Best Places To Work In Aviation: ABNcast with trip.com Group’s James Spalding
The modern aviation worker will have their role enhanced by technology rather than be taken over by it, according to Best Places To Work In Aviation sponsor trip.com Group.
ABN’s new podcast ABNcast heard from James Spalding, regional director for Northern Europe and North America, in the Flight Business Unit at trip.com Group.
Trip.com is a sponsor of ABN’s Best Places To Work In Aviation awards which will celebrate companies in the sector that are endorsed by their employees.
ABN launched Best Places to highlight the vital issue of workforce and skills as well as aviation’s need to appeal to a younger and more diverse generation of employees.
“People are fundamental to our business, not just from a customer perspective but from an employer perspective,” Spalding told ABNcast.
He added one of trip.com Group’s key strategic strengths is that it makes sure it has local knowledge within the business in all of the markets it works in.
“We want to make sure we’ve got that diversity of employees, and the local context and from there you can really localise and build up what you’re trying to do.
“As we started to expand into international markets the concept from the group is to have that global support and framework but make sure you’re bringing in that local element to make sure you are relevant to that market.”
Spalding said the COVID pandemic highlighted the need for customer service in the aviation sector and that this is what trip.com Group ensures there’s a focus on.
“You always want to make sure you have that human interaction. Technology and AI can absolutely turbocharge it and enhance that customer focus that we have but you need to have that foundation with the people behind the business.
“We really see AI as an enabler. We use it in several areas of the business. The three main areas are the top of the funnel, marketing and inspiration side of it…you then have the customer service element…and that also comes into the operational side.”
Spalding said technology should be used to support people rather than replace them and allow them to provide great customer experience (CX) by providing staff with the tools that enhance employee experience (EX).
“We want to be trailblazers, we want to be enabling and leading our partners especially from a flights and aviation perspective on the B2B side to help them try out new technologies.”
Spalding said trip.com Group wants to partner with airlines to experiment with emerging technologies in areas in which carriers themselves may not be able to innovate as quickly.
“A project we’ve been working recently is the IATA One ID process. For us that means we are thinking ahead to what our [aviation] customers need and making sure we are helping us to enable some of that innovation.
“Technology is at the heart of everything we do and you need to make sure that you keep on top of the trends and changes to make sure you are not being left behind and that you are helping to build that future.”