Ixigo's ConfirmTkt Shows Firm Growth Over The Years: Dinesh Kotha
Indian Railways may boast one of the most extensive rail networks in the world, yet the trains are often fully booked months in advance, leaving travelers in a quandary. Flustered with this predicament, Dinesh Kumar Kotha in partnership with Sripad Vaidya founded ConfirmTkt, a digital platform to serve the needs of train travellers.
Essentially a train ticket booking app, ConfirmTkt, however, goes much beyond simply booking train tickets. It is a modernised service that not only predicts the likelihood of confirmed tickets but also suggests an alternative mode of travel in case tickets are unavailable or waitlisted.
Delving into the expansion of the company, Kotha says the firm has grown over the years with significant strategic advancements and as of July 2023 it commanded a market share of 50 per cent, thanks to the acquisition of the ixigo Group, which has enabled the company to excel in terms of B2C rail GBV or gross book value.
Kotha informs that in FY23, 770.6 million passengers opted for e-tickets, compared to 734.3 million in FY22. “Our primary focus is to intensify our efforts in innovation and profitability, remaining committed to our mission of solving even the slightest inconveniences faced by train travelers. We aim to provide our commuters with a valuable and seamless traveling experience,” says Kotha, Co-founder and CEO of ConfirmTkt.
Customer Centric Approach
Kotha underlines customer satisfaction and loyalty as key to the company’s success. “Our customer-centric approach involves understanding customer needs, gathering feedback and customising offerings to meet their expectations,” he says.
Besides, Kotha stresses the importance of maintaining financial prudence, prioritising management, upholding robust budgets and maintaining longer business sustainability.
Kotha lists resilience and adaptability as two key entrepreneurial lessons that deeply resonates with him. “ConfirmTkt was established as we passionately wanted to solve a real problem faced by railway travelers in India. However, our ticket to success was not smoothly confirmed, we paid our fair share of challenges and setbacks,” he says, punning on ticketing terminology.
According to the CEO, merely having a brilliant idea is not enough to climb the ladder of success. One must also possess the capacity to recover from failures and the ability to consistently adjust to evolving circumstances.
“These learnings have not only helped me to overcome obstacles but have also influenced my problem-solving and innovative approach, strengthening my beliefs that setbacks are opportunities for growth,” says Kotha.
