Effectively Managing Passenger Flow With Tensator Virtual Assistants

The Tensator Virtual Assistant was recently highlighted in the Airport Cooperative Research Report “Improving the Airport Customer Experience,” written by the Transportation Research Board, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and sponsored by the US Federal Aviation Association.

The Tensator Virtual Assistant is a digital signage solution that is already in place at international airports such as London Heathrow, Glasgow and Boston, USA. It has been recognised as a key innovation in boosting customer satisfaction levels within airports as well as being an important tool in engaging staff and improving the customer journey.

One critical area where queues/lines are especially problematic is at the passenger security check, which needs to be as comprehensive and organised as possible. Passengers need to know which security lanes to go through, and be well informed on all security procedures.

While essential, relaying these messages throughout the day can be a repetitive task for all staff involved. Visual signage in the form of posters and floor stickers can help but sometimes the spoken word is more effective.

Thankfully, Tensator’s innovative virtual interaction technology is already playing a critical role here, helping to reduce the number of items confiscated at major airports across the world by five per cent since their introduction in 2011.

Recorded using actors, the Tensator Virtual Assistant creates the illusion of a real person to make standard information announcements on inspection procedures prior to entering security check areas. Critically, they free up Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers to focus on individual security screenings, rather than relay standardised information that can be a distraction to the job in hand.

Since 2011, Tensator Virtual Assistants have been seen by 16.2 million departing passengers at London Luton airport alone, helping to grab passenger attention, improve flow and allow for the redistribution of staff to posts which require more attention. Combining functionality and personalisation, the fully programmable HD assistants bring messages to life and can be branded to fit in with current airport signage.

The report notes how airports are increasingly becoming beacons for customer service, placing increased need on forward thinking technologies. As consumer expectations continue to evolve, innovative and cost-effective solutions such as virtual agents or assistants will most likely become the norm for airports across the world.

One of the biggest challenges airport managers face in managing the passenger journey is effectively organising dwell time. While airports have no prime remit to entertain passengers as they patiently wait to board aircraft, Tensator Virtual Assistants bring a sense of engagement to proceedings, and can be programmed to answer a range of important passenger questions, such as terminal directions and even retail special offers.

Combined with our world renowned Tensabarriers®, airport managers have all the solutions available to effectively manage and direct passengers, as well as stay ahead of latest trends that will continue to improve the passenger journey.