What is the product/service about?
Our technology allows users to know, in detail, the seat they are going to choose on an airline during a booking, manage your booking or check-in process. By providing the best possible information to the user, we help people to better select their seat, avoid seat selection complaints, and help airlines to more easily sell special seats and premium classes, with increased conversions and revenue.
This, all in all, results in optimal aircraft occupancy, and even translates into savings in boarding times, travellers flying with more confidence as they know the interior of the aircraft they are on, the services available on board, etc.
Now, with INNOWWIDE, we have analysed the feasibility of introducing a number of new, ground-breaking features that will take the user experience to a new level of interactivity and immersion.
Developed by:
Renacens Sistemas SL
Where did the project idea come from?
From a personal experience of our CEO, who, on a flight between Spain and Mexico had paid more for an emergency exit seat, and when he arrived on the plane discovered that his seat was actually no better than the one next to him (which cost less). This gave rise to the idea of creating a visualisation engine that would help us to better understand what the seat we selected is like, before paying for it.
Why did you select that specific target country?
The United Arab Emirates, and in particular Dubai, is an international airline hub with enormous strategic value in the aviation world. The UAE is home to airlines such as Emirates and Etihad, which are already our customers. In addition, Dubai is home to the digital UX analysis studio we worked with for this project, which has significant experience due to the background of its staff working in airlines. For this reason, it seemed the logical step to develop the new functionalities focusing on UAE, as we already have traction in the area, which will allow us to give a more immediate commercial development to the new functionalities.
Who are your partners in the target country?
We worked with Digital Of Things, a Dubai-based user experience analysis studio for digital environments, winner of prestigious awards (such as the Gulf CX Awards). This studio carries out direct user feedback analysis in its laboratory, but also performs user gaze analysis, emotional analysis, etc. The information they have provided us with has been extremely useful for this project, allowing us to decide, in the best possible way, the steps we should take at any given moment.
What is your long term vision for your company working in your chosen partner country?
The first airline we sold 3D SeatMapVR to was Emirates, and we’ve been growing ever since. Emirates itself has helped us to improve and evolve our technology, and we will certainly continue to work with them as we have done so far. But also, the region (United Arab Emirates) is central to the travel world and has some of the most popular airlines operating from there (like Etihad, Saudia, Fly Dubai…). So, definitely, it’s a strategic country for us.
What impact do you believe INNOWWIDE will have on your company?
Firstly, a direct impact by having allowed us to carry out this feasibility analysis, taking into account the harsh impact that airlines (and their suppliers) have suffered due to COVID-19. But not only has it allowed us to understand how best to develop the new functionality we are including in 3D SeatMapVR, it has also helped us to work with Digital of Things, with whom we certainly look forward to continued collaboration in the future.
Innowwide is a great opportunity to learn about the feasibility of a development with the lowest possible impact for the company, as well as a seal that positions us as an innovative company at an international level, something that in turn helps us when it comes to establishing relationships with new customers.
So the experience could not have been more positive!
Can you offer any advice or guidance to others looking to apply for INNOWWIDE grants?
I think the main thing is to analyse, very deeply, what you think your innovation can contribute to society in general (and, in particular, to the industry where it is applied). Only by being clear about this and justifying it properly can you understand how to apply to INNOWWIDE, and what aspects of business, human resources, marketing and innovation will affect you in the further development of the VAP.
In addition, it is essential to choose the right country of destination (because it is the cornerstone of the whole INNOWWIDE project) and, of course, the partner with whom you will work in that country. Without a partner worthy of the project, involved and concerned about obtaining the most valuable result possible, it is difficult to conceive of a development worthy of the INNOWWIDE seal.