Hi Everyone,
Im sure I'm not the only one that finds the current ticket price adjustment tool very cumbersome. Let me explain that a little, I've been playing GATOW since it first launched and have the 2nd largest independant airline + 2 subsideries. In total operating on over 600 routes at the moment. There are obviously lots of factors that determine load factor but mainly AGEX and competitors. This obviously changes on a daily basis, but I have decided as a compremise to try, time permitting to monitor routes once per week and adjust prices based on those results. To ease this I have built myself a fairly simple spreadsheet to allow me to do this in the most expeditious manner.
The fastest way of doing this is copy and pasting data in, the excel sheet completes a formula, and suggests what % of default price would be most appropriate. That is the least time consuming bit. The next bit takes the majority of the time...adjusting the price of one route at a time. To be honest I'm getting fairly fed up of looking at the price adjustment tool and would appreciate a discussing on a few changes to make it a little more user friendly. Now I appreciate the tool is very useful for smaller airlines, however for the larger airlines it is not great. I'm fairly sure I am not the only one that uses an excel sheet or finds the ticket price adjustment tool very slow to achieve a goal, that been said I'm taking a break and writting a few suggestions :)
Idea 1 (Ideal World)
A CSV importer would be implemented for those that wanted to use it. A CSV is a simple text file with comma seperated values. The importer would only read a certain format for example...
LGW,AMS,Default,10,5,0,0
This would produce a result of...
The route LGW-AMS, price change based on default pricing, Economy +10%, Business +5%, First No Change, Cargo No Change
With a CSV multiple routes could be updated in one go, if need be there could be a limit on the number of routes at once...say 100. Any route not included on the csv would maintain the current pricing. This of course would be my ideal solution as it would reduce a few hours work considerably. There would be the argument of those that don't use excel sheets. To that I would say I am happy to make a compatable spreadsheet available publically. Those that don't use are usually the smaller airlines (I cannot believe any airline in the top 25 of any game world does not use it), the smaller airlines would therefore be at an advantage to use a spreadsheet, but also players have a choice of adjustment. Either a system that favours small airlines (the current one) or one that favours excel. Big players are at a massive disadvantage with the current tool.
Idea 2 (Probably more likely than above)
Instead of the current ticket price adjustment when the player enters the tool page there is a drop down box with options of...
- All -
Office 1
Office 2
...etc....
and then a select button. When the select button is pressed all routes from that office is displayed (similar to on the route network page where there is a destination list from that office). Then in a grid style view....
From | To | Eco | Bus | 1st | Car |
LGW | AMS | | | | | Default/Current
LGW | BCN | | | | | Default/Current
In the blank boxes users can enter the % increase/decrease to be implemented if any change. It would be nice if there was an option to open the return route as well on the same page next to the outbound route but that may be a bit more complicated. Once a player has made the changes with one click all the routes are adjusted at once.
Idea 3 (Most likely and easy to implement)
Can I suggest an option with the current tool. Of either the drop down box system as it is now, or text box, where instead of tabbing through players can simply type in the IATA code. When the text box is in use the drop down box would have to be disabled, and visa versa. This admitidly would still be one route at a time, but would reduce the time pressing "--" to get to a specific airport. In fact that might be another easy to change solution....how many players actually change prices based on country? I for one never use this facility?
Please don't treat this as a negative post as I think Martin and SK do a fantastic job running, building and maintaining AS, however this is just a tool I think deserves a change. What is everyone elses views?
Thanks
Ian