04-Oct-2019 10:08 AM

Delta to launch chat feature, enhanced meetings options for corporate travelers

Direct News Source

Coming soon, Delta will launch chat feature on Delta Professional, a suite of enhancements to its Delta Edge meetings product, and upgraded operational reporting for corporate customers - all in response to feedback from travel agents and corporate travel managers.

"We never stop working to improve the products we offer for our customers, so we can make doing business with Delta easy," said Kristen Shovlin, Vice President - Sales Operations and Development. "Sometimes, that means industry-leading launches - like our new Delta Professional Chat feature - and in other cases, it's about continually refining our leading suite of products based on listening to our customers."

Industry-first chat function for travel agents

With Delta's new industry-first chat feature on Delta Professional, travel agents now have an additional way to get on-the-go help to quickly assist their travelers. Global Sales Support's chat functionality mimics the chat feature on delta.com, allowing travel agents to quickly connect with live Delta Global Sales Support associates.

Chat adds another channel of choice for travel agents, who will also be able to continue using all the other sales support features Delta currently offers, including online self-service options, email and phone interactions via the airline's 24-7-365 Global Sales Support desk.

Self-service options to speed up the filing process

Starting in November, Delta will begin rolling out Securities Hub, a new self-service application that will streamline the corporate agreement filing process. With the new tool, Delta's corporate customers and agency partners will enjoy a simplified process for securities updates, that includes automatic error-checking and built-in filing status tracking for ease of use. With this streamlined process, securities filings will be live in the GDS as soon as 24 hours.

Enhanced corporate meetings product

Beginning this fall, Delta is enhancing its corporate meetings product, Delta Edge Meetings, with new features including a 24-hour filing commitment and expanded reporting. These features are based on feedback from corporate customers who use Delta Edge Meetings to handle their large-group travel needs each year.

With the new 24-hour filing commitment, corporate customers who register an event through Delta Edge Meetings will have access to special meeting fares in just one day, instead of the 10-day window previously required.

Additionally, Delta will now offer enhanced reporting for customers who use Delta Edge Meetings, allowing them to work with their account representative to see real-time data on top destinations, regional and time period data, and back end payment details.

More data, streamlined look for Sky Partner Reports

In 2011, Delta launched Sky Partner Reports to provide corporate travel managers with easy access to the overall value proposition Delta brings, including Contract Value, Beyond Contract Value, customer support and Delta Edge points. Since then, the airline has continued to evolve the reports based on feedback from travel managers.

Beginning in mid-November, the reports will have a new streamlined look and include data points that will more clearly show the value of the customer's partnership with Delta, including country-level Beyond Contract value and global savings data that includes partners like Air France and KLM.

Based on feedback from customers, Delta will also add additional flexibility, with the option to customize Beyond Contract Value preferences. This option will launch with the new Sky Partner reports and is based on direct customer feedback.

This press release was sourced from Delta Air Lines on 03-Oct-2019.