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SATURDAY 01 MAY, 2010
American Express: Lessons Learned From Volcanic Ash Crisis
SOURCE: www.eCreditDaily.com
American Express said more than 150,000 of its travel customers were delayed or otherwise affected by the volcanic ash cloud that grounded European travel for days.
American Express said more than 150,000 of its travel customers were delayed or otherwise affected by the volcanic ash cloud that grounded European travel for days.
The ordeal demonstrated the need for “continuous information exchange” that goes well beyond the use of existing smartphone apps.
So the credit card and travel service giant is introducing “a suite of products anchored by an online central command post.” It will serve as a hub for a business traveler’s tracking tools and instant employee messaging during a crisis.
Some services tied to the command post, or portal, is offered complimentary to customers who purchase the AmEx “business continuity suite,” such as after-hours assistance and teleconference alternatives during an emergency or prolonged delays.
AmEx saw the need for such hub-oriented tools during the recent emergency across Europe.
“Travelers needed to be located and re-accommodated, and there was a need to disseminate communications on a broad-scale to stranded travelers, as well as employees that may not have started their trip yet,” said Lisa Durocher, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Product Management, American Express Business Travel.
American Express travel counselors “used creativity, flexibility and persistence – and more than 12,000 hours of overtime” to get travelers home or change travel plans, said Julie Bottner, Senior Vice President, Global Service Delivery, American Express Business Travel.
Here a quick rundown of the company’s response to the crisis:
In some instances, the American Express service network saw a 2,300 percent increase in call volume.
More than 150,000 travelers were impacted, both those who were stranded when the airspace closed, and those with planned trips about to commence.
Travel counselors made and received more than 1 million calls during the crisis, representing a 60 percent increase globally over what is typical for this time of year.
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