Enhancing Spectator Experience at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Through Digital Innovations
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are poised to set a new standard in the digital experience for spectators, with impressive metrics including 18 million app downloads, 160 million website visits, 2 billion page views, and 450,000 customer service inquiries. The organizing team is committed to ensuring that the experience for spectators, both online and at competition venues, is streamlined and efficient.
France’s rich history with the Olympic movement is characterized by numerous milestones. From the inclusion of the first female athletes in 1900 to the inception of the Village concept and the Olympic motto in 1924, and from advancements in broadcasting technology to the amalgamation of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 1992, Paris 2024 builds upon this legacy of innovation.
To provide a superior spectator experience, Paris 2024 has collaborated with the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, and Île-de-France Mobilités, resulting in the development of three distinct consumer applications. These include fully digitalized ticketing through a dedicated app for reselling and transferring tickets, which has revolutionized the ticketing process. The official app not only offers functionalities such as schedules and medal tallies but also hosts comprehensive sections like “My Events,” which enhance in-venue experiences with crucial information, personalized transport itineraries, interactive maps, chatbot customer service, and sports news updates.
Lyès Jmili Despaquis, Senior Digital Project Manager, remarked, “The challenge was to provide a comprehensive app that strikes the perfect balance between sports news and spectator services.” The Transport Public app further complements the spectator experience by offering route planning, tailored traffic updates, and options for purchasing paperless tickets to facilitate travel across the Paris region to competition venues.
The importance of digital communication continues to grow with each iteration of the Games, particularly at Paris 2024, where it will play a vital role in keeping attendees informed from the moment of ticket purchase through to the conclusion of their event. To this end, over 100 automated communication channels including email, SMS, and push notifications were established to prepare spectators for their visit, ensure smooth transport arrangements, and address unexpected events like weather changes. Julien Boudet, project manager for customer relationship management, shared, “We worked to anticipate the unexpected.”
During the Olympic fortnight, the organizing team dispatched approximately 9 million emails, 7 million SMS messages, and 5 million push notifications, all customized to personal circumstances, including app usage, session-specific transport plans, and real-time weather conditions. Engagement programs further enriched the experience for dedicated supporters, allowing for truly personalized interactions.
Practical inquiries from spectators regarding logistical details, such as ticket transfers and event schedules, were met with robust support mechanisms. The Contact Center embraced the challenge of responding efficiently to inquiries through various communication channels, including chatbots, social media platforms, and a dedicated service line for individuals with hearing impairments. The center’s implementation of semantic analysis enabled it to meet user expectations effectively while simultaneously enriching its knowledge base for public dissemination.
Despite the inherent challenges of comprehensive customer service, the innovative structure allowed for an impressive achievement of managing 90% of the 450,000 requests via self-service methods. However, in cases requiring reassurance and detailed assistance, the human touch via telephone contact remained integral, as emphasized by Barbara Maillet, Contact Center Manager, who noted, “The challenge is generally to reassure the person. For this, the telephone remains the key to customer service.”
The digital innovations being executed for the Paris 2024 Games prioritize delivering a richly connected and interactive spectator experience. Carole Colin Kjaer, the director of digital services, aptly summarized this initiative by stating, “producing and delivering the right message to the right person, at the right time.” This comprehensive strategy ensures that spectators worldwide are equipped with real-time, accessible information, enhancing their overall engagement with the Games.
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