When will the new Sabre Red Workspace platform arrive, and what will it change?
Ludovic Philippo - Sabre Red Workspace will be launched globally early next year. The platform is already being tested in some 300 branches. We are making available to them all the work we have done over the last few years on APIs and web services. There has been a huge evolution in the way requests are made and information is fed back. In particular, we have integrated APIs that allow agents to see price trends and check the occupancy rate for the coming weeks on a specific route.
Can you put a figure on the savings you make and the time you save?
L. P. - The last time we did a demonstration, the savings amounted to 100 euros on the destination chosen. The agent can immediately see on his screen if there is a better price two or three days ahead, and can also spot if there is a better fare on offer to an alternative airport. With just one click, they can see the calendar and price variations, giving them a decision-making tool that can save them 10 minutes in the search for a better fare. This is crucial. A recent study estimated that more than 40% of bookings are not made at the best priceThis is because agents don't have the right tools to help them make decisions.
The only thing holding us back is change
How do you compare with your competitors, who are also announcing technological advances?
L. P. - We've already been in the cloud for three years, so these are not just announcements. At Sabre, we're used to announcing developments that are already working. We're more into fine-tuning, and it's working perfectly. The advantage of our solution also lies in future developments such as NDCThese changes have been anticipated. Our new platform is really ahead of the game when it comes to web services, billing automation and price optimisation. All our customers are making business progress. This platform is really going to revolutionise the deployment of our applications. There's virtually no training involved, and changes can be made very quickly. The only thing holding us back is change. . today, the French market is based on 20-year-old technologiesSome do not react to the changes they have to make. When you come up with a webservices technology that you can connect to all the sites and online tools, and to mobility, everything goes very quickly in terms of development for a TMC. That's our strength.
What are your other priorities?
L. P. - Over the summer, we installed the following at our customers' premises a new platform for group bookings. This solution has been a huge success. There are a lot of MICE events among our corporate clients, and they are really happy to be able to use this tool. More generally, all our efforts are focused on webservices content, because this is the future for agencies, whether corporate or not, to connect to any type of tool.
Amadeus is investing in the diversification of its offer, which goes beyond the historical role of the GDS. What about Sabre?
L. P. - We have the same approach, we are present from one end of the chain to the other. Our competitors are not so far ahead in using their technologies to make agencies' businesses more efficient, whether in terms of automation, rate optimisation or getting the best rates. They live on their achievements. It is a disaster for some agencies in France.
Do you aim to catch up with your competitors in terms of market share in France?
L. P. - That will happen one day, but we're not there yet. Whatever happens, the backlog closes very quicklySabre is doing very well in France. For the moment, we're making the most of what we've done and done well. How the business will evolve in four or five years' time is very complicated...
Travel agencies add value, and it's up to us to provide them with the right tools.
Aren't the incumbents threatened by the direct sales being promoted by certain suppliers?
L. P. - Suppliers already sell direct, and they will continue to do so. But they can't cut themselves off from the distribution networks overnight, or declare themselves a distribution platform with impeccable reliability. Direct distribution is expensive for airlines.
So the role of the travel agency is not doomed?
L. P. - I don't think so. The travel agency adds valueIt's up to us to provide them with the right tools. Agencies face a major challenge: upgrading their technology. Sabre's technology can help them evolve their business modelWe've really accelerated over the last two or three years in terms of product quality and automation. Over the last two or three years, we've really accelerated incredibly in terms of product quality and automation. Technology has made a real leap forward, which I haven't seen with TMCs and agencies in general.
