Telecom
SeerBit X Sabre: Addressing Payment Challenges in the Airline Industry
Airlines around the world strive to ensure a seamless and convenient travel experience for millions of passengers. However, behind the scenes, these businesses grapple with issues, such as complex payment processes which impact revenue, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
The pressure to meet the ever-rising expectations of customers, as well as other issues, such as high transaction fees, threat of fraud, multi-currency complexities and reconciliation challenges all add up to form giant pain points that airlines have to constantly battle with. These pain points have a detrimental effect on the growth projections for the aviation industry in Africa.
A recent report suggests that the continent’s flights market is expected to generate $14.50 billion in revenue by 2029, with the number of users expected to hit 108.60 million. However, prevailing payment obstacles, aligned with infrastructure deficiencies, high costs and taxation require innovative solutions to transform them into growth opportunities for the aviation industry.
The Complex Payment Landscape for Airlines
As airlines continue to expand globally, payment challenges become increasingly multifaceted, impacting profitability and operational efficiency. These challenges cut across payment-related, operational and regulatory issues.
1. High Transaction Costs
Airlines face a daunting task of managing costs because of the additional substantial expense that high transaction fees and multi-currency handling add. According to a report from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), processing fees alone can cost airlines billions annually, cutting directly into profits. Fluctuating currency values and international transaction fees make up a significant part of the costs incurred by global airlines and which impact their bottom line.
2. Revenue Leakage and Payment Fraud
Payment fraud has become a serious risk for airlines worldwide, especially with the rise of digital payments. According to IATA, the aviation industry loses up to 1.2% of its annual revenue to fraud. Fraudulent transactions and other associated risks threaten airline revenue streams, making it essential to have a secure payment infrastructure. For example, without adequate safeguards, airlines can lose significant amounts to credit card fraud, chargebacks, and unauthorised transactions, leading to revenue leakage.
3. Reconciliation Headaches
For global airlines, payment reconciliation across various sales channels, regions and currencies is both error-prone and time-consuming. Every day, airlines process thousands of transactions from sources including online bookings, travel agents and in-flight sales. The large scale volume of these transactions makes it difficult to align the records accurately, leading to discrepancies that impact financial reporting and decision-making.
4. Customer Experience Expectations
Travellers in today’s world expect fast, seamless payment experiences that fit their on-the-move lifestyles. Long queues, payment processing delays or currency incompatibility can sour the customer journey, leading to customer dissatisfaction and decreased loyalty. According to a recent report, over 70% of passengers say they are unlikely to return to an airline if they encounter a negative payment experience.
5. Regulatory Compliance Across Multiple Jurisdictions
Operating globally means airlines must navigate complex and varying regulatory landscapes. Each country enforces its own rules regarding data protection, taxation and financial reporting, creating significant operational challenges. Failure to meet these regulations can lead to hefty fines, operational delays and reputational damage. Managing compliance in every market requires time and resources that detract from an airline’s primary focus on delivering excellent service.
SeerBit & Sabre Partnership: A Strategic Solution for Airlines
Through a recent partnership with Sabre, SeerBit is helping airlines navigate the complexities of the payment ecosystem by addressing key pain points and enhancing operational efficiency.
Here’s how SeerBit and Sabre’s unified solution addresses business pain points and challenges for airlines:
1. Streamlined Payment Processes
With SeerBit, airlines using Sabre can now enjoy a streamlined payment process that optimises the end-to-end transaction cycle, from booking to post-flight purchases. This integration provides real-time payment processing, which reduces the need for manual intervention, and offers airlines an efficient, cost-effective approach to managing global transactions.
2. Multi-Currency and Global Reach Capabilities
SeerBit offers payment solutions that empower airlines on Sabre to receive and manage payments across different regions and multiple currencies seamlessly. SeerBit’s robust support for international currencies and compliance with local regulations ensures that airlines can operate confidently in new markets, meeting regional compliance, while offering a seamless experience to travellers worldwide.
Irrespective of where an airline operates, SeerBit’s multi-currency solutions ensure reduced fees, prevent currency volatility losses and ensure compliance across borders.
3. Advanced Security and Fraud Detection
The strategic partnership between SeerBit and Sabre prioritises security, with fraud detection and prevention features tailored to the unique needs of airlines. Advanced data encryption features safeguard payment channels, drastically reducing the risk of fraud. Airlines can rely on SeerBit to provide a trusted environment for their customers, minimising exposure to fraud and enhancing overall customer trust.
4. Data-Driven Insights and Reporting
Data is invaluable for airlines aiming to optimise their operations. Through SeerBit’s integration with Sabre, airlines can enjoy access to real-time insights that support financial reconciliation and accurate reporting. This solution provides a consolidated view of airline payments, allowing finance teams to make data-backed decisions and identify opportunities to reduce costs or improve efficiency. Further, airlines are in a position to understand customer payment behaviours better, enabling them to tailor their offerings. By analysing payment data, airlines can refine services based on passenger preferences, such as prioritising mobile payment options for younger customers who value speed and simplicity
Key Benefits of SeerBit & Sabre Integration for Airlines
By addressing core payment pain points in the aviation industry, SeerBit and Sabre help airlines achieve operational efficiency, cost savings and enhanced customer loyalty.
