This paper examines Delta Airlines' evolution from traditional push-oriented marketing to interactive, customer-centered digital strategies. It analyzes the airline's website personalization features, role-based navigation for distinct traveler segments, click-stream data collection, and IT security obligations. The paper also explores Delta's use of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, customer feedback mechanisms including blogs and micro-sites, and mobile alert systems designed to streamline the travel experience. Together, these initiatives illustrate how Delta positions itself as a leader among American carriers in leveraging web-based technologies to build collaborative, trust-based relationships with its customers.
Delta Airlines has progressively moved away from traditional push-oriented marketing approaches toward more interactive and collaborative strategies that connect directly with customers. This shift includes the adoption of newer internet-based technologies such as blogs and social networking platforms including Facebook and Twitter. Delta is also streamlining the most time-consuming processes that both business and leisure travelers rely on, including remote check-in via e-mail and the ability to upgrade seating by purchasing upgrades online or applying reward miles.
The traditional design attributes of a website center on creating a high degree of personalization, functionality, and the opportunity for customers to gather information, use it for planning, and act on it. The integration of content and web-based applications is crucial for any online marketing strategy to be effectively accomplished. Delta has created a personalization layer on its website that unifies content, web-based applications, and updated pricing and schedule information.
Much has been written about portals and their popularity in e-commerce, yet for a wide variety of reasons, portals have failed to gain much traction in traditional marketing contexts. Delta has learned the lessons of why portals in general — and e-commerce portals specifically — have failed for other companies. This is evidenced in the unique approach Delta takes in creating role-based navigational paths through its website. There is a different navigational path for the business traveler who is on the road for the majority of their working life versus those who travel only sporadically. There is also a distinct navigational path for the leisure traveler, including more leisure-oriented content. These variations in role-based navigation are not immediately obvious; each customer begins along a navigational path that eventually leads them to the appropriate content, web applications, pricing, and checkout processes.
Delta also makes these role-based navigational paths more efficient by using e-mail and alert-based messaging on mobile devices. By taking these steps both on its website and through automated e-mails, Delta streamlines the check-in process, the customer service process, and alert delivery across e-mail and mobile telephony platforms. The goal is to create a more collaborative and responsive experience for customers across all segments.
Throughout the use of its website by these three dominant customer segments, Delta also captures click-stream data to anticipate needs and improve automated processes. Using technologies developed by DoubleClick and Overture from Yahoo, in addition to tools from Google, Delta is refining the navigational touchpoints on its website to better serve each of its target segments. This analysis also yields increasingly detailed behavioral information about each segment.
"Data analytics tools and IT security obligations"
"Social media, blogs, and micro-site feedback tools"
You’re 62% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 2 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.