Scout delivers efficiencies following disruptions caused by TC Alfred

Tropical Cyclone (TC) Alfred hit the Queensland coast in March 2025, resulting in major disruptions to travel services in and out of Southeast Queensland.

In the week leading up to TC Alfred, CTM’s AI-powered travel assistant, Scout, experienced a surge in customer requests, delivering significant efficiencies for both customers and CTM consultants. During the March 2–8 period, Scout provided an unprecedented level of urgent booking support for changes and cancellations ahead of the weather event:

150% increase in “Chat with a consultant” requests

• A clear shift in communication preference was evident during the disaster response, with more users opting for instant messaging over traditional email or phone.
• Despite the significant increase in volume, CTM consultants resolved chat queries within an average of 13 minutes, with wait times varying by only 3 minutes compared to business-as-usual response times—still under the 5-minute mark.
• The shift to instant messaging reflects changing demographics among travel stakeholders and further supports CTM’s omnichannel approach, enabling customers to communicate how and when they choose.

343% increase in customer-led cancellations

• Scout’s fast and intuitive cancellation functionality supported high volumes of requests, providing immediate booking assistance through automation, including refund processing where eligible.
• CTM consultants also used Scout to process cancellations on behalf of customers. Consultant-led cancellations increased by nearly 200%, with requests completed in an average of 2 minutes, delivering significant time savings and enabling consultants to support more customers in less time.

75% increase in customer-led changes

• Customer-led changes via Scout’s automation capabilities increased by 75%, with air, hotel, and car hire dates and times easily modified.
• New travel options are displayed within policy limits, allowing changes to be booked instantly while securing favorable rates early.

At least 5% of requests processed during weekends—saving customers after-hours fees

• Available 24/7 via the CTM Portal, CTM Mobile, and Microsoft Teams, Scout’s accessibility helped customers avoid traditional after-hours fees by enabling self-service changes and cancellations outside of standard business hours, including weekends.

With thousands of booking requests actioned instantly through Scout, CTM consultant capacity was focused on supporting customers with complex requests requiring specialist expertise.

This ensured CTM customers received dedicated, timely booking support despite increased demand and evolving working arrangements for the Queensland-based team.