Etihad Cargo, the cargo and logistics arm of Etihad Airways, has partnered with Rotate to co-develop a sales optimisation tool that will identify sales initiatives to enable the carrier‘s global commercial teams and sales representatives to add value to customer relationships. The first-of-its-kind tool—Sales Cockpit— will analyse data and, using sophisticated custom-built algorithms, will automatically generate recommendations on how Etihad Cargo can strengthen customer relationships, including an overview of current business and future opportunities.
The development of Sales Cockpit is the latest step taken by Etihad Cargo in its digitalisation journey, which aims to optimise the customer experience. The carrier is collaborating with Rotate, a Netherlands-based data-driven strategy consultancy with proven cargo expertise, to improve customer service through the enhanced use of data and machine learning. Etihad Cargo‘s customers will benefit from the carrier‘s representatives gaining a more in-depth understanding of their products, routesand requirements. Using the tailored sales initiatives Sales Cockpit proactively provides, Etihad Cargo will build stronger relationships with the carrier‘s partners and customers, sharing insights and suggestions to help Etihad Cargo‘s customers achieve their cargo business objectives.
Sales Cockpit will also make the customer journey more efficient and seamless, reducing information overload by using machine learning to provide each representative with customised sales initiatives. The digital solutions will effectively match recommendations to boost sales and strengthen customer relationships with the representative who will find them most useful. Based on the representatives‘ responses to the automatically generated suggestions, recorded actions and results, Sales Cockpit‘s algorithms will adapt to each individual, enabling it to make more customised and targeted future recommendations.
Etihad Cargo‘s commercial teams will also have access to updated data analysis that will provide a real-time snapshot of the carrier‘s business on particular routes, with individual customers and by product, so representatives can offer tailored solutions to each customer. The sales initiatives automatically recommended by Sales Cockpit will provide the information and tools required to capture new business and develop existing partnerships. Sales Cockpit users will also have visibility of the carrier‘s business with key accounts across Etihad Cargo‘s entire network, enabling them to benchmark regional performance against other regions, further helping them to identify additional opportunities on a global scale to help customers achieve their tonnage targets.
Martin Drew, Senior Vice President – Global Sales & Cargo, said: “Digitalisation is already revolutionising the air cargo sector. Etihad Cargo will use Sales Cockpit to further improve customer service and strengthen partnerships, enabling more meaningful interactions with customers and a more tailored approach to meeting customer requirements. Sales Cockpit will effectively put all the information Etihad Cargo‘s sales representatives would need to develop stronger customer partnerships in the palms of their hands, providing actionable, algorithm-generated suggestions and initiatives based on customer-focused data. This depth of understanding into the carrier‘s customers is critical to achieving Etihad Cargo‘s vision of being the air cargo partner of choice.“
Ryan Keyrouse, Managing Director at Rotate, said: “Partnering with Etihad Cargo to build the Sales Cockpit will give us unique access to an innovative team to validate the solution and maximise adoption. We are working as one team to unlock the full potential of digitalisation and enable Etihad‘s sales teams to have more engaging discussions with their customers.“
With the launch of Sales Cockpit, Etihad Cargo will further professionalise customer interactions via the smart adoption of technology. Etihad Cargo and Rotatehave commenced development of Sales Cockpit, which is expected to launch within six months. Following the trials and launch, Sales Cockpit will be available to purchase by other cargo carriers, enabling the wider cargo community to benefit from the sales optimisation tool.
