Search Results forAccenture
Qatar Airways and Accenture Embark on AI-Powered Partnership
Qatar Airways and Accenture established ‘AI Skyways’ to accelerate AI for customer experience, operational efficiency, employee development, environmental focus and airline group performance. Qatar Airways and Accenture (NYSE: ACN) are joining forces to revolutionise the aviation industry through artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This strategic partnership aims to elevate customer experience, optimise operational efficiency, and enhance overall airline group performance. As part of this partnership, Qatar Airways and Accenture has established “AI Skyways” to further position the multi award-winning airline as a leader in aviation AI and advance technology in the region and beyond. AI Skyways will lay the foundation to deliver value-led AI initiatives across the Qatar Airways Group through its responsible AI practices, data and platform offerings, and value realisation office that will quantify and maximise the value of AI initiatives. These will accelerate the implementation of AI solutions across a variety of aviation use cases including optimising flight schedules, enhancing predictive maintenance, and personalising customer interactions, allowing Qatar Airways – voted the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax in 2025 – to focus on delivering exceptional travel experiences. In addition, this will allow Qatar Airways to explore future trends and applications of AI in the aviation industry, to ensure sustained growth and adaptation, thereby strengthening its resilience to changing market demands. Qatar Airways’ Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: "This partnership with Accenture to establish AI Skyways represents a significant milestone in our journey to become leaders in AI-driven aviation. AI Skyways will leverage AI to reimagine a spectrum of operations across Qatar Airways Group - from customer service to operations, to ensure that passengers enjoy a seamless and enriching travel experience. Furthermore, the partnership will focus on using AI for real-time data analysis to improve decision-making capabilities and operational responses.” This initiative plays a pivotal role in enabling Qatar Airways’ continuous journey to become a Digital-First organisation, leveraging AI and other advanced technologies to optimise processes and decision-making capabilities. Accenture Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Julie Sweet, said: "Together, Qatar Airways and Accenture are applying innovative technologies and new ways of working to create new value for the airline and its customers. Our AI Skyways partnership is a key engine of this ambition, embedding and scaling AI to create outstanding travel experiences for passengers and deliver greater value to the airline group." Qatar Airways is working relentlessly to design cutting-edge AI-driven solutions that can be replicable across other future initiatives. The airline's commitment to responsible AI deployment will include rigorous ethical guidelines, data privacy measures, and continuous monitoring to ensure that the technology benefits all stakeholders.
Accenture and Google Cloud Support Air France-KLM
Accenture and Google Cloud are collaborating with Air France-KLM to establish a cutting-edge generative AI (gen AI) factory. This cloud-based framework provides the technological infrastructure and strategic foundation to scale gen AI across the group, accelerating the identification of high-value use cases and enabling more efficient delivery. It allows Air France-KLM to develop, test, and manage a tailored catalog of pre-evaluated gen AI, agentic, and machine learning models, specifically targeting business areas with the highest potential for transformational impact and measurable returns. Earlier this year, Accenture worked with Air France-KLM to modernize its digital core by migrating existing applications to the cloud, enabling faster, more effective adoption of gen AI solutions. The airline has since deployed a private gen AI assistant and developed retrieval-augmented generation use cases that blend language generation with internal document search, improving response quality for tasks like diagnosing and repairing aircraft damage. This work is now scaling across the organization. Together with Accenture, the company built a gen AI projects factory hosted on Google Cloud, that supports agentic AI capabilities. Leveraging this technological infrastructure, the gen AI factory empowers Air France-KLM to identify high-impact AI use cases, execute them at scale using shared tools and methods, and bring together the right expertise to design, test and operationalize applications across operations. By streamlining the transition from experimentation to enterprise readiness, Air France-KLM can accelerate development cycles by over 35%. The airline group has already seen tangible results across critical business areas, such as ground operations, engineering & maintenance, and customer service. To drive ongoing innovation, Air France-KLM and Accenture established a structured process that helps employees turn real-world challenges into practical generative AI solutions. It starts with identifying a problem, then moves quickly through design, prototyping, testing, and finally scaling successful ideas across the business. A standout example was the co-hosted GenAI Days, where teams learned to use the gen AI factory