Digital transformation is a key point of The Next Generation concept, which consists of a whole new way of apprehending business: in the fast changing air cargo industry, The Next Generation approach is also intended to make Qatar Airways Cargo reach its full digital potential to improve processes.  “Digital tools are an enabler and an enhancement of our service portfolio, giving our customers a broad and varied choice of how they wish to interact with us, and our employees the tools for proactive rather than reactive engagement. Our digital developments are based on reducing process inefficiencies so that customers receive a faster turn-around. These adaptations enable our people to focus on value-added work, not on repetitive manual tasks that do not bring value,” says Faisal Karamat, Vice President Customer Experience at Qatar Airways Cargo.

Qatar Airways Cargo’s digital transformation strategy concentrates on replacing repetitive manual processes with digital solutions, refining existing systems, and developing intelligent interfaces to industry software. Qatar Airways Cargo is also exploring ways to reduce the service response time across various customer touchpoints. For example, how quickly a customer is able to open an account with Qatar Airways Cargo depends on whether they are IATA CASS-registered or non-IATA CASS. “Our focus is on tapping into available technologies and combining them with various in-house tools,” Faisal Karamat explains. “We are offering a full omni-channel experience where customers can book via various platforms of their choice.”

Qatar Airways Cargo began offering its capacity on Webcargo in February 2021, and has since seen over 50,000 bookings in the first year. Its success has led to a wider omni-channel approach where customers can choose how they wish to book with Qatar Airways Cargo, either online via the airline’s website, or booking platforms, as is more and more the case, or via the traditional phone or email booking method. Qatar Airways Cargo will soon be announcing further third-party marketplace partners and a brand new booking experience in line with The Next Generation spirit conveyed by the carrier. “Customers welcome the quick and simple, digital booking experience through the display of available capacity and price, and the opportunity to make instantly confirmed bookings. They face no waiting time, nor is any additional manual interaction with staff required,” Faisal Karamat says.

“Customer engagement has matured tremendously since we relaunched our website on 17 May 2022,” Faisal Karamat explains. “We rebuilt the site from scratch to match user experience expectations. Regarding our overall digital transformation strategy: as our core business is air freight, we are not usually looking to develop in-house systems ourselves. Instead, we analyse the various options and collaborate with our IT partners to find the best solutions.”