WHY IT RATES: The budget carrier’s latest service will make it easier for passengers to communicate with the airline and receive immediate support.—Patrick Clarke, TravelPulse Senior Writer.
Spirit Airlines, the fastest growing airline in the United States, continues its commitment to invest in the guest experience with an industry-leading technology to connect with its guests via the messaging application WhatsApp.
Beginning in September, the technology, powered by global conversational commerce solutions provider LivePerson, will open a new direct line of communication between Spirit’s English and Spanish-speaking Guest Relations and Reservations teams and the millions of Spirit guests in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America, who already use WhatsApp every day.
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“We launched this service to better connect with our guests, both domestically and abroad, as many have told us that they would rather communicate on a familiar and convenient service like WhatsApp,” said Bobby Schroeter, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Spirit Airlines. “We know WhatsApp is incredibly popular in the United States, but also in the more than two dozen destinations that we serve in the Caribbean and Latin America. From travel updates to adding a bag to your reservation, this new messaging service allows guests to communicate with us in English and Spanish and to opt into WhatsApp messaging. It is all part of our goal to elevate and improve our guest experience.”
The launch of WhatsApp support comes as a direct result of Spirit’s new partnership with LivePerson, a global leader in conversational commerce solutions. Beyond WhatsApp, the partnership also makes it possible for Spirit guests who call to get immediate support by opting to begin a messaging conversation with Spirit representatives instead.
These new guest solutions will also leverage LivePerson’s new AI-powered Maven Assist capability, which recommends the optimal next actions for human agents to take, including surfacing content or suggesting virtual assistants capable of responding to a guest’s intent. Guests will still retain the ability to message with a live representative at any time during the process to address questions, comments and situations that are best suited for a live specialist.
“We’re excited to enable this new connection for America’s fastest-growing airline, providing a powerful, engaging way for guests to connect with Spirit on their own time,” said Rick Winnard, Global Head of Gainshare Programs at LivePerson. “Guests want to be able to ask questions, add products, and get immediate help without waiting, and with Spirit we’re making it possible for them to do so in the messaging channels they prefer.”
In addition to new WhatsApp and messaging support, Spirit will continue to serve its guests via its social media channels, on Twitter and Facebook. Over the past two years, Spirit has heavily invested in the guest experience touching all aspects of the journey, including on-time performance, guest care technology and in-flight products.
SOURCE: Spirit Airlines press release.
