive. Through adaptability, agility and innovation, we have been able to deliver successful implementations in new and challenging circumstances. We have gained valuable insights that have changed and will continue to change the way we operate for years to come.
On the airline side, since the start of the pandemic, several airlines, including ASKY (the first Sabre-hosted airline in the West and Central African market), Croatia Airlines, Gulf Air and Vietnam Airlines, successfully migrated to Sabre Revenue Optimizer, Sabre's leading revenue optimisation solution, through remote delivery.
Croatia Airlines migrated in August 2020. Implementation of this complex project was planned on-site for the first half of 2020, but when the pandemic unexpectedly halted all traffic, technology implementation and training had to be handled virtually. Remote sessions leveraging virtual collaboration tools allowed for a continuous stream of group conversations and live interactions, as well as project documentation accessible to all team members at any time. The Sabre and Croatia Airlinesproject teams adapted to the changed circumstances, bringing together and collaborating in a constructive, transparent and productive manner, reducing geographical distance and ensuring project success.
In addition, Japan Airlines' migration to Sabre Crew Manager, which helps airlines control total crew costs while improving productivity, was also completed remotely.
On the agency side, despite turbulent times, Sabre delivered an on-time implementation with BIDTravel, the leading business and leisuretravel network in Southern Africa, and head of the Rennies group of BCD Travel, Quadrel Travel Management t/a CWT, Travel Connections and Harvey World Travel. Sabre mobilised virtually global teams across five different time zones to accelerate 'activation'; providing BIDTravel with the right technology to help it rebuild consumer travel confidence, and in turn helping it to create differentiated experiences.
"We had resources in more than 18 countries, remotely around the world, and we were able to accomplish a project that normally takes nine to 12 months in just three months," said Herby Seedat, CIO of BIDTravel. Herby Seedat, CIO of BIDTravel. "Operating in a multitude of countries remotely, meeting an accelerated project delivery schedule and achieving all of this virtually is digital transformation at its best.
In addition, Royal Travel, one of the UK's leading travel companies, signed a multi-year agreement with Sabre in December. Royal Travel implemented Sabre's intelligent GDS platform, Sabre Red 360, which allows it to leverage more data, content and greater flexibility to differentiate its offering, manage its operations and workflow more effectively, and help agents offer their travellers an enhanced, more personalised experience.
Despite the challenging environment, Royal Travel's business successfully migrated to Sabre using a fully digital programme, including virtual outreach that was completed before the contract was signed to increase the speed of project development. before the contract was signed to increase the speed of project development. The delivery was particularly complex as, in addition to a website and call centre, Royal Travel has a vast network of sub-agents that had to be considered in the implementation process. Sabre delivered virtual training to many of these sub-agents in their native language of Urdu, helping to minimise change management risk.
"Sabre has shown great commitment and support for our rapidly evolving needs during these challenging times," said Waseem Majid, Director of Royal Travel. "The rapid implementation of Sabre's innovative solutions and tools meant we were able to respond to new market demands and provide personalised travel offerings to each customer.
"The pandemic has permanently changed the travel ecosystem, requiring all players to evolve. Sabre is embracing this change and using it as a catalyst to innovate and drive forward in partnership with our customers," added Tanyel.
[1] McKinsey, How COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point and transformed business forever, October 5, 2020.
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