# data[].attributes.body
Informations systems are integrated set of software and hardware componets that collect, store and process data (Euro, n/d). Organisations rely on IS for many aspects of the business such as revenue management, purchase cycle or customer cycle.
They improve the way the company conducts its business to be competitive. Companies must ensure they choose the right system to suit the business (Euro, n/d).

# data[].attributes.body
Eurostar Customer Cycle are the activities or processes that customers pass by when making a reservation inquiry up to the stage they actually made that journey. Customers life cycle management enable powerful customer interaction strategy that empower significant business growth and profitability.The first stage is the pre-arrival, where the customer is making a decision for their reservation, Eurostar ensures their booking process is simple and easy. The arrival stage is when the traveller arrives, front office staff will check their reservation and ensures they got on the right train.The occupancy stage is where the guest is physically on board the train, travellers may have made additional request on their reservations. And finally the depart stage, this experience should be smooth as Eurostar wants to keep their loyal customer whiles making new ones. Customers can give feedbacks on the service they received, give referrals or buys a souvenir adding extra revenue for Eurostar.

# data[].attributes.body
Purchasing Cycle Steps

# data[].attributes.body
Eurostar is  a  Company  of High Speed ​​Trains Communicating London, Paris and Brussels via the Eurotunnel, which crosses the English Channel. Trains run at a speed of 300 kmh, although passing below by the channel the speed is reduced to the 140 kmh. This train service was inaugurated in 1994, but part of the High Speed ​​Network was operational in English soil until 2003 (then opened an stretch of 74km Next to the Eurotunnel terminal ) and until 2007 the 34 Kilometres  to London became operational. These trains are offered as an alternative to Flights tickets to London, then: In addition to link Brussels and Paris with the British capital in just over two hours. The company is integrated by 27 trains. Each trains has 400 meters long, 750 seats  and is  composed by 18 coaches and 2 power cars. The main destinations are Paris, Brussels but the company now connect  London to Lille, Marseille, Avignon, Lyon, Amsterdam and Bruges but some of those destination are seasonal. This company provide  services like  plugs for connecting electronic devices. In addition, when traveling can take up to two bags without weight restriction. Each car has its own toilet, WiFi Internet access, video screens and restaurant car. It is also adapted for travelers with mobility problems. Eurostar has ordered 17 new trains with more facilities and innovation in order to satisfy its customers needs ( Eurostar, 2016).

# data[].attributes.headline
Sales force and Eurostar work together in order to enhance the customer experience.

# data[].attributes.subject
Sales force and Eurostar work together in order to enhance the customer experience.

# data[].attributes.headline
Trains have been adequate according to the new technology and features.

# data[].attributes.subject
Trains have been adequate according to the new technology and features.

# data[].attributes.headline
Staff is well trained to be able to assist the customers at all times.

# data[].attributes.subject
Staff is well trained to be able to assist the customers at all times.

# data[].attributes.body
From the moment the ticket is bought, Eurostar provides one to one interaction with customers.

# data[].attributes.headline
Eurostar has a Special Assistance Guidance section, to provide the best service for those who might find difficult to travel.

# data[].attributes.subject
Eurostar has a Special Assistance Guidance section, to provide the best service for those who might find difficult to travel.

# data[].attributes.body
Special instructions and personal information is requested in order to provide a good service.

# data[].attributes.body
http://facebook.com/Eurostar

# data[].attributes.body
Provide high quality training to employees to avoid mistakes when using Information Systems.

Provide better products and services.

Some current and future customers might not be updated with new technology , therefore, enough staff is crucial in order to establish one to one relationship with the customers to provide excellent customer service when is required.

Better and simpler online ticketing information.

More affordable prices for families.

Target the passengers based on their preferences.

Make the App more accessible and more user    friendly.

Regular updating their website, especially about disruptions, delays and cancellation.

Team work within different agencies to reduce over booking.

Customer cycle made more simply for people with less technological knowledge.

Develop campaigns and products to promote sustainable travel.

Offer student discount to reach a different target market.

# data[].attributes.body
It is a process which is followed by customers or business in order to make a purchase. This process has a series of steps  depending of the company, in this case the process can require more or less steps according to the business. ( Nathan, 2016)

1. Recognition of a need

Eurostar identify the need of a product. For example food to sell during the trains  journeys, toilet paper, parts of the trains, uniforms etc...