1. Increased Revenue and Lowered Costs
By reducing multi-currency fees and eliminating revenue leakage, airlines can experience improved profitability. SeerBit’s solutions help streamline transaction costs, optimise revenue and offer airlines a competitive edge in their pricing strategies.
2. Enhanced Customer Experience
Customers who enjoy seamless and secure payment options are more likely to develop loyalty to an airline. Sabre’s emphasis on great customer experience aligns with SeerBit’s mission to simplify payment interactions, allowing airlines to offer a payment journey that matches their travel excellence goals. With faster, flexible payment options, airlines can boost customer satisfaction and retention rates.
According to IATA’s Global Passenger Survey, around 38% of passengers are dissatisfied with limited payment flexibility, impacting their willingness to book services. Airlines that expanded their payment options to include localised methods, e.g., mobile payments, reported higher customer satisfaction and retention by catering to diverse payment preferences across age groups and regions.
3. Optimised Operational Efficiency
Automation of payment processes and reconciliation reduces manual errors and enhances operational efficiency. SeerBit’s robust reconciliation tools help airlines consolidate transactions from various channels, simplifying financial management and boosting operational productivity.
4. Scalability and Future-Readiness
SeerBit and Sabre’s partnership provides airlines with scalable solutions designed to meet future industry demands. As travel returns to a high post-pandemic, airlines can rely on flexible solutions offered by this strategic partnership to adapt to changing market trends and customer needs, ensuring long-term success.
A Future of Seamless, Secure Airline Payments
Africa is emerging as the next major frontier for air travel. A recent study on emerging markets projects that by 2030, the African aviation industry will experience robust growth, with a compound annual growth rate of 5% to 6% in passenger traffic. This expansion is fueled by urbanisation, a growing middle class and enhanced connectivity. Alongside this growth, African airlines are expected to double their fleet size, contributing over $100 billion to the continent’s GDP and supporting more than 6 million jobs.
To meet these ambitious targets and navigate a complex global market, airlines need payment solutions that are secure, cost-effective, and aligned with evolving customer expectations. SeerBit’s partnership with Sabre Corporation delivers a powerful, integrated payment platform designed to reduce transaction costs, fortify security and enhance the customer experience.
This landmark collaboration empowers decision-makers and stakeholders in African aviation to modernise payment operations, boost efficiency, and unlock new revenue streams. Through this key integration, businesses across the aviation value chain are well-positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape and set new benchmarks for operational excellence.
Learn more on how to unlock the key benefits of the SeerBit X Sabre partnership for airlines here.
Telecom
IHS Nigeria Partners with the NCMM to Digitize Nigeria’s Cultural Heritage
IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count has announced a strategic partnership with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, and the Creative Economy (FMACCE) to support the digitization of Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
This collaboration aims to make Nigeria’s historical artifacts, artworks, and cultural monuments more accessible to the public through a digital museum.
The partnership between IHS Nigeria, NCMM, and FMACCE will leverage technologies to digitalize and display artifacts online, helping to preserve and showcase Nigeria’s cultural heritage. It marks a significant step towards modernizing the preservation and dissemination of Nigeria’s cultural assets, making them more accessible to a broader audience.
The digital museum is the first significant project under the Honorable Minister’s Digital Culture Initiative and is designed to provide a platform for the exploration and appreciation of Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage. This partnership underscores IHS Nigeria’s commitment to sustainability and its role in helping foster cultural preservation and digital education.
Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, “We are excited to partner with the National Council for Museums and Monuments and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy on this groundbreaking initiative. As a company deeply rooted in Nigeria, we recognize the importance of preserving, protecting, and promoting our cultural heritage.
“This partnership also aligns with our commitment to sustainability, education, economic growth, and community development. We look forward to contributing to the preservation of Nigeria’s cultural legacy”.
Hannatu Musawa, Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, commented, “We are delighted to partner with IHS Nigeria on this initiative which aligns with His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and our Ministry’s 8-point plan on fostering strategic partnerships.
“I am particularly pleased that this initiative, which is the first significant project under our Digital Culture Initiative, embodies our commitment to innovation, global partnerships, and the sustainable growth of our creative industries, positioning Nigeria as a leader on the global stage.”
Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “We are grateful to IHS Nigeria for their support in this remarkable initiative.
“We believe that to keep ahead of current trends and appeal to a younger demographic, it is imperative that a digital experience of our rich cultural heritage is created and made available to the public.
“The digital museum will serve as an invaluable resource for researchers, students, and the general public, both in Nigeria and around the world, and will play a crucial role in the preservation of our national heritage.”
