Stuart Forster, Editor of Onboard Hospitality magazine, talks with Tone Cresswell, Head of Sales in the Americas at LSG Group, about LSG Group’s presence at WTCE in 2023.
“We’ve chosen Destination now – Time to join forces as our theme,” says Cresswell about LSG Group’s attendance at WTCE.
“Destination now was the theme for our internal management conference. We’ve got the strategy in place with three pillars and we are ready to now really take on the market,” adds the Norwegian who now lives in the USA.
“It shows that we are leading in the market with our solutions and with our network, and it’s time to join forces with our partners. We are now embracing partnerships more than ever. For example, Kaelis will be next to our booth. Last year we announced the partnership and we have a joint concept. So we will show that we are getting together and we are enriching our portfolio by partnering with the right companies,” adds LSG Group’s Head of Sales in the Americas.
New ownership
Going into WTCE in 2022, LSG Group were still up for sale. That uncertainty has been resolved and Aurelius Group has been announced as the future owner.
“Now we know that we can move confidently forward. We will have a great new owner supporting our strategy. This will give us confidence going forward and that will be a good thing,” explains Cresswell.
“Our strategy is not changing. We are continuing on the course that was set last year, nothing will change despite the fact we will get a new owner later this year. Our path forward is what has been communicated and is stable,” she says resolutely.
Now we know that we can move confidently forward. We will have a great new owner supporting our strategy. This will give us confidence going forward and that will be a good thing
Tone Cresswell, Head of Sales in the Americas at LSG Group
AICA at WTCE
LSG has rebranded its consumption analytics tool as AICA
“If we compare the product that we’ll be offering at the WTCE this year compared to last year, it’s maturity…you can see the maturity of the development,” says Cresswell.
“AICA has matured through the testing that we have done over the last year together with customers. Essentially, it is consumption analytics supported by artificial intelligence and the evolution that we are seeing is the ability to interpret the data that the camera is picking up,” she explains.
“They are taking pictures of the incoming trays. But it’s also how it’s practically set up in our facilities, in terms of more advanced cameras and more advanced processes in order to get efficiency in the reading and the interpretation of the data,” adds Cresswell.
“This is data that can then be used to drive efficiencies on the customer side for savings. You can use it to determine how much you should load on an aircraft. You can reduce your load on certain things because you see it is not being consumed or only partially consumed. That means fuel savings. It also feeds into our product and menu development process, to really target the products that an airline’s demographics and their customers would like to see onboard, based on the better feedback that we’re getting through the data,” she says, outlining the value-add presented by AICA.
Long-haul profitability
“There are many factors that influence an airline’s profitability on a traditional long-haul flight with three classes…but we have facts and figures associated with what savings you can drive. So you have savings on waste, of course, but if you can reduce the weight onboard you also have your fuel-cost savings. If you are able to reduce waste in all shapes and forms, that is contributing to reducing the carbon footprint and improving sustainability. That is also an important aspect of AICA and also a variety of the products that we are offering. Through our products and offerings, we are looking to contribute to more sustainable operations benefitting business and the planet,” summarises Cresswell.
“I think the other important part is certainly also increasing the NPS [Net Promoter Score, measuring customer satisfaction]. The customer experience can be made better because you can offer a menu according to the likes of your passengers: You have the data and you’ll know much more accurately,” she concludes.
Meet with LSG Group at WTCE
Discover more about the company that Tone Cresswell is part of by visiting the LSG Group website.
LSG Group will be at stand 1E20 during the 2023 WTCE. You can add LSG Group to your plan by clicking on the ‘Add to Plan’ button on the WTCE exhibitor directory.
Secure a meeting with a representative of LSG Group using the WTCE Connect tool.
