Technology is rapidly changing the face of on-board retail. In fact, many airlines have already brought in big changes to crew operations through the smart devices used by crew.

It’s no longer the case that passengers are better equipped in terms of smart devices. Crew members now have the tools that can enable them to sell smarter.

Here’s three ways that technology is having a major impact in on-board retail:

Paper is a thing of the past 

Having access to the latest smart devices and tablets means that crew members no have to rely on paper manifests and lists to execute on-board operations.

Not only does this boost efficiency by removing time spent trawling through paper records, it also enables crew to spend more time on personal face-to-face selling and customer service.

Push Technology  

Push technology means that crew have access to the right information at the right time. This allows crew members to carry out their individual roles more effectively as the information they need as is always at hand.

Crew can access all operational information, but most importantly they will also be able to access in depth passenger information such as loyalty levels, onward flight information and individual preferences.

Increased use of CRM  

For most airlines, capitalising on CRM is vital. Integration of such systems with on-board retail will provide additional visibility of transactional information such as ticket purchases, upgrades, F&B and duty free spend.

Not only will this allow crew to understand passenger behaviour such as their tendency to buy, it will also help identify specific product interest. In instances where product is out of stock, data can be captured and airlines can ensure products are available for subsequent flights.