SkiStar .com
Case Study
mardi 10 février 2009

What is this : SkiStar ?
mardi 10 février 2009

Presentation of the company
★ Specialising in skiing tourism (Winter tourism)
★ Year of foundation : 1964
★ five skiing destinations in Sweden and Norway
★ SkiStar's market share in the Scandinavian market : 33%.
★ 40% of the Scandinavian ski pass market
★ They propose two business areas: Destinations, which
consists of skiing, accommodation services, ski school and
ski rentals, as well as Property, which includes
construction and development.
mardi 10 février 2009

Financial Data
Income Statements, Yearly
1 500 000
1 250 000
1 000 000
750 000
500 000
250 000
0
2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
mardi 10 février 2009

SkiStar’s vision ?
To create memorable winter experiences as the leading
operator of European alpine destinations
SkiStar wants to make their skiing resorts a more
pleasurable and enjoyable stay for everyone.
mardi 10 février 2009

What is offered ? Why ?
★ Possiblity to rent accomodations or to book in an hotel ;
★ Possbility to buy a ski pass ;
★ Possibility of taking ski’s lessons (Ski School) ;
★ Possibility of renting equipment ;
★ To be redirected to the best means of transport.
mardi 10 février 2009

Where ? Six ski resorts !
Among 6 ski resorts in
Sweden and Norway.
mardi 10 février 2009

Case Study
mardi 10 février 2009

Case Study
•
A family with three children (4, 9, 11)
•
Live in Uppsala
•
Would like to travel to Åre the second week in March and stay for a week
•
Have a car but consider to take the train or airplane
•
Would like a kitchen
•
Have ski equipment but it’s quite old
•
Have never bought anything on the Internet but uses the Internet banking
•
Don’t sure it’s a good idea to book on the Internet
•
They have no budget for the trip
mardi 10 février 2009

The Web Site : SkiStar.com
mardi 10 février 2009

Ski Star.com ?
mardi 10 février 2009

The Web Site
Skistar.com is a Customer relationship management (CMS)
where information about customers and customer
interactions can be entered, stored and accessed.
This is the core business of Skistar, the website where
consumers can prepare for her trip to ski resort.
mardi 10 février 2009

mardi 10 février 2009

Ski resort’s page
On Are’s page, consumers can see tthe information about the ski resort
mardi 10 février 2009

Purchase system ?
mardi 10 février 2009

In what way does the website support the
customer searchand purchase process ?
This website is providing full services in order to answer all
customers’ « needs » and « dreams » about a trip in family in
the mountain.
Nowadays, customers want to have what they need easily
and in a short time; with the insurance they will really have
what they booked or bought
mardi 10 février 2009

Purchase system ?
mardi 10 février 2009

Benefits that can accumulate to the
customer include the efficiency and
leverage that result from using a single
supplier for multiple products.
mardi 10 février 2009

The company’s perspective
mardi 10 février 2009

Company’s perspective
•
Make money
•
Need customers
•
Satisfied customers
- returning customers
- word of mouth
•
Important to meet the customers motivations, needs and
wants
•
Customer orientation
mardi 10 février 2009

Customers perspective
•
Compare customer needs and wants with products ;
•
Customer orientation.
mardi 10 février 2009

1.2
mardi 10 février 2009

Relationship-Based Buying
mardi 10 février 2009

Motivators
Cost-benefit factors
•
Not too many choices
•
Acceptable solution
•
Not to high risk
•
Value-added benefit
Socio-Cultural Factors
•
Not always economic decisions
•
Early socialization
•
Trades between company and customer
•
Network
•
Friendship
mardi 10 février 2009

Relationships
Trust:
”The most essential ingredient in any relationship, whether a
business or a social relationship, is trust. It is also a key arbitrator of
commitment. If there is no trust, there will be no
commitment.” (Sheth & Mittal page 370)
Commitment :
“An enduring desire to continue the relationship and to work to
ensure its continuance.” (Sheth & Mittal page 371)
mardi 10 février 2009