2. Specifications

In order to get the right product the company identify the specifications of the required product in terms of color, weight, flavor, reference number etc...

3. Requisitions

The requisition of a new product is send to the managers

4. Suppliers Options

The company checks the list of the approved suppliers but if they never required that product before they have to do a research using alternative sources to find the adequate

5. Choose a supplier

Eurostar following the results of the previous step choose a supplier.

6. Price and conditions

Taking into account all the relevant information about the product it is determinate the price and the term and conditions of it.

7. Purchase Order

This step is to complete the agreement between the company and the supplier after take into consideration the price, specifications, terms and conditions payment and deadlines to deliver it.

8. Delivery Purchase Order

The purchase order is send by an e-Procurement System called EurostarBuy all the goods and services are ordered in this way except the train’s parts which are ordered by a MCSII that is a stock management system.

9. Approval and Payment

Usually in a period of 30 days the invoices are send and paid

10. Update of Records

The stock and the purchase are updated and all the information about the supplier and the terms, product and purchase are registered into the system.

# data[].attributes.headline
Eurostar uses CRM to maintain a very strong relationship with current and future customers

# data[].attributes.subject
Eurostar uses CRM to maintain a very strong relationship with current and future customers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Operation Croissant - Timeline | Facebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This morning, Parisians set off from France with freshly-baked croissants and messages of love for anyone passing through Kings Cross, in a gesture of goodwill, friendship and solidarity from one side of the Channel to the other. #operationcroissant

# data[].attributes.headline
When booking customers are able to choose seats and the type of train they will prefer to travel on, this can be booked by selecting the selecting Seating Plan on the Eurostar Website.

# data[].attributes.subject
When booking customers are able to choose seats and the type of train they will prefer to travel on, this can be booked by selecting the selecting Seating Plan on the Eurostar Website.

# data[].attributes.headline
Marketing and Communication for all customers.

# data[].attributes.subject
Marketing and Communication for all customers.

# data[].attributes.body
Sales
Discounts
Full information and more

# data[].attributes.headline
At Eurostar customers can book train tickets as well as the Disney Resort tickets

# data[].attributes.subject
At Eurostar customers can book train tickets as well as the Disney Resort tickets

# data[].attributes.headline
Eurostar Main Website is made easily accessible for all users;it provides information on their products, services and timetable.Nevertheless, customers are automatically transferred to their localdistributor’s company website to make bookings. The website has different linkswhich is self-explanatory.                            

# data[].attributes.subject
Eurostar Main Website is made easily accessible for all users;it provides information on their products, services and timetable.Nevertheless, customers are automatically transferred to their localdistributor’s company website to make bookings. The website has different linkswhich is self-explanatory.                            

# data[].attributes.body
New Website for Travel Agents, Eurostar4agents.com, is dedicating to UK travel agents, and has been design to provide the latest products and services information to support all UK trade agents and selling partners. This is due to Eurostar’s current main website is receiving over 10,000 visits from agents visits from agents every month.

'Our previous website has been serving the agent community for many years and whilst content grew organically over time the user experience wasn’t as strong we wanted it to be' (press office, 2016).

# data[].attributes.body
Check Euro star Service Status: regular updates of departures and arrivals from all regions that they travel. All time shown are local to each destination.

# data[].attributes.body
Change Language: select from one of the available languages, such as English, French and Dutch.

# data[].attributes.body
FAQs: such as how to prepare your trip, available loyalty plan, accepted payment cards as well as help with booking for 10 people or more, contacting traveller care and how to send comments and ideas, which help Eurostar in improving their service.

# data[].attributes.body
Real Time Information: Travelers can check for arrival and departure on the day they are travelling. Alerts of any destruction are can be access live.

# data[].attributes.body
View Booking: login to individual account using their unique reference number and their last name. Once login, customers and make amendments to their original bookings, for instance, rebook for two weeks later, travel the next day or look for alternative arrangement.Mobile Ticket is automatically store in the App and changes made will be process and email to customers within 30 seconds.

# data[].attributes.body
Bookings:Search for seats availability and best prices between, London, Paris and Brussels and all Euro star stop in between.Depending on the region customers are booking from, it shows departure and arrival station, preferred dates, segmentation of travelers and how many. However, it allows up to nine adults age 25 years and over, nine children age 4-11 and nine youths age 12-12.  It also gives additional information if wheelchair is required which can be found on their main website.

