Strengthening its foothold in India, Abacus is investing in infrastructure, training and customer service, as well as launching two new products
Having received tremendous response to its existing products, followed by several successful tie-ups with the travel industry, Abacus is now set to launch two new products, Abacus TripPlan for mobiles and Abacus WebStart, in India. These solutions are already available in other Asian countries and will be unveiled in India during the first quarter of 2013. WebStart is India’s first private-labelled travel agency mobile web solution, which allows customers to personally manage their check-in and ancillaries purchase. TripPlan, which provides a self-service internet booking engine for corporate travellers while adhering to corporate guidelines, will be available on the mobile platform too.
Speaking at a recent press briefing in Mumbai to highlight their services, Robert Bailey, President & CEO, Abacus International said, “India is a fast growing, and hence, important market for us. There are several changes taking place in the travel sector and we need to manage them effectively. India will soon be leaders in travel with an approximate seven per cent growth in GDP which will fuel the growth of wealth among the middle class, increase travel to newer markets, and demand in new experiences.”
Bailey further added that, globally, travel and tourism will witness a six per cent increase, and Asia will grow at an even faster pace than the rest. Travel and mobility, he added, are closely linked, with Abacus being the leaders in the mobile solutions department. “However, a lot of the trade is still conservative about moving to the online platform and our focus is to make them aware of the advantages of technology,” he stated.
Jeet Sawhney, MD – India, Abacus Distribution Systems (India), revealed that Abacus will make its presence felt across the country by investing heavily in infrastructure, manpower and training. “We are opening new offices in Bengaluru and Delhi and refurbishing our Pune office, all of which should be done by the first quarter of 2013. In addition, we are putting more than 50 per cent of our investment in manpower for customer service, and another major chunk on showcasing to the industry how mobility solutions will benefit their frontline staff,” stated Sawhney.
