MakeMyTrip invests in bus tech provider Bitla Software
Move to beef up MMT's bus ticketing business redBus, which sold over 39 million tickets in 2018 fiscal
Image: Shutterstock MakeMyTrip, India’s biggest online travel company (OTA), has invested in Bengaluru-based Bitla Software, which provides bus travel management software and technology solutions to online ticketing portals, hoteliers, holiday tour operators and cargo and logistics companies.
Deep Kalra, chairman and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip said that the investment aims at providing an extensive suite of technology products and solutions for the bus and hotel supplier ecosystem. “This (investment) will further strengthen our strong market position,” he said in MMT’s regulatory filing.
redBus has been leveraging technology through integrations with the likes of WhatsApp, to automate and handle customer queries in a conversational and even vernacular manner. Travelers, for instance, can get information about boarding locations, arrival times, as well as for any on-journey complaints in real time. MMT’s bus ticketing business has witnessed strong momentum, with a growth rate of nearly 48 percent year on year and jump of 55 percent year on year in Q4.
With its strong focus on smaller towns, redBus has been expanding its presence across the country. Recently, it tied up with LazyPay to allow payments at a later time for customers with good credit scores to improve conversion rates. It has also rolled out free rescheduling to provide greater flexibility and encourage advanced booking behavior from customers.
Deep Kalra, chairman and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip said that the investment aims at providing an extensive suite of technology products and solutions for the bus and hotel supplier ecosystem. “This (investment) will further strengthen our strong market position,” he said in MMT’s regulatory filing.
redBus has been leveraging technology through integrations with the likes of WhatsApp, to automate and handle customer queries in a conversational and even vernacular manner. Travelers, for instance, can get information about boarding locations, arrival times, as well as for any on-journey complaints in real time. MMT’s bus ticketing business has witnessed strong momentum, with a growth rate of nearly 48 percent year on year and jump of 55 percent year on year in Q4.
With its strong focus on smaller towns, redBus has been expanding its presence across the country. Recently, it tied up with LazyPay to allow payments at a later time for customers with good credit scores to improve conversion rates. It has also rolled out free rescheduling to provide greater flexibility and encourage advanced booking behavior from customers.
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