tools through real use cases, resulting in concrete ideas to cut costs and grow revenue. “This collaboration demonstrates how investing in a robust cloud-powered digital core strengthens organizational resilience and agility. By simplifying complex processes, it positions Air France-KLM to drive competitiveness in an environment of rapid digital acceleration,” said Sabine Bechelani, managing director for Travel and client account lead at Accenture. “By leveraging gen AI, we are not only simplifying the journey for customers but also unlocking significant business value. It’s a powerful example of how technology can drive both operational excellence and strategic differentiation.” "With this collaboration, Air France-KLM and Accenture demonstrate their capacity to imagine and redesign the future of the travel industry with generative AI. We are thrilled to be part of this journey and to bring the best of our cloud and AI technology and expertise to accelerate this business transformation, enhance the group's operations and foster the creation of new experiences for travelers," said Isabelle Fraine, managing director of Google Cloud France. “Leveraging (gen) AI is more than technical innovation—it drives a fundamental business transformation,” declared Julie Pozzi, head of data & AI at Air France-KLM. “Thanks to Accenture and Google Cloud, we aim at leveraging generative AI to reinvent the operational backbone of the airline industry. This collaboration will empower us to anticipate and respond to the evolving travel landscape, delivering a truly personalized and transformative experience for every passenger and every operation.”
Shell Aviation, Accenture and Amex GBT announce the evolution of Avelia
Representative Image Shell Aviation, one of the largest suppliers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Accenture, and American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) have announced that Avelia is in the process of evolving to an industry solution with independent data hosting and a multi-supplier model helping users access the greenhouse gas (GHG) benefits of SAF from multiple SAF suppliers, including Shell. Avelia’s evolution aims to better meet customer needs, accelerate SAF adoption, and provide companies with a clear, scalable pathway to credible business travel life cycle GHG emissions reductions* from aviation. This comes at a critical time for the aviation sector. SAF is widely recognised as the most viable solution for reducing* the life cycle GHG emissions of aviation today, with the potential to reduce life cycle GHG emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel when used neat.1 However, according to IATA, in 2025, SAF production is expected to reach only 2.1 million tonnes or 0.7% of total jet fuel production2. Avelia has established itself as the leading3 blockchain-powered book and claim solution with the aim of scaling SAF, reducing the life cycle GHG emissions* of aviation and enabling greater participation in the sector’s decarbonisation efforts. Launched in 2022, Avelia helps companies to access the GHG benefits of SAF without being constrained by its physical availability at specific locations. As of 31 March 2025, more than 57 corporations and airlines had joined Avelia4 and over 900 retirements had been executed. This contributed to the injection of over 33 million gallons of SAF into the existing global fuel network at 17 airport injection points around the world, resulting in over 300,000 tonnes of CO2e6 abated7, the equivalent of over 530,000 passengers flying from London to New York. Avelia’s evolution towards an industry-wide solution introduces functionalities that will enhance transparency, flexibility, and industry participation, including: Independent data hosting. With the platform data now hosted and handled by Accenture, Avelia also provides a blockchain-powered transparent, secure, reliable and externally verified platform for accessing and allocating the information for the applicable SAF offering. Multi-supplier solution. Until now Avelia has only accepted SAF supplied by Shell. With this change, Avelia is in the process of evolving from a single-supplier platform to a multi-supplier solution, helping users access the GHG benefits of SAF from multiple SAF suppliers, including Shell. Customers, including airlines, corporations, and freight forwarders, will be able to manage SAF from different suppliers within Avelia, simplifying their SAF overview. BYOS (Bring Your Own SAF) model. Avelia is looking to introduce a BYOS model, which enables airlines to manage more of their SAF portfolio in Avelia, including SAF originally purchased outside of the Shell supply network as well as SAF that otherwise would have been tracked offline and not on a digital registry. This feature will support the use of book and claim solutions for tracking SAF, helping build credibility for book and claim at an industry level and accelerating SAF adoption. Multilateral governance. Avelia is in the process of setting-up a multilateral governance structure to enable multi-party involvement and more transparency information around the Avelia operating procedures. Raman Ojha, President, Shell Aviation said: “This moment marks a significant milestone not only for Avelia but for the aviation sector. Avelia’s evolution from a single-supplier platform to a multi-supplier industry solution is a powerful demonstration of how collaboration, technology and innovation can accelerate