Collinson Group Uses Freshworks to Modernize its Customer Experience and Adapt to New Travel Requirements

Rhea-AI Summary

Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH) announced a partnership with Collinson Group to address a 50% rise in customer enquiries due to new travel guidelines amid COVID-19. Collinson leveraged Freshdesk to implement chatbot support and automate workflows, managing an average of 1,200 inquiries daily, with peaks reaching 10,000. The rapid deployment was facilitated within three weeks, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and customer service. Effective use of metrics and omni-channel support has positioned Collinson to manage the dynamic environment of the travel industry.

Positive

• Collinson Group achieved a 50% surge in customer enquiries, indicating strong demand for COVID-19 testing services.
• Freshdesk implementation enabled Collinson to handle an average of 1,200 testing-related inquiries per day.
• Automation through Freshdesk streamlined customer communication processes and improved service efficiency.
• The rapid deployment of Freshdesk was completed in three weeks, enhancing operational agility.

Negative

• None.

Using Freshdesk and AWS helps leading travel organisation support airport Covid-19 testing facilities service a surge of 45% in enquiries with new travel guidelines

LONDON and SAN MATEO, Calif., March 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Freshworks Inc. (NASDAQ: FRSH), a software company empowering the people who power business, today announced that its customer Collinson Group, a UK travel experiences and insurance company, is using Freshdesk™ to react to fast-changing business and travel requirements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, servicing a 50% surge in new enquiries.

Following the introduction of new travel requirements, Collinson Group pivoted its medical assistance division to offer COVID-19 testing at partner airports and clinics in the UK, USA and APAC regions, setting up facilities in just three weeks.

Using Freshdesk, Collinson introduced chatbot-first support and automation into its customer communications to help manage the 50% surge in traffic and queries. The company set up over 120 automated workflows including email triage, automated ticket type routing, and chat bot self-service. Help articles were created to enable the global operation to manage backlogs effectively, run as efficiently as possible, and share work across customer service locations and teams.

The Freshdesk ticketing dashboard also helped Collinson to better track customer interactions across disparate communications channels. Using Freshdesk, customer service agents can now view metrics on contact resolution, total time to service, and subject matter of enquiries, and track and respond proactively if a particular subject keeps arising in communications. As a result, Collinson now handles an average of 1,200 testing-related customer enquiries per day, rising to a daily peak of around 10,000 new tickets per day in 2021, 24/7 across multiple global testing locations and service customer teams in English and Indonesian languages.

Speaking about the quick deployment, Sacha Puffett, Group Customer Service Director at Collinson Group said, "The Freshdesk implementation has helped to consolidate our customer communications, while ensuring that omnichannel sits at the heart of our strategy. For the first time, we have a unified view of customer interactions in nearly real time, meaning we can see trends emerging and work to mitigate issues quickly. It’s a win-win situation that’s more efficient for both the customer and us.”

“Our work with Collinson Group, supported by AWS, enabled its rapid transition during a tumultuous year for the travel industry,” said John Crossan, Vice President & General Manager of Europe at Freshworks. “The flexibility Freshdesk provided significantly reduced the time taken for major operational pivots, from weeks to days. Freshworks’ omnichannel engagement solution helps agents quickly resolve customer enquiries at a stressful time for travellers, providing visibility to leading companies in the travel industry across channels such as chat, email, and voice through a single unified interface.”

Ms. Puffett added, "The project manager and technical subject matter expert from Freshworks’ onboarding team were very supportive of our changing needs. Thanks to their guidance, we were able to launch the first iteration of Freshdesk within just three weeks, which was just sensational."

In 2019, Freshworks also helped Collinson pivot its business practices to ensure customer service levels were maintained. Through the work with Freshworks and Amazon Web Services (AWS), Collinson Group equipped customer service agents to work from home and migrated 120 phone lines to Amazon Connect, an easy-to-use, highly scalable, and cost-effective omnichannel cloud contact center solution. The migration was completed within a couple of weeks, and it included training time for call centre agents, which can often take months.

About Collinson Group

Collinson is a global leader in customer benefits and loyalty. We deliver exceptional travel, assistance and insurance products that differentiate value propositions, and loyalty solutions that win deeper, more valuable customer relationships.

Our customer benefits products include the original and market-leading airport experiences programme, Priority Pass, as well as travel insurance, identity assistance, flight delay, international health and travel risk management solutions. Our loyalty expertise uniquely combines strategy, award-winning technology and programme management to create greater engagement and experiences for our clients’ customers.

For over 30 years, we’ve been chosen by the world’s leading payment networks, 1,400+ banks, 90+ airlines and 20+ hotel groups to craft customer experiences that win competitive edge. This enables them to acquire, engage and retain the most profitable, but most demanding customers. Our clients include Air France KLM, American Express, Cathay Pacific, Chase, Hackett, Mastercard, RSA, Sephora, UnionPay, Vhi and Visa.

About Freshworks

Freshworks Inc., (NASDAQ: FRSH) makes business software people love to use. Purpose-built for IT, customer support, sales and marketing teams, our products empower the people who power business. Freshworks is fast to onboard, priced affordably, built to delight, yet powerful enough to deliver critical business outcomes. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks operates around the world to serve more than 56,000 customers including Bridgestone, Chargebee, DeliveryHero, ITV, Klarna, Multichoice, OfficeMax, TaylorMade and Vice Media. For the freshest company news visit www.freshworks.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

© 2022 Freshworks Inc. All rights reserved. Freshworks, Freshdesk, and the associated logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Freshworks Inc. All other company, brand and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Media Contact:

Abigail Watts

+44 7508 230921

pr@freshworks.com 

FAQ

What impact did Freshdesk have on Collinson Group's customer service regarding COVID-19 testing inquiries?

Freshdesk helped Collinson Group manage a 50% surge in enquiries, allowing them to handle an average of 1,200 inquiries daily.

How quickly did Collinson Group implement Freshdesk for handling increased customer queries?

Collinson Group implemented Freshdesk within three weeks to address the rise in customer queries related to COVID-19 testing.

What are the key features of Freshdesk that benefited Collinson Group?

Freshdesk provided automation, chatbot support, and a ticketing dashboard to track customer interactions effectively.

What was the peak number of inquiries Collinson Group managed daily with Freshdesk?

Collinson Group experienced daily peaks of around 10,000 new tickets per day in 2021.

Which regions did Collinson Group service for COVID-19 testing facilities?

Collinson Group set up COVID-19 testing facilities in the UK, USA, and APAC regions.