In the travel and hospitality industry, many companies rely on innovative contact centre leaders and technology experts to help them serve customers all over the globe. Cruise operators, for instance, need to be able to access systems that enable uninterrupted service in an ever-moving environment while keeping staff members informed and engaged.
Star Cruises, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Genting Hong Kong Organization, is a leading leisure brand in the hospitality sector. Since launching in 1993, the company has remained committed to delivering fantastic cruise line experiences to global customers. This dedication to phenomenal customer service has been reflected in several accolades and industry recognitions, such as being named the “Best Cruise Operator in the Asia Pacific” 10 years in a row.
Of course, to stay ahead of the curve in a competitive landscape like travel and hospitality, both Star Cruises and its parent brand know they need to constantly transform, improve, and invest in new ways of delighting their customers. This quest for ever-evolving excellence in customer service is where Avaya and Star Cruises’ relationship begins.
Offering a Consistent Global Service
When Star Cruises and Genting Hong Kong approached Avaya in search of a solution to enable global connectivity, they faced high customer demand. Star Cruises received numerous queries and bookings from travel agents and members of the public across the region. One of the most significant challenges facing the company was finding a way to efficiently manage increasing call volumes.
To stay ahead of the curve, the company needed a flexible, scalable, and reliable communications ecosystem capable of operating globally. After assessing the marketplace and exploring a host of CCaaS solutions to enable a new level of customer service, Star Cruises selected Avaya’s Unified Communication and Contact Centre solutions to create a combined platform for growth.
The Star Cruises team chose Avaya because of the vendor’s ability to offer sensational cutting-edge service to customers on a global scale. More importantly, Avaya had the flexibility and strength to grow with the Star Cruises company as demand increased.
According to Henry Pang, the Vice President of Information Technology for the Star Cruises brand, Avaya fully understood the unique needs of the Star Cruises business. When the cruise provider approached the communications brand in search of a simple, and effective communication solution, Avaya offered a combination of Avaya IP Office and the Avaya IP Office Contact Centre.
The combined solution, according to Pang, has enabled Star Cruises to rapidly accelerate its growth and expansion through the delivery of seamless and stress-free experiences for both employees and customers. By leveraging Avaya’s contact centre, voice, and UCaaS offerings, Star Cruises has been able to unlock seamless global connectivity. The cruise provider also has a comprehensive omnichannel environment where it can handle both inbound and outbound calls.
An All-In-One Environment for Communications
Dealing with such a huge number of enquiries in such a flexible environment meant Star Cruises needed a contact centre and communication system capable of offering seamless communications experiences for both employees and customers. Avaya’s ability to provide a single global platform, that delivers both at sea, and on land, has supported the company in generating faster response times, better customers satisfaction levels, and enhanced employee engagement.
As Pang noted when talking about the implementation of the new Avaya ecosystem for Star Cruises, the innovative, combined solution allowed the brand to run its business communications more effectively, no matter what the quality of the internet connection was like in various countries across Asia. For a cruise company constantly moving between ports, it was crucial to have a communication ecosystem capable of withstanding sudden changes in connectivity levels and technology.