Why Knowledge is Revenue for Airports that Upsell

Upselling is a strategy for promoting ancillary products and services, upgrades, extras, a little slice of luxury. An airport that offers a valet service to a customer using its long-stay car park is upselling, so is a hotel that gives a discounted upgrade to a returning guest or a coffee shop employee who tempts with marshmallows on your hot chocolate for an extra 20p. It’s a timely suggestion that there might be something nicer, better or more appropriate on offer.

In the past, the term has been loaded with uncomfortable connotations. Nobody likes a pushy salesman. But with the use of focused data this technique can significantly add to customer happiness, loyalty as well as improving revenue.

Successful upselling requires as complete, and holistic picture of the customer as possible. This factor has left airports lagging behind many in the online retail sector. When passengers purchase flights, parking and other extra services directly through …

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