Eptica Enables AirAsia to Reach New Heights for Social Customer Service

Asia’s largest low cost airline shifts customer service online and invests in Eptica’s customer interaction software to manage customer service via Facebook and its website

Cambridge – April 2011: AirAsia, the world’s best low-cost airline, is working with Eptica, a leader in multi-channel customer interaction management software, to put customer service at the heart of its online and social media strategy. AirAsia has integrated Eptica’s customer Self-service software into the company’s website to provide customers with immediate answers to their questions. AirAsia has also integrated Eptica Self-service into its Facebook pages so that users of the social networking site can ask questions directly from Facebook and receive the information they need through that channel.

Eptica’s Self-service software is powering the new customer service portal airasia.comask that forms part of AirAsia’s website. Launched through a high-profile awareness campaign, that combined advertising and communications via social media channels, airasia.com/ask acts as a central online hub for all customer service enquiries.

“We have always been able to differentiate our service by really understanding our customers. The technology from Eptica is enabling us to build on that insight and will help ensure that we continue to meet their needs,” said Kamarulzaman Ahmad, Regional Head of Strategy, Innovation and Customer Experience.

“With an ever increasing number of people turning to the Web to book their holiday we needed a solution that would allow us to engage with our customers through whichever channel they wanted. The ability to action potential sales leads, and address consumer concerns, expressed on social media offers a powerful differentiator for us and by working with Eptica this is something we will be able to achieve in the future.”

Eptica Self-service has been deployed to make it as quick and easy as possible for customers to access the wealth of information they require. It uses an advanced ‘meaning based’ search engine and self-learning knowledgebase to provide visitors with immediate online answers to questions that they can ask in their own words. Customers can find the information they need faster and therefore only need to call or email if they require greater detail or more in-depth assistance.

Launched in 2001, AirAsia’s network spans approximately 70 destinations across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Europe. The company has carried more than 100 million passengers since its launch in 2001, with most of its sales coming via internet bookings. Known for its pioneering approach, AirAsia was the first airline in its region to implement a fully ticketless air travel system.

“For too long, firms have adopted a haphazard and an uncoordinated approach to social media that doesn’t help the firm or the customer. By putting social media at the core of its approach to customer service, AirAsia is redefining best practice for customer interaction management,” commented Olivier Njamfa, CEO, Eptica.

“People often go to social media sites to get updates on offers and information from a company and when they want to vent as a result of a bad experience. Integrating Eptica’s Self-service into a company’s Facebook page makes it easier for customers to get timely and accurate answers to the questions they have, which should help address concerns of customers before they post any negative comments,” added Njamfa