Getting Customers Online: Case Luxury Ferries Inc.

Abstract

This article discusses the introduction of a Web-based electronic reservation system to an established Finnish shipping company. It is based on a real-life example and original research. In the literature, we see that online reservation systems in the airline industry are well studied, but less so in the maritime industries. We describe major changes in the business environment of the company. Our case company, Luxury Ferries Inc., introduced a new electronic reservation system in August 2000. Some of the findings include: established companies have very different needs and priorities in e-commerce than start-ups. E-commerce puts companies operating in several countries and several language areas under high pressure: through Web services the customers now find it easier to compare offerings in different countries and to display opportunistic behavior.