the scaling of SAF. We are proud to help enable broader participation and transparency in the sector’s efforts to reduce life cycle GHG emissions while supporting our customers in reaching their climate goals." Evan Konwiser, Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Amex GBT said: “For the majority of companies, Scope 3 emissions represent the largest share of their total carbon footprint and reducing them can be challenging. As a leading software and services company for travel, expense, and meetings & events, Amex GBT is committed to leading with our customers on decarbonisation. As a partner in Avelia, we continue to grow and evolve the world’s first and now most established book and claim platform for SAF. Together we can accelerate its scale and increase customer access to its environmental benefits.” Dr. Jesko-Philipp Neuenburg, Global Travel and Aviation Sustainability Lead, Accenture, said: “Evolving Avelia into a multi-supplier industry solution is a decisive step to scale SAF in aviation, strengthening industry collaboration and resilience while using sustainability as a growth driver. As Avelia’s strategic advisor and technology partner, Accenture continues to shape its evolution while overseeing data processing, and hosting for Shell. This safeguards data compartmentalization and transparency, giving customers clear control. It also builds the secure, scalable foundation needed for a flexible industry platform. Together, we are enabling aviation to advance towards achieving its climate commitments.”
Accenture: Travellers look to generative AI when planning their trips
Accenture just released the results of its most recent Consumer Pulse Survey which reveals that a growing number of travellers are opting for generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) over social media to help them plan their trips. In the report titled Me, My Brand, and AI: The New World of Consumer Engagement, findings show that gen AI is already the number one go-to-channel for travel discovery ahead of social media and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), for active Gen AI users, defined as people using gen AI tools at least weekly for personal and/or professional reasons. This is an interesting development, given how in last year’s Consumer Pulse Survey travellers griped about how booking hotels was harder than buying a car and that choosing a flight was almost as hard as choosing a mortgage. Indeed, around 73 percent of consumers surveyed at the time complained that they faced information overload due to the sheer number of choices, messages, ads and claims presented to them online. This resulted in up to 73 percent of them veering away from booking both flights and hotel stays through digital platforms. Now, however, both gen AI and agentic AI are helping travel companies resolve the matter by empowering travelers to discover and purchase the right experiences with confidence tailored to their individual needs. In light of recent developments, Accenture’s global travel lead Emily Weiss remarked: “In the space of a year, we are already seeing AI start to solve for the problem of choice and decision overload, with a real opportunity to bring enjoyment back to the arduous process of discovering and purchasing memorable travel experiences." How gen AI is changing things up in global travel Gen AI provides an opportunity for the travel industry to reimagine the discovery and purchasing process for travelers. Key findings regarding how the use of contemporary technology is changing the game are as follows: 80 percent of travellers in the sample across airlines, hotel stays, and travel platforms are now using gen AI tools. Brands can no longer treat gen AI users as early adopters. They are the new mainstream; 86 percent of travellers now want to shape their own experiences, with 93 percent of active gen AI saying this is important to the personal connection they feel with the brand; 93 percent of those actively using OTAs have used or would use gen AI to help support purchasing decisions; 78 percent of travellers are open to using a trusted AI-powered personal shopping assistant that understands their needs and goals; 57 percent of travellers seek an AI assistant that can work across multiple brands and services to autonomously solve for their needs; Travellers are 1.3x as engaged, and 1.7x as likely to accept a higher price from a travel provider that delivers emotionally engaging experiences; and 79 percent want a travel brand that makes them feel special by remembering them personally. As Weiss explains it: “For the travel industry, the AI opportunity goes beyond securing bookings. Consider that instead of being overwhelmed by countless options and conflicting reviews, gen AI can act as a personal travel concierge, providing bespoke recommendations based on preferences, budget and location. It can consider factors such as a person’s previous travel history, loyalty program status and even real-time data on local events and attractions.” What else do travellers want? The report also showed that 81 percent of travellers seek immersive experiences at the research and discovery stage of purchasing. Indeed, around 42 percent opined that they would switch to a brand that could proactively suggest solutions to improve their experience in real-time. Also, more than three-quarters of those surveyed declared that they want a brand that makes them feel special by remembering them personally.