Outcomes
•
Supplier loyalty
•
Increased buying
•
Willingness to pay more
•
Proactive word-of-mouth
•
Goodwill
mardi 10 février 2009

In what way does the website
create value for the customer ?
mardi 10 février 2009

Internet takes part of the new technologies for
information, order, booking… ;
Skistar Website is a « revolutionary » way to sell full
package ski trip from distance ;
Several informations you can experience it through
internet with your all familiy, friends… ;
Alpin skier addiction: you can dream from your trip
and budget it efficiently.
mardi 10 février 2009

Real value for the customer
Aggregated and centralized informations ;
Easy to book all you need for your trip ;
A simple, clear and safe website ;
The customer keeps the control of his budget, no surprise, no additional costs ;
The users have all the tools they need in order to organize their trip ;
The Internet user can change of ski resort without change of website ;
Additional informations : weather, quantity of snow, the access, the events etc ;
5 languages availables ;
Reduced online prices for ski passes.
mardi 10 février 2009

In what way does the website
handle a possible perceived risk
by the customer ?
mardi 10 février 2009

Book something different from what it was shown on
pictures ;
Risk of Security payment ;
Risk of reservation failure during the process on the
company server ;
Websites can be too complex and difficult to use
mardi 10 février 2009

Q & A system
At any time, consumers can ask questions (Smilia’s bot)
mardi 10 février 2009

How does the company present
its commitment as a basis for
developing customer
relationships ?
mardi 10 février 2009

mardi 10 février 2009

How is trust created
ampliefied at the website ?
mardi 10 février 2009

How is trust created ampliefied at the
website ?
Web site «www.skistar.com » puts the future consumers in a total safety while
guiding them to choose between :
Various languages (like Swedish, English and others…) ;
Easy to handle ;
Various information (price, weather, events…) ;
Several videos and pictures of ski pistes… ;
Contact online (Q & A system) ;
Total safety during the payment.
mardi 10 février 2009

Customer roles
mardi 10 février 2009

Customer roles
73$&./\",'
8+53\"$'
4.+5$'.2'
6*%$&+,'
!+0&$'+01'
0\"\"1$'.2'
-3$&./\",$'
!\"#$%&\"'
((()$*%$&+,)-./'
mardi 10 février 2009

Loyalty
mardi 10 février 2009

Loyalty
★ Behaviour
★ Attitude
mardi 10 février 2009

1.2
Brand loyalty
mardi 10 février 2009

Loyalty
Positive factors :
• Performance fits
• Social and emotional identification
• Habits
Negative factors - attractions of alternatives :
• Marketing environment
• Customer personality
mardi 10 février 2009

How does the website create attitudinal
and behavioral loyalty ?
Not seeking to conquer all clients but :
Respond to consumer expectations previously targeted
Collect a lot of information about his client through the
different offers available
Adopt its offer according to the customer and create :
Effect of dependence on the accompanying website offers
A very wide range and in all areas. (ski equipment,
mardi 10 février 2009

In practice
mardi 10 février 2009

In practice : accommodation
mardi 10 février 2009

In practice : transport
From Uppsala
mardi 10 février 2009

Opportunities
mardi 10 février 2009

Opportunities
•
This website is an opportunity for both sides :
–
Owners: Get in market share in order to maximize profits ;
–
Customers: Use one tool in order to book everything they
need for a ski trip.
mardi 10 février 2009

Recommendations
➢ Offer more full package ;
➢ Customer database (“Customer recognition” and
“Knowledge System survey”) ;
➢ Satisfaction questionnaire (Survey) ;
➢ Develop some activities and low prices for students ;
➢ Relationship and partnership with agency specialized in
organizing cheap travel ;
➢ Organise private sells especially for the employees ;
➢ Propose private sells also for the customers ;
➢ Develop more common interest and community aspect
(blogging, forum...).
mardi 10 février 2009