Vacation time is something people look forward to all year long. Two years ago, the pandemic put a stop to everything. Travel was no longer an option, which left people stuck at home. As a result, businesses had to be creative and use out-of-the-box ways to help their customers feel like they were in paradise, even if it meant being there virtually.
But now, the urge for wanderlust is coming back. The pandemic has taught us to live every moment to the absolute fullest. When an opportunity strikes, customers make it a point to really make the most of their vacation time and travel as much as they can. This blog will discuss the role of customers in the travel and tourism industry and how businesses can help them make their travel experience truly memorable.
Role of the Customer
Customer experience defines the travel and tourism industry. Without customers, the travel and tourism industry would be non-existent. Before booking tickets for any destination, customers perform extensive research on where they’re going, to better define their trip. This could involve talking to a travel agent, friends, family, or just simply scrolling through pictures on social media. All these elements allow customers to stay loyal to the travel agency they interact with for their travel plans. A positive travel experience alleviates anxiety, creates a comfortable and assuaged environment, and most importantly, brings in new customers.
Crucial Elements for a Positive Customer Travel Experience
Problems during travel are unavoidable. However, they are also preventable. Not all travel experiences are perfect. This is when travel agents need to become superheroes for customers. Here’s how:
Ask the Right Questions
According to ZenDesk, “customer surveys are useful on many levels, but it’s also important to ask the right questions at the right times.” Common questions, such as, “how was your stay?” are a given. However, if you want to impress your customer, you need to ask questions that are out of the ordinary. Such questions can include:
- What do you look forward to when you go on a trip?
- What are your needs and expectations for this trip?
- What’s your dream destination?
- Would you like a strict schedule, or do you prefer going with the flow?
Questions like the above will allow you to automatically fulfill customer expectations so that they can stay loyal to your travel or tourism business.
Use Omnichannel Communication
Omnichannel marketing is a lead nurturing and user engagement approach in which a company engages its customers or prospects on all channels, platforms, and devices to learn more about its products, offers, and support services. This means that not only would a travel business offer support on their website, but they would also offer support through Facebook Messenger, Live Chat, E-mail, and Phone. Omnichannel marketing allows customers to share feedback seamlessly across many channels. Businesses, including ones in the travel and tourism industry, can create short surveys and personally send them across to each customer via a particular channel. For example, when a customer talks to a live agent via chatbot on the website, they can rate their experience on the spot after the chat closes. This way, the business is gathering feedback while it’s fresh in the customer’s mind.
Ask for Feedback
The most important element for a business to succeed is listening to the customer. This can only be achieved by having the willingness to ask for constructive feedback. As cliched as it sounds, the customer is always right. Customer feedback encourages an organization to do better. Customers appreciate it when their feedback is truly taken seriously. Feedback can be good, bad, neutral, or ugly. Businesses can choose to ignore customer feedback and move on or take it in their stride and improve. Customer feedback is not always reliable if you ask them in person because some may not share fully transparent feedback with the business they’re interacting with. Asking for feedback through an anonymous survey will give you a better chance to discover how they really feel about your product because it gives the customer a chance to freely express themselves without having to worry about their comments being attributed to them in the future.
Combining PxidaCX and Travel Experience for Customers
The goal of a trip is to feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Customers want to feel satisfied that they created good memories when they take a trip for pleasure or that they were productive and effective when traveling for business. PxidaCX is a wonderful tool that can help you figure out how to create a positive travel experience for your customers, both recurring and new. Using this tool can ensure your business gathers the correct and appropriate feedback in order to keep your customers satisfied. Check out PxidaCX today!