OOSD systems can boost annual airline revenues by 3-6%: Accenture
Representative Image Amid growing customer demand for seamless, personalized booking experiences, most airlines remain stuck in outdated distribution models. As a result, they risk losing billions of dollars in potential lost revenue. That’s according to a new report from Accenture, “In the Retail-Led Future of Airlines, the Sky's the Limit.” The research, leveraging insights from 300+ airline executives, 3,000 travellers, and proprietary framework shows that adopting Offer, Order, Settle, and Deliver (OOSD) systems can boost annual airline revenues by 3-6%, thereby unlocking billions in untapped value for the industry. Emily Weiss, senior managing director and global travel industry lead, Accenture, said: "Air travel should feel as effortless as shopping from your favorite brand—personalized, seamless, intuitive and enjoyable. Today’s travellers don’t just want to book a flight; they want an experience tailored to their needs … the perfect seat, a meal they love, a smooth transition through the airport. The best airlines will think and act more like retailers— using data to anticipate what customers want and build the capabilities to offer it at just the right moment. That’s how airlines will not only create and retain loyal travellers but also unlock new ways to grow and stand out in a competitive market.” However, slow adoption of new distribution and retailing models means many airlines are leaving money on the table. It also highlights a widening gap between traveller expectations and airline offerings, as well as the financial and operational risks for airlines that fail to adapt. Among other the key findings: Customers choosing online travel agencies (OTAs) over airlines: While airlines have long relied on traditional ticket sales and loyalty programs, today’s travelers expect personalized, seamless, and flexible booking experiences—a shift that has fueled the rise of OTAs and alternative travel platforms. Despite the introduction of New Distribution Capability (NDC) in 2012, adoption remains slow and fragmented, causing airlines to miss out on significant revenue uplift and customer retention opportunities. 71% of travellers prefer booking through OTAs rather than directly with airlines, citing ease of use, better deals, and bundled pricing. Airlines are losing control over direct customer relationships and missing opportunities for upselling and personalized engagement. Taking a retail-led approach, could deliver in billions in additional revenue: Research shows a $14 billion untapped revenue opportunity highlighting the industry’s potential to optimize payment processes, enhance integrations and improve overall efficiency. Industry lagging: Direct-to-consumer pricing, dynamic bundling, and personalized offers—already standard in e-commerce industry—are underutilized in aviation. Barriers to adoption: The slow transition to modern retailing models is attributed to several factors: Technological Constraints: 32% of airline executives identify outdated technology systems as a primary obstacle. Skill Gaps: 29% point to a lack of necessary workforce skills to implement and manage new retailing approaches. Data Quality Issues: 20% highlight challenges with data quality, impeding effective personalization and dynamic pricing strategies. Leadership Mindset: Notably, only 1% of executives consider leadership mindset a barrier, suggesting a potential underestimation of the cultural shift required for successful transformation.