# data[].attributes.headline
Eurostar’s new and improved app is free
with no subscription; however it is restricted to iPhone and android. The app
is pack with different features for easy accessibility for travellers within Europe. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Eurostar’s new and improved app is free
with no subscription; however it is restricted to iPhone and android. The app
is pack with different features for easy accessibility for travellers within Europe. 

# data[].attributes.body
ELGAR DIRECT
Elgar Direct is a system used for reservations (http://www.eurostar.com/, no date).
Eurostar uses Elgar Direct to be able to:

Availability and station codes

Selling

Pricing

Seat and special meals

Retrieving, displaying and ending

changes to provisional bookings

ticketing - reprinting tickets

Voiding

Exchanging - accounting

Refunds

Example of an overbooked ticket reservations.

# data[].attributes.body
At Eurostar Customer Relationship Management is very important to keep customers well informed for the very latest news and updates.

Communication and acknowledgement is crucial in any business.

http://www.weibo.com/login.php
http://twitter.com/eurostar
Eurostar Wechat

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What is CRM? CRM or Customer Relationship Management is a system that allows your business to manage contacts, collaborate effectively, increase productivity & grow your business. But CRM is more than just a tool, it's a strategy for managing all your businesses relationships and interactions with your clients and potential clients to help you improve your profitability.

# data[].attributes.body
Salesforce: Manages the stages of CRM

google.co.uk

# data[].attributes.body
The CRM System is made to gather all the information amongst different ways of communication between the company and the customers; this will include the company's website, direct mail, marketing material and social media.

# data[].attributes.body
References: Lina Roa

# data[].attributes.body
Customer Relationship Management is a method used by companies to interact, manage and maintain relationship with current and future customers, colleagues and suppliers (Techtarget, 2016).

In the examination  Strouse (2004, pp. 143-144) CRM systems conduct analysis on customer data such as:

Using and billing information

Demographic profiles

Payment patterns

Purchasing history

Profitability

Drive sales growth

Buying preferences

Marketing

Productivity

Manage sales

# data[].attributes.body
Cole, S. (2005) Applied Transport Economics: Policy, Management & Decision Making. 3rd edn. London: Kogan Page Limited.

CRM Systems Group (2015) Our team makes the difference. Available at: http://www.crmsystems.com/. (Accessed: 02 November 2016).

Eurostar Launches New Website for Travel Agents (2016) Available at: http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/about- (Accessed 25 October 2016).

Eurostar (2016) eurostar/press-office/press-releases/2016/eurostar-for-agents// Available at http://www.eurostar.com (Accessed: 25 October 2016).

Eurostar Group Ltd (2016)  Eurostar Group Limited Purchase Order Conditions.[pdf]Eurostar Business Practices. Available at : http://www.eurostar.com/sites/default/files/EGL-PO-conditions.pdf(Accessed: 10 November 2016)

Eurostar Procurement (2016) Available at: http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/about-eurostar/supplying-to-eurostar/eurostar-procurement ( Accessed : 01 November 2016)

Facebook (2016) Operation croissant. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/operationcroissant/videos/1115319941823919/ (Accessed: 09 November 2016).

http://www.eurostar.com/. (no date) (Accessed: 05 November 2016).

Handfield R. (2003) E-Procurements and the purchasing process. Available at: https://scm.ncsu.edu/scm-articles/article/e-procurement-and-the-purchasing-process. ( Accessed :04 November 2016 )

http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/about-eurostar/eurostar-app (no date) (Accessed 20 October 2016).

http://www.iqwareinc.com/ html (2016) (Accessed 11 November 2016).

Jones, T., Atkinson, H., Lorenz, A. and Harris, P. (2012) Strategic Managerial Accounting: Hospitality, Tourism & Events Applications.6th edn. Oxford: Goodfellow Publisher.

Nathan, L. (2016) The 10 steps of the procurement cycle (2016)  Available at: http://www.businessdictionary.com/article/572/the-10-steps-of-the-procurement-cycle/ (Accessed: 07 November 2016)

Oracle (n/d) Welcome to Opera Customer Information System. Available at https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E53547_01/opera_5_04_03_core_help/welcome_to_ocis.htm (Accessed: 03 November 2016).

Redacción TH (2014) Luis Ramírez, Yield Revenue: “nuestro secreto es la constante investigación”. Available at http://www.tecnohotelnews.com/2014/11/luis-ramirez-yield-revenue-nuestro-secreto-es-la-investigacion-constante/ (Accessed: 3 November 2016).

