Technology is major thrust going forward: Thomas Cook India

Travel services firm Thomas Cook India today said it is betting big on technology to provide customers a seamless experience across all its channels going forward.
The company, which announced yesterday that it will acquire Tata Capital's wholly owned subsidiaries, Tata Capital Forex and TC Travel and Services, said it remains open to more acquisitions if they offer good opportunity.
"For us technology is the major thrust going forward because that is the only way to provide a seamless customer experience," Thomas Cook India Chairman & MD Madhavan Menon told PTI.
That helps a customer right from the point of seeding the idea of a holiday, to research, bookings and finally the experiencing it, he added.

"My objective for the travel business is to pump more and more automation in our businesses so that we can adapt to the changing trends in the travel industry as the industry is changing very fast," Menon said.
He said digitalisation is going to be very important for transforming the industry and that is where the company intends to be.

"Our objective is to provide same experience to all the customers across all our channels and that is where the technology plays an important role.
"At present 22 per cent of the company's package holiday business is sold online from zero four years ago. People are also looking at the selling process to go to them. So we are addressing this by creating a omni channel experience for them," he added.

On competition the company faces currently, Menon said: "Competition is here to stay and we believe it is healthy, how you differentiate from the competition is the objective and one of our primary focus is to use technology to differentiate ourselves from others".