Accenture partners with Air France-KLM
Accenture is collaborating with Air France-KLM to transform and migrate the airline group’s existing digital applications to the cloud, moving away from its three proprietary data centers. The transition will enhance all operational functions across the organization, including passenger transport, cargo services and aircraft maintenance. This multi-year initiative aims to provide the airline group with increased agility, adapting the availability of resources in real time to ensure greater business resilience through cloud, data and AI, including generative AI (gen AI). As part of this work, Accenture and Air France-KLM have defined a common operating model with a governance process, allowing Accenture to co-lead the whole initiative. Together, they have established a cloud migration factory that uses predefined processes and reusable templates, enabling the simultaneous migration and transformation of Air France-KLM's existing applications in the cloud. This industrialized approach, combined with strong quality and delivery standards, has already led to the deployment of 350 applications with a high success rate, thereby fulfilling an ambitious delivery roadmap and allowing for a faster time-to-market of the applications. The transformation has made a positive impact on Air France-KLM’s operations by providing increased resilience. This new cloud infrastructure enables the airline group to access information in real time, supporting data-driven decision-making and stronger collaboration. This infrastructure was put to the test on the occasion of a recent sales campaign in France and the Netherlands during which the scalability of the cloud provided quick access to a large number of resources. “Together with Air France-KLM, we are building resilience and new growth opportunities by harnessing the power of cloud and gen AI,” said Sabine Bechelani, managing director for Travel and client account lead at Accenture. “This collaboration underscores our ability to help clients establish the digital core needed to successfully compete in the operationally complex and highly competitive market of air travel. As a result, we are enabling our clients to thrive and innovate with speed, efficiency and access to information.” “This collaboration represents a significant milestone in our ongoing digital transformation,” said Pierre-Olivier Bandet, Executive Vice President Information Systems, Air France-KLM. “By leveraging cloud and AI, we can build more flexible and efficient operations that enhance agility and performance across the organization. Our work with Accenture will help us unlock new opportunities to streamline processes, optimize decision-making, and leverage data to continuously improve the travel experience for millions of customers.”
Pulse of Change 2025 survey: Accenture
Representative Image Accenture just launched this Pulse of Change 2025 survey on the sidelines of World Economic Forum. The survey of 3450 C-suite leaders in 20 countries and nearly 22 industries, provides a timely snapshot into many industry leaders’ (including travel, airlines and transport) views on AI adoption, investments, preparedness and evolving workforce dynamics. Given below is travel specific data What’s on the minds of travel C-suite leaders now? Below insights are for C Suite executives (survey respondents) from travel, airlines and transport industry: Anticipated Change and Investment: Compared to the change experienced in 2024, 74% of travel industry leaders expect a higher level of change in 2025. 87% of respondents plan to increase their investments in generative AI, with 21% aiming for a substantial increase (of 20% or more). Primary Drivers of Investment in gen AI: Travel industry leaders are 3x more likely to be increasing investment in gen AI to capitalize on advancements in the technology (25%) compared to improving workforce skills (8%). 25% of respondents are driven by the desire to capitalize on technological advancements. 21% are motivated by the need to maintain a competitive edge. Challenges and Preparedness: For travel C Suite leaders, the most significant challenge is the limitation with data or technology infrastructure, affecting 31% of respondents. Despite these challenges, 82% of respondents now see a greater potential for business impact from their experience with generative AI over the past year. Workforce Readiness: 94% of all travel leaders surveyed said their organizations have revised their talent strategies to address developments in the AI economy such as generative AI. 95% of respondents believe their workforce has the foundational training needed to use these technologies effectively, with training programs covering key concepts, risk management, and AI tool usage. Deployment and Impact: By 2025, 57% of travel organizations expect to have generative AI solutions in production and at scale. Focus areas for these investments include IT (55%), engineering, manufacturing, and production (33%), customer service (29%), and sustainability (34%).
Generative AI can redefine customer experiences: Accenture
Representative Image Accenture just launched research – which reveals that almost one in 7 (66%) travellers said they’re dissatisfied with the planning options available to them today. Booking is by far the most complicated stage of a journey for travellers (48%). Today, it still tends to be a highly siloed process, as arranging each part of an overall trip—hotels, flights, activities, restaurants, and car rentals—requires separate payment and reservation processes. In the report they focus on how generative AI (gen AI) can remove the friction that travellers currently experience. Other key Findings include: Almost two-thirds (64%) of the travellers say that lack of bundling options to create a seamlessly connected trip is their biggest challenge. 97% of travellers want a travel “superapp”. They want something that will offer one-stop, integrated access to a whole range of travel-related services, including personalized, inspirational destination ideas, flights, dining and everything in between. But 61% of travellers also say that they find navigating apps and websites complex. And 56% say that the lack of options for customization or filtering content adds to the time required to make a decision and, in some cases, prevents them from making a decision at all.
