There is a lot of technology use in Virgin Atlantic that has a great impact on the service it delivers and the key to its day to day success. The firm has its own website (www. virgin.
com/atlantic) which has all information regarding making reservations, all information that customers need plus any information on Virgin Atlantic, customer enquiries etc all available on the website.. The website (www. virgin.
com/atlantic) offers full electronic booking capacity, allowing passengers to reserve and pay for tickets online, plus full destination information and a comprehensive guide to what's in store when flying with Virgin Atlantic.For Virgin Atlantics flying club members they are able to use the site to check their mileage balance, rewards and earning opportunities. New members can also enrol online which they could not do without technology. The website, allowing passengers to reserve and pay for tickets online, there s no need to check in, straight to boarding with e-tickets. Due to technology customers can have full destination information and a comprehensive guide to what's in store when flying with Virgin Atlantic. Technology has allowed customers to make reservation online with hotel bookings.
Car hires on the website, airport parking, and flight times etc this makes it a lot easier and useful for customers to have access to all information. There is Innovative technology on aeroplanes as there are many facilities onboard such as hotels, facilities access to customers e. g. TV and also offering customers gadgets that are duty-free. Online booking is the most used technology on Virgin Atlantic, the Advantages of online bookings are: It's more secure for customers,It's quicker and doesn't time consume, Tickets can be bought at lower cost than what they would pay for at an agency plus there are bargains and offers e.
g. group discounts. If customers have access to internet then that is easier for them to research the best offers, plus if once they buy they'll come back which is a benefit for the firm like Virgin Atlantic, and it is Less expensive to advertise tickets on the internet, Online travel agencies allow users to sign up to watch the airfares to their choice of destinations. The sites send out e-mail to update the users on the latest fares.The customer just has supply information on where they are going and what they are in need of, and the service will take care of everything else for them. This saves them time from searching for the best prices they can get and booking everything from the same online site they will assured they have the best prices.
The only disadvantage of Virgin having an online booking system is that customers prefer face-to-face interaction for any guidance or any enquiries they want to find out.Some customers don't believe in online booking their travel plans this could be due to security issues e. g. credit card access to other users. Customers would have a one to one to discuss their plans and ask for help if they are a first timer but also if they have lack of knowledge in how to use the site and feel uncomfortable.
Whereas a travel agent will tell them whatever they want to know and discuss any issues with them.Innovation and creativity has an impact on Virgin Atlantics profitability as the success of the business with generation of new ideas and services to offer customers. The business's financial position has grew over the years and has made hundreds of millions of pounds in comparison to others airlines, gaining the most number of customers and its dominant position in the airline industry. To sum up Virgin Atlantic it is "A brand name that is known internationally for innovation, quality and a sense of fun - this is what we have always aspired to with Virgin."(Branson, Richard.
www. VirginAtlantic. com) Summary The use of innovation and creativity in Virgin Atlantic is a key factor in the firms growing success and making it a leading online booking service and airline with customers. Through the use of innovation and creativity in the marketing and technology it has a major impact of success with new ideas created and producing new products and services.Virgin Atlantic are maintaining their firms objectives by meeting their customers needs and going ahead of its competitors gaining competitor advantage and rising to the top in its environment with its innovative ways of doing things and improving its current service. Innovation and creativity is the key element in Virgin Atlantic in creating new ideas and service to customers by differentiating their service by offering customers what they want and what other firms don't have.
Innovation and creativity are important elements in all businesses including Virgin Atlantic in creating the best products and services. The more use of innovation and creativity will enable to improve business growth ,achieve Virgin Atlantics values set, Be more creative than others in the industry by Generating new products and services to beat their competitors, Improve financial performance, more Competitive advantage, keep existing customers satisfied and attract more.BibliographyBettina von Stamm, (2003) Managing Innovation, Design ; Creativity, Wiley. Boam and Sparrow, (1992) Designing and Achieving Competency, McGraw Hill. Clegg (1999), Creativity and Innovation for Managers, Butterworth Heinemann. Dodgson, M.
(2000) The Management Of Technological Innovation, Oxford. Trott, P. (1997). Innovation Management and New Product Development, FT Prentice Hall.