Rodens, P. (2016) CRM communications. Available at: https://paulrodens.myportfolio.com/eurostar-crm-communications. (Accessed: 06 November 2016).

Rouse, M. (2016) Customer Relationship Management CRM. Available at: http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/CRM (Accessed: 03 November 2016).

Salesforceuk (2015) What is CRM?-salesforce CRM. Available at: https://youtu.be/tmNZKFSEsvE. (Accessed: 05November 2016).

SNCB Europe by rail Thalys | Eurostar | TGV | ICE (2016) (Available at: https://www.b-europe.com/Travel/Trains/Eurostar (Accessed: 11 November 2016).

Strouse,  K. (2004) Customer-Centered Telecommunications Services Marketing. Artech house books. Norwood: Ebrary.

Supplychainmechanic (2010) Key steps of the Purchasing Process. Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph4tr_RtoJM. ( Accessed : 06 November 2016)

Testing a Complete Purchase Cycle according to an Example.( n.d) Available at :https://openerp-61-documentation.readthedocs.io/en/latest/2/1_3_Real_Case/1_3_Real_Case_testing_wf.html. ( Accessed : 04 November 2016).

# data[].attributes.body
Eurostar has always trusted Amadeus as his Head of Global Sales, Darren Williams, stated ‘Eurostar met with a lot of other suppliers but it is fair to say that Amadeus demonstrated that they understood the business, the online travel agents and the rail industry best’ (Amadeus IT Group SA,2016).

The company benefits from the Amadeus Rail Your Way service which main focus is using the newest technology to enhance traveller’s experience and business’ performance.  Rail Your Way offers a large range of services to railways and travel agencies in order to maximise revenue and stand out from competitors (Amadeus IT Group SA,2016).

Offer and pricing: this tool takes into consideration all the variables to set the right price strategy

Reservation and ticketing: Amadeus offers an exceptional digital customer service to build loyalty and increase demand.

Inventory and seats: this service provides real time information of the inventory status which allows companies to maximise revenue until the last minute.

Distribution channels: Amadeus has a large distribution network including over 400.000 travel agencies, which could boost the visibility of a company against competitors.

Baggage Allowance Interface Sample - Amadeus

# data[].attributes.headline
OPERA CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM (OCIS)

# data[].attributes.subject
OPERA CUSTOMER INFORMATION SYSTEM (OCIS)

# data[].attributes.body
OCIS is an information system created by Oracle and used by many hospitality and tourism companies. It consists on a centralised data base connected to all the individual properties of the organisation which enables workers to share and update information regarding reservations and profiles (Oracle, n/d).
Eurostar also uses OCIS in its hotels in order to manage all the information regarding reservations and to obtain statistics which optimise its performance.

This information system offer Eurostar several benefits (Oracle, n/d):

Facilitates planning in advance and cost adjustment for revenue management.

Increases clients loyalty and satisfaction since the services are personalised for each guest according to their needs.

Facilitates communication between central reservations and different properties as well as between departments.

However, OCIS employees must receive a proper training since inputting the wrong data into the system could affect the performance of different departments and the entire company.

Hotel Status Interface Sample - Opera

# data[].attributes.body
"Selling the right product, to the right customer, at the right time, at the right price"
Yield revenue is the tactic used by companies in order to maximise revenue from the combination of selling price and volume of activity (Jones et al, 2012). However, this term has evolved to revenue management which has gained importance within organisations. Revenue management focuses on the strategy of companies by considering all the indirect revenue that the main activity generates as well as the selling price and volume of activity (Jones et al, 2012). Revenue management looks at the big picture and the majority of companies have incorporated a department to ensure the maximum revenue possible (Cole, 2005).

Eurostar, as other travel companies, cannot plan far in advance due to the different needs of its current and potential clients. Therefore, the company has to react quickly to maximise the yield of the services (Cole, 2005).
In order to do so, Eurostar takes into account different variables such as competitors’ prices, season of the year, quality of service or segment market elasticity (Cole, 2005). A large part of this data is gathered through the Information Systems of the company and its deep analysis allows Eurostar identifying the appropriate fare for each service (Redacción TH, 2014). For instance, corporate travellers might be offered a cheaper fare than a standard client in order to promote the client´s loyalty and ensure future revenue.