Telecom
Google Faces Major Antitrust Action: DOJ Demands Chrome Sale
In a significant escalation of its antitrust battle against Google, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday, November 20, urged a federal judge to break up the tech giant by ordering the sale of its widely used Chrome browser.
The DOJ also called for an end to Google’s agreements to be the default search engine on smartphones and proposed measures to prevent it from leveraging its Android operating system to dominate the market.
The DOJ suggested that if these remedies fail, Google should be compelled to divest Android entirely. The proposals mark one of the most aggressive antitrust moves against a major tech company in decades, with regulators seeking to curtail Google’s alleged abuse of its market power.
Google’s president of global affairs, Kent Walker, criticized the filing, accusing the DOJ of pursuing a “radical interventionist agenda.” Walker warned that the proposed breakup would disrupt Google’s product ecosystem, harm innovation in artificial intelligence, and threaten America’s global technological leadership.
This case represents a historic shift in the US government’s approach to regulating tech companies, following decades of relative inaction since the failed attempt to break up Microsoft in the early 2000s.
Google is set to respond in a filing next month, with a hearing scheduled for April before Judge Amit Mehta. The judge’s August ruling declared Google a monopoly, setting the stage for this next phase of the legal battle. Any decision is likely to be appealed, potentially taking years to resolve and possibly reaching the US Supreme Court.
The case’s future could also hinge on political changes, as President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration may take a different approach to antitrust enforcement. Trump has previously criticized Google for alleged bias against conservatives but has also expressed skepticism about breaking up major tech companies.
The DOJ’s proposals come amid broader efforts to address the dominance of big tech, with five antitrust cases currently pending against Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Google. These cases, brought under the Biden administration, are expected to shape the regulatory landscape for years to come.
Telecom
Zoho Named Exclusive Technology Partner by Dubai Racing Club
Dubai Racing Club (DRC) has named Zoho Corporation, a leading global technology company, as its exclusive technology partner for the next two years.
This partnership will focus on digitising DRC’s operations, with the aim of enhancing the club’s high-profile events and ensuring a seamless, world-class experience for visitors, participants, and staff.
The announcement was made during a signing ceremony at Meydan Racecourse, attended by His Excellency Ali Al Ali, CEO and Board Member of the Dubai Racing Club, and Prem Anand Velumani, Associate Director of Strategic Alliances, MEA at Zoho.
As the organiser of major events, including the prestigious Dubai World Cup, the DRC will leverage Zoho’s comprehensive suite of digital solutions through Zoho One, the operating system for businesses, to streamline key operations.
By implementing Zoho One, the club will enhance various aspects of its event management, from ticketing and sales to logistics and customer relationship management (CRM).
HE Al Ali commented on the partnership: “We are pleased to welcome Zoho as our official technology partner this season.
“Technology is a cornerstone of our long-term vision for the Dubai Racing Club and the continued development of the horse racing industry.
“Zoho brings a wealth of expertise, and we look forward to collaborating with their team to create tailored solutions for our clients. From sophisticated CRM systems and streamlined accreditation processes to innovative mobile applications designed to enhance the experience for horse owners and racegoers, we are focused on setting new benchmarks for excellence.
“This partnership brings us one step closer to establishing Meydan as one of the most technologically advanced racecourses globally.”
The DRC will leverage Zoho’s web and mobile applications to improve accessibility and communication across platforms.
Zoho CRM will play a pivotal role in managing ticketing and sales, offering a seamless and personalised experience for attendees.
Zoho’s apps will also support critical operational functions such as accreditation, simulcasting, parking and barricade management, and order management, all of which will be fully digitised to enhance accessibility and efficiency.
“We are thrilled to be the exclusive technology partner of the Dubai Racing Club, an iconic institution that plays a central role in global equestrian sports,” said Prem Anand Velumani, MEA at Zoho.
“This partnership presents an exciting opportunity to demonstrate how Zoho’s comprehensive suite of solutions can support DRC’s operations and its commitment to excellence.
“By utilising Zoho’s customisable tools, DRC will be able to digitise and optimise critical operations, driving greater collaboration, agility, and a seamless guest experience.
“We are proud to help position the DRC at the forefront of digital transformation in the regional and global equestrian sports industry.”
Zoho’s solutions will also streamline guest and VIP stand management, ensuring a smooth experience for high-profile visitors.
Zoho’s apps will assist with venue navigation, while an all-in-one analytics dashboard will provide the DRC’s internal team with real-time data to evaluate performance and track ROI across all operational areas.
This integrated approach will allow the DRC to optimise its event management processes and deliver an exceptional experience for participants, staff, and guests alike.
The two-year partnership will see the DRC fully harness Zoho’s suite of solutions to drive digital transformation across all aspects of its operations.
As the club continues to grow, Zoho’s innovative digital solutions will play a pivotal role in ensuring the optimisation and success of every operational facet—from event coordination to customer engagement.
Known for hosting some of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world, the DRC attracts audiences and participants from around the world.
The Dubai Racing Club’s next meeting at the Meydan Racecourse is scheduled for November 22, 2024.
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