Miles Ahead: Talking Loyalty with Avioss Mobile Chief

Avios Martin YoungDM: Martin, the event is drawing ever-closer, can you give us an idea what you’ll be talking about tomorrow please? 

MY: I’ll be giving a brief introduction to the Avios proposition and where we sit within British Airways. I’ll then cover our mobile journey, from start and implementation to where we are today.

DM: What impact is mobile having on your business?

MY: Mobile is having an ever larger impact on us, especially in S. Africa, which is our newest market. Today, we find our customers are using desktop, mobile and tablet all together before completing a purchase. The need to offer a uniform multichannel experience is greater than ever.

DM: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from your experience of doing stuff on mobile to date?

MY: The biggest thing would be learning from our mistakes and other people’s, as well as listening to our customers’ needs and wants before forcing them down a certain path.

DM: How do you think the Travel industry compares to others in terms of its mobile-readiness/firstness?

MY: I think the industry is moving in the right direction. We have such great potential as mobile and travel virtually go hand in hand. Many retailers saw this opportunity and grabbed it as a core part of their strategy. We have still some catching up to do, but as a whole, we are making great progress, with some travel brands leading the way.

DM: Which other presentations are you most looking forward to at the event?

MY: I’m looking forward to hearing them all; a lot can be learned from others so it would be unfair to discount any.

DM: What are your key mobile priorities/areas of investigation right now (e.g. apps, messaging, advertising)?

MY: Optimisation is absolutely key at the moment; we at Avios have a strong mobile offering with our mobile-optimised site and global apps, but I am unhappy with some of our current customers’ journeys and experiences on mobile.

Martin Young is digital planning and mobile manager at Avios