Amadeus to work with Microsoft and Accenture developing new Generative-AI-powered integrations for corporate travel
As part of its ongoing partnerships strategy, Amadeus announced it is working with Microsoft and Accenture to develop new AI-powered integrations between its travel and expense platform Cytric Easy and Microsoft 365. Accenture, together with Avanade, is working with Amadeus to develop and pilot the travel assistant. Integrated with Amadeus’ Cytric Easy platform, the assistant will align travelers’ preferences with employers’ policies for a more efficient and cost-effective experience. The generative AI-powered interactive assistant will leverage Microsoft technologies, including GPT models from Azure Open AI Service, Microsoft 365 and Teams, to assist corporate travelers with elements of their journey (from planning, booking and pre-departure, through to the trip and post-trip). In a conversational style, the chatbot will ask for clarifications and make suggestions to propose the most appropriate travel or travel itinerary options. Rudy Daniello, Executive Vice President, Amadeus Cytric Solutions, said: “The new Generative AI-powered chatbot will offer an enhanced way to book business travel, moving from a standard sequential display with predetermined filters to a dynamic, interactive conversational interface powered by ChatGPT. When fully realized, business travelers will be able to book trips with even greater ease, saving time.” “Accenture’s collaboration with Amadeus and Microsoft accelerates the integration of generative AI-powered solutions in the travel industry, driving innovation and reinvention. Cytric Easy offers the corporate travel world new levels of efficiency, personalization and control whilst transforming the entire experience for the traveler,” said Miguel Flecha, managing director at Accenture, and account lead for AmadeusIn addition, Amadeus is working with Microsoft on a new plugin for Microsoft 365. Copilot, which brings the power of next-generation AI to Microsoft's workplace productivity tool. Currently in development, the Cytric Easy plugin for Microsoft 365 Copilot aims to make it easy for colleagues to quickly match and book travel itineraries in a single, sophisticated workflow within Microsoft 365 using natural language prompts. This integration aims to further streamline the travel journey to deliver an intelligent, and contextually aware end-user experience. Feliz Montpellier, General Manager, Global Partners, Microsoft said, "We are at an extraordinary moment in the technology landscape, where AI is reshaping industries like travel and transforming how we work. Through expanded integrations between Microsoft and Amadeus, we will create more value for corporations and much more personalized and productive experiences for travelers.” The collaboration is part of a wider vision to transform business travel, as well as ensuring that the generative AI solutions can be responsibly built and scaled globally. The three technology leaders are combining to create hyper-personalized and hyper-contextualized journeys, designed to drive maximum value from each trip, within Microsoft 365 and Teams. By drawing on Amadeus’ unrivalled knowledge of the travel ecosystem and harnessing Cytric’s content and knowledge of the traveler as well as information on corporate booking policies and preferences, these new AI-powered tools aim to make the business travel booking experience more intuitive, driving both business efficiency and employee satisfaction.
“Resilient Consumer” is emerging in travel, states Accenture
Amid an era of volatility “The Resilient Consumer” is adapting to change, Accenture Survey finds. The majority (85%) of consumers believe they are currently living with uncertainty, with more than half (52%) expecting this to last for more than 12 months, according to new research from Accenture, the latest in a series of consumer surveys that Accenture has been conducting to test the pulse of consumer outlook and sentiment since the start of the pandemic. This is bringing about an “Era of Volatility”, where an ongoing state of uncertainty is spurring people to change behaviors suddenly, and, often in, unexpected or contradictory ways. “The Resilient Consumer” The survey — of more than 10,000 consumers in 16 countries — found that despite lasting uncertainty, the “resilient consumer” emerging and adjusting to continued disruption by seeking out ways to protect and control what’s important to them. In addition, many appear bullish about their financial situation, with almost three-quarters (73%) of consumers expecting their disposable income will stay the same or improve in the next 12 months. Jill Standish, senior managing director and global lead for Accenture’s Retail industry practice, said, “To succeed in this market, retailers and brands should not overgeneralize when it comes to examining the drivers of consumer behavior. Instead, they need to understand the nuances of the consumer as an individual — pay close attention to data and analytics — and use that insight to offer the right product and the right experience at the right price in the right places on the right channels.” Resilient spend categories A strong indication of consumer resilience is their intention to spend more. When asked how their expected spend will change over the next six to 12 months, respondents said they plan to spend more across eight