WESTJET JOURNEY MATE
An AI-powered support platform reduces airline customer wait times from 10+ minutes to under 2 minutes while providing seamless cross-platform assistance.
Problem Space
Airline travelers face significant support challenges when dealing with disruptions, booking changes, and general inquiries. Traditional support channels often involve long wait times (averaging 10+ minutes), repetitive information sharing across platforms, and inconsistent resolution experiences. Meanwhile, airlines struggle with high support costs, inefficient agent utilization, and missing data on customer preferences and behavior patterns.
Problem Statement
How might we reduce support wait times from the validated average of 10+ minutes to under 2 minutes and provide consistent, high-quality assistance across WestJet's web and mobile platforms while improving operational efficiency by 30% (target based on industry benchmarks and projected call handling reductions)?
Problem Background
The airline industry has faced increasing support challenges since the pandemic, with disruptions becoming more frequent and customer expectations for digital support rising dramatically. WestJet, one of the top airlines in North America, currently relies heavily on phone support (67% of interactions) despite research showing 50% of customers prefer digital solutions.
One of the top airlines in North America, a direct competitor, has implemented an AI-powered solution with 24/7 availability and baggage tracking, creating both a customer experience advantage and operational efficiency gap that WestJet needs to address.
Our research with 12 WestJet travelers revealed critical gaps in the current experience: long wait times, fragmented experiences across devices, and frustration during travel disruptions. These challenges not only impact customer satisfaction but also increase operational costs as agents spend time collecting basic information repeatedly rather than solving complex issues.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
Through detailed survey responses and in-depth interviews, we discovered several key pain points:
- Extended Wait Times - 67% (8/12) of respondents reported waiting over 10 minutes for support, with several mentioning waits exceeding 30 minutes during peak travel periods.
- Fragmented Experience Across Devices - 50% of users operate across multiple devices but reported losing context when switching, forcing them to repeat information. One user stated: "I had to explain my whole situation three times - on the app, website, and phone."
- Lack of In-App Support - 25% specifically highlighted the absence of in-app chat options, forcing them to exit the app and use external channels like phone or email.
- Difficulty Managing Travel Disruption - During flight delays or cancellations, 58% of users reported difficulty finding alternative options quickly.
- Inconsistent Support Quality - 33% expressed frustration with varying levels of support quality depending on channel, time of day, and agent knowledge.
Supporting Data
- Customer satisfaction with current support: 67% (industry average: 75%)
- Average response time: 10+ minutes (industry leaders: 2-3 minutes)
- Digital channel adoption: 50% (industry leaders: 70%+)
- Support cost per interaction: $12 (industry average: $9)
Feedback
- I spent 45 minutes on hold just to reach an agent.
- I find it easier to just go to the airport counter than deal with phone support.
Landing on the Solution
After analyzing user pain points and conducting RICE prioritization (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort), we identified three core features for our MVP:
- Instant Support Access (RICE: 40.0)
- AI-powered chat with < 2 minute response time
- Natural language processing for conversational interaction
- 24/7 availability regardless of call center hours
- Cross-Platform Experience (RICE: 33.3)
- 24-hour conversation history retention across devices
- Secure transfer of context between mobile and web
- Synchronized updates and notifications
- Proactive Disruption Management (RICE: 12.0)
- Real-time flight status monitoring
- Automatic rebooking suggestions during delays/cancellations
- Integration with inventory system for accurate availability
Explanation of Solution
WestJet Sky Assist is a comprehensive support platform that integrates directly into the mobile app and website, creating a consistent support experience across all platforms. The platform includes multiple components:
- AI-powered conversation engine
- Agent workspace and escalation system
- Cross-platform data synchronization
- Proactive notification system
- Analytics dashboard for support management
For the 67% facing long wait times: The AI-powered chat provides instant responses to common queries (flight status, baggage allowances, rebooking options) without wait times. Based on implementation at similar airlines, we expect to resolve 70% of queries without human intervention.
For the 50% using multiple devices: The cross-platform experience maintains all conversation history, user preferences, and context for 24 hours. A user can start a conversation on their phone during commute and continue seamlessly on their laptop at home.
For travelers during disruptions: The system proactively detects disruptions through flight system integration and sends notifications with rebooking options before the user even needs to ask. This transforms a typically stressful 30+ minute process into a simple one-click action.
- For complex issues: The smart escalation system identifies when AI cannot fully resolve an issue and seamlessly transfers to a human agent with complete context, eliminating the need for customers to repeat information.
User Flows/Mockups
Future Steps
Voice Interface Support (P3)
- Adding voice commands for hands-free operation when traveling
- Voice-to-text for input during movement
Baggage Tracking Integration (P2)
- Real-time baggage status with location tracking
- Proactive notifications about baggage status
Images
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Oluwafemi Oduwole
The WestJet JourneyMate project taught me several valuable lessons about product management in a travel technology context. One of my biggest challenges was balancing the technical complexity of integrating with airline systems against the need for a simple, intuitive user experience.
I initially created high-level user journeys, but found that without specific UI details and interaction models, development estimates were too vague.
The RICE prioritization matrix proved especially valuable when stakeholders pushed for including baggage tracking in the MVP. By demonstrating the significantly higher impact and lower effort of the core chat functionality, I successfully focused the team on delivering higher-value features first.
Perhaps my most significant learning was about the importance of defining clear measurements for success. Early in the process, I had vague goals like 'improved customer satisfaction,' but through mentorship and research, I refined these into specific metrics: response time under 2 minutes, 70% digital channel adoption, and support costs reduced by 30%.
If I were to approach this project again, I would invest more time in user research with a larger, more diverse sample before defining requirements.
While our 12 participants provided valuable insights, a broader sample would have given us more confidence in our prioritization decisions and potentially revealed additional use cases worth exploring. Partnering with a dedicated UX researcher would strengthen the user perspective and provide more comprehensive data to inform design decisions.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.