Transform the traveler experience, personalize services, and optimize operations with the help of an eCommerce platform.

Understanding your traveler is not just a competitive advantage, it’s a necessity. User experience has become the heart of the industry, and every interaction counts in building a lasting and satisfying relationship. However, how can we truly understand travelers’ needs, wants, and behaviors?

The solution can be found in data analytics. With a large volume of information being generated at each step of the purchasing process, including destination research and post-trip reviews, there is a special opportunity to gain insights into and comprehend trends that can revolutionize the operations of bus companies.

But what types of data can be measured, how can it be analyzed, and how can the insights be applied to deliver personalized experiences to travelers? It might seem complex, or you might think you need more than one tool.

However, your eCommerce platform enables you to gain a better understanding of your travelers, their interests, and needs, and to have essential metrics at your fingertips when they make an online purchase for bus tickets. 

eCommerce, the ally to know your traveler

An eCommerce platform offers significant advantages to a company, such as access to data at any time of the day. This eliminates the need for multiple employees working different shifts to handle bus ticket sales. With an eCommerce platform, travelers can purchase tickets at their convenience, and the bus company can analyze each stage of the purchasing process and make real-time adjustments if needed.

Availability and accessibility for travelers also make it possible, for example, to track user behavior on the website and learn about:

• Sections of the site that are of interest to them.
• Times they consult a route.
• Dates and times they are most interested in.

In the last edition of Reservamos On-Road Talks, Alexandier Meza, general manager of Roll&Bits, shared that thanks to the eCommerce platform developed by Reservamos SaaS they have been able to know which transportation service (bus or van) is more attractive to their travelers. 

Data analysis becomes essential to know our travelers better. Through data, a purchase history is generated where, without logging in or registering in eCommerce, we can group users according to their behavior. In the purchase process, they complete data that are essential for us. By cross-referencing this information, we can identify our travelers even if they have not registered. This can help us with future strategies and increase loyalty. – Alexandier Meza, general manager of Roll&Bits.

That’s why this digital sales channel helps to have greater operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the shopping experience, by knowing what they prefer when purchasing a ticket online. 

Personalized shopping experiences

According to Alexandier, the focus should be on analyzing traveler data. Understanding what the user is looking for allows companies to generate personalized shopping experiences. 

We need to provide personalized services. Travelers are eager for the services we offer to be more tailored to their individual needs. They don’t want to be addressed in general terms; they want to be addressed personally, as Alexandier. Achieving this level of personalization is extremely important, and it can only be accomplished through digitalization. – Alexandier Meza, General Manager of Roll&Bits.

You can even offer a hyper-personalized and AI-driven shopping experience. This is possible thanks to the AI-powered search widget, which allows the user to be given suggestions on the routes they are looking for the most or the last ones they have searched for.

How is the search widget working? This is one of the innovations and updates offered by Reservamos SaaS eCommerce technology. It works through artificial intelligence, assigning an anonymous identifier to that user. 

That identifier assigns an anonymous name to a user, for example, anonymous 99 or anonymous 100. When that user logs back into the bus company’s eCommerce, the bus company remembers who the user is who did the search and makes suggestions based on that search history. 

We have observed that this technique addresses the conversion and agility issues when making a purchase. By eliminating the need to enter your origin-destination, it is presented as a suggestion instead. The user selects the date, completes the payment, chooses a seat, and that’s all. This optimizes the flow of the process. – Alexandier Meza, general manager of Roll&Bits.

Obtaining this knowledge of the traveler, based on data analysis, does not necessarily represent a high percentage of investment. The most viable option is to have a technological partner with these solutions. Alexandier considers that the advantage of having an ally such as Reservamos SaaS invests eCommerce low. 

We know that as mobility transportation companies we have a hard time with technology because the investments are usually very high. We have to spend on a technology team to develop eCommerce, mobile applications, or fleet management systems. Having a partner like Reservamos SaaS that has developed these solutions is very positive. -Alexandier Meza, general manager of Roll&Bits.

Future of eCommerce in the bus industry

Data analytics has become essential for gaining a deep understanding of travelers’ preferences and behaviors. The implementation of technology in bus companies’ eCommerce not only allows them to optimize the availability and accessibility of services but also enables the ability to collect and analyze information, which can be used to deliver highly personalized shopping experiences.

The future of eCommerce in the travel sector holds tremendous potential for advancements driven by artificial intelligence and hyper-personalization. Tools like search widgets and recommendation algorithms are proving their value by enhancing the user experience and boosting conversion rates and completed purchases. The capability to predict and anticipate traveler needs will empower companies to not only meet but also exceed the expectations of their users.

eCommerce represents not only a transformation in the way bus tickets are sold but also an integral evolution in the relationship with the traveler. By leveraging the capabilities of data analytics and artificial intelligence, companies can create unique and more satisfying experiences, ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage in the travel market.