out of 15 categories – in areas such as leisure travel and wellness (e.g., Self-care) – compared to six categories in 2022. And, after several years of enforced pandemic-related travel restrictions, consumers were reminded that travel is more than a trip away. It’s about human connection. After a year of strong growth for the travel industry, 71% of consumers plan to sustain or increase their current spending on leisure travel in the next year, even while limiting spending across most discretionary categories. In the next year, eight in 10 (78%) of consumers are planning leisure travel – and half (50%) are planning two or more leisure trips. This signals that consumers still see travel as an essential part of their lives. Emily Weiss, senior managing director and global lead for Accenture’s Travel industry practice, said, “As they focus on capturing this buoyant desire to travel and driving growth through customer acquisition, travel companies know they need to put the traveler front and center and tailor offerings for distinct types of consumers. This means working beyond traditional silos and considering their entire journey by using technology to better connect all customer touchpoints. It is about personalization at scale, maximizing the value of micro-moments, meeting guests where they are instead of trying to dictate their path – for example, having the insight to know whether they are looking for self-service or direct contact and then meeting those needs.” Companies must anticipate and proactively prepare for sharp and sudden shifts A separate Accenture macroeconomic analysis warns that the persistence of inflation, high interest rates, and growing income and employment uncertainty, could further test the resilience of consumer spending in the coming months. The consumer pulse survey highlights that consumers with resilience are not naïve about the state of the world. More than half (56%) expect the coming years to be a struggle, and 68% are more cautious about the decisions they make these days. Even so, 44% say that challenges in recent years have created opportunities for them, and 61% are trying new experiences or adopting new habits to improve their lives. “People are demonstrating a resilient mindset and ability to deal with adversity, withstand shocks, and adapt to continued uncertainty. Now, retailers and brands must do the same,” Standish said. “It means taking a holistic view of the consumer and committing to a continuous strategy of reinvention that allows them to quickly adapt and accelerate as disruptions and crises arise over time. Creating dynamic data-driven pricing strategies, targeted marketing, and loyalty programs, and stress-testing the P&L against different spending slowdown scenarios, are just some of the ways companies can get ahead of the market.” Resilient consumers, resilient values The latest survey supports Accenture’s previous findings that even during times of economic and financial uncertainty, the environment still matters to consumers. Following concern for the national economy, which is top of the list for consumers (66%), the environment comes in second (63%), ahead of concern for personal finances (56%). The survey also shows a large proportion of consumers (83%) have increased sustainable shopping behaviors in the last 12 months, such as only buying what they need, taking their own bags to the store, buying better quality goods that will last longer, repairing or upcycling what they have, and buying reusable or refillable products. Oliver Wright, senior managing director and global lead for Accenture’s Consumer Goods & Services industry practice, said, “There’s no greater challenge facing the consumer industries, than how to manage the transition to future consumption. While permanently moving the needle on sustainability remains a complex challenge, the opportunity is there. The focus needs to be on reinvention with tangible action to advance the sustainability agenda. It means paying close attention to evolving and multifaceted consumption habits to help people do better by the environment regardless of their motivations for doing so. Above all, it calls for extraordinary levels of collaboration, commitment, and consumer engagement — not to mention technology and business innovation — to drive growth that is better for brands and crucially, better for the planet.” While the survey identified continued consumer concern for the environment and increased sustainable shopping habits, it also found that the majority (81%) of consumers feel they have less control over their environmental footprint compared to pre-pandemic. In response, consumer-facing companies must develop offerings that address a combination of buyer values — economic, personal, sustainability – not a trade-off of one over the other. A separate Accenture study, “Our Human Moment” cautions a relevancy gap is emerging between the way organizations think they should encourage people to be sustainable and the way people themselves define, connect and act sustainability. The gap is so wide, that three in five people don’t strongly relate to the idea of living sustainably. Only by taking a broader view to sustainability – as part of continuous reinvention of the business – can companies adapt to consumers’ evolving needs and priorities through offering the most relevant brands, products, or services.
No Event found matching your search.
Return To Home