Engineering a Seamless Baggage Experience
Ascendion worked with the airline on a multi-year, multi-phase journey, that combined domain expertise, innovative engineering, and cutting-edge technology to tackle the challenge.
2021: Building the Foundation
We engaged the client in workshops to better understand objectives, pain points, and the operational systems involved. Based on this analysis, we built out a detailed business case and a recommended roadmap for addressing baggage handling challenges.
Key priorities included:
- Consolidating fragmented systems into a single platform.
- Providing a trusted, real-time view of baggage data.
- Empowering employees with analytics-driven tools for proactive customer service.
2022: From Ideation to Innovation
Ascendion brought the roadmap to life through a Proof of Concept (POC), developed in collaboration with the Airline’s Innovation team and a third-party hardware provider.
We built out a pilot application to enable the following:
- Real-time tracking of baggage within the central baggage warehouse to locate and ship the bag to the customer/station quickly.
- Streamlined processes for faster resolution of mishandled baggage cases.
- Metric based dashboard for agents to quickly view bags, induct them into the warehouse, track IoT tags to charge, bags to ship, bags to salvage etc.
This innovative approach was acknowledged as a gamechanger, demonstrating the transformative potential of IoT tags in baggage tracking. The engagement reinforced our partnership with the airline and solidified Ascendion’s role as a strategic partner.
2023: Designing a Unified Baggage Solution
Following the successful POC, Ascendion began developing the Baggage Service Office (BSO) Tool, a cloud-native platform that would unify 5 key functions, supporting a new and revamped operational process for baggage recovery and claims handling, powered by system driven workflows.
Phase 1 of development focused on customer management which would enable the following functions:
- Agents would be able to create claim files for mishandled bags in under a minute.
- An improved workflow around creating customer claims with integration of Google Places.
- A seamless integration with ServiceNow to automate task assignments to station agents for locating mishandled bags and tracking workflows until the bag is reunified with the passenger.
- A mechanism that allowed help desk agents to drive the closure of claim files through Service Now task assignments at a faster rate.
- Deliver analytics-driven insights for more effective decision-making.
2024: Delivering a Transformative Solution
Ascendion worked on delivering Phase 2, which built out new features into the BSO tool, such as:
- Real-time tracking and updates on baggage status.
- A landing page for baggage agents to track bags relevant to their location, with details covering passengers missing bags, bags that have already arrived, bags-on-hand, bags-delivered etc.
- Seamless API Integration with FedEx and HomeServe on Baggage delivery.
- An ability for station managers to proactively plan for additional agents at airports/terminals/carousels, for upcoming flights within a 24-hour time window.
The Benefits: Driving Efficiency, Satisfaction, and Savings
The BSO Tool has transformed the airline’s baggage management processes, delivering significant business outcomes:
- Efficient Baggage Recovery: The time to locate and return mishandled baggage has decreased dramatically, leading to faster resolution of customer cases.
- Enhanced Agent Productivity: Automation and streamlined workflows have allowed employees to focus on delivering exceptional service rather than administrative tasks.
- Improved Customer Satisfaction: Proactive notifications, real-time updates, and better communication have elevated the passenger experience, resulting in higher Net Promoter Scores (NPS).
- Cost Savings: Consolidating legacy systems and transitioning to a new unified platform has reduced operational costs and improved scalability.
By reimagining baggage recovery and claims with innovative technology and streamlined processes, the airline now delivers a seamless experience for both passengers and baggage agents. These solutions have set a new standard in baggage handling, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and lasting customer satisfaction.