Online travel companies too caught up in market share-,--A.

Online travel companies too caught up in market share-,--A.: "Online travel companies too caught up in market share

TTI conference sprecial report: Online travel companies are preoccupied with grabbing market share from each other at the expense of customer experience according to one internet player.

Opodo head of user experience Tanya Lidstone said companies were spending vast amounts on acquiring customers who could not even tell the difference between one site and the next.

She said: 'It is difficult to be brand loyal when everyone has the same product and same technology. Good service and usability are the differentiator. It's about the way you talk to customers and present your product.'

Lidstone highlighted market research revealing that 97% of online retailers fail to convert shoppers into buyers and that it is customer satisfaction which drives people to buy online not price.

She also advised travel companies to take advantage of new technologies which make it easier for customers to find what they want and prevent virtual dead ends.

'If you take a holistic view of customer experience you will get great conversion and great retention. A lot of the things you do in a shop are the same online but people's expectations are that it should be a better experience.'

Lidstone also advised TTI delegates to use customer testimonials and bring the online experience to life with images.

She said: 'We should be trying to replicate Crate & Barrel's website in travel. Anything to do with travel should be fun. Instead of spending money on marketing the product it would better to spend it on improving it.' "