TACA, El Salvador’s leading airline, needed to bring their Web site up to par in order to increase use among their core customers and attract new users looking to book travel to Central America. Upgrading TACA.com also presented the opportunity to incorporate the new brand positioning, “Un trato personal” and to offer their customers an improved, easier, more personal Web experience.
TACA determined that its Web presence was underperforming relative to its direct competitors and international carriers with increasing presence in Central America. TACA needed world-class, advanced features and functions to address the demands of its growing customer base and hold off its rivals.
Increasing the Web site’s functionality was supported by a compelling business case as many of their customers were still using more expensive booking channels such as call centers and travel agents. The new site had to provide a superior experience while maintaining TACA’s reputation as a regional provider with world-class service and a personal touch.
An audit of competitors and best practices in the travel industry led to a framework for improvement and an action plan for a multi-staged implementation, starting with a new brand presence, then to a fail-proof booking engine, and later to enhanced features such as reservation management, enhanced frequent-flyer account management, and auxiliary purchases and promotions.
We employed a user-scenario approach to building Web experiences and creating wire-frame layouts. These were then translated into page designs that used the new visual system to put some life into the potentially mundane task of booking airline tickets and other travel reservations.