HK Express Wins the ‘Best Data Activation Award – Gold’ at the DigiZ Awards

HK Express, Hong Kong’s homegrown low-cost carrier, just won the coveted ‘Best Data Activation Award – Gold Award’ at the DigiZ Awards 2020 today (15 September 2020), in recognition of the airline’s data-driven and customer-centric approach to eCommerce.

Held for the first time in Hong Kong this year, the inaugural DigiZ Awards showcases the region’s top digital marketing campaigns, with an aim to celebrate companies and individuals who are taking the industry to new heights. In the Best Data Activation Award category, in which HK Express competed, an expert panel of industry leaders judged entries based on how well each initiative collected and analysed data to respond to customers’ real-time needs and interests.

As the category’s Gold Award winner, HK Express was lauded for its highly effective eCommerce initiatives. Throughout 2019, the airline was on a mission to use the power of data to enhance the customer experience and boost conversions across its digital channels. HK Express conducted in-depth data collection efforts, including A/B conversion tests, UX research, customer feedback surveys and a suite of new analytics tools to better understand user behaviours and preferences, as well as identify pain points and areas of improvement.

HK Express then tapped into these insights to optimise and personalise the online experience. For starters, the airline redesigned key online functions, simplified the flight booking process and streamlined the customer journey. The airline also enhanced its online calls to action, resulting in a substantial boost in both customer satisfaction and conversion rates. In fact, HK Express recorded around 30% year-on-year increase in website conversion rates in 2019 – a record for the airline.

Another important element of the airline’s data-driven strategy is personalisation. HK Express recently updated its web and mobile sign-in options, so customers can use their mobile phone number, or Google, Facebook, Line or WeChat to log on, which helps the airline analyse user behaviour. The airline also updated its account management system, enabling signed up customers to access and manage their personal booking details quickly and easily. This not only speeds up the booking and check-in processes, but also streamlines customer services updates, improves booking speeds and increases conversion rates. As a result, the conversion rate amongst signed up customers is now 10 times that of non-registered customers, while the average booking value is 18% higher.

HK Express further enhanced the customer experience by introducing its partnership with the Asia Miles loyalty programme last year. Customers can now effortlessly redeem flights on the HK Express website using a combination of Asia Miles and cash, ensuring convenience and flexibility. Based on the data collected from loyalty programme sales, HK Express can better tailor offers and travel recommendations to suit its members’ interests and preferences. After implementing these data activation strategies, HK Express recorded soaring conversion rates and significant gains in customer satisfaction.

“We are honoured to receive the 2020 DigiZ Award for Best Data Activation – Gold. With our customers as the top priority, we have been working hard to implement changes based on customer feedback, travel patterns and preferences,” said Mandy Ng, CEO of HK Express. “By harnessing data-driven insights, we have been able to dramatically enhance our digital booking, customer account management experiences to the great satisfaction of our customers. We look forward to making further improvements, so the HK Express online experience feels effortless and personalised.”

HK Express is proud to add Marketing Magazine’s ‘Best Data Activation Award – Gold Award’ to its trophy chest. Recent awards include ‘e-Commerce Business of the Year – Gold Award 2019’ by the Asia eCommerce Awards, also presented by Marketing Magazine, and Greater China’s No. 1 “Master of Mobile” in the travel sector by Google & Accenture in December 2018.

Visit the airline’s official website www.hkexpress.com or mobile app to explore the airline’s award-winning e-Commerce platforms.