Why travel firms need to zero in on customer service

In the past decades, the tourism industry has been experiencing continued growth, making it one of the fastest growing business sectors in the world.

Along with this commendable feat, a number of exciting opportunities are also being created. New jobs are mushrooming, travel agencies are finding more ways to diversify, and even the world’s economy is seeing significant boosts brought by the rise of tourism.
The business volume of tourism is now close to surpassing that of food products and automobiles. In 2015, the global travel and tourism sector contributed USD7.2 trillion or 9.8% of the global gross domestic product. This translates to an astounding 284 million jobs created all over the world.
Given these figures, it’s not surprising that the outlook for the travel and tourism sector for the coming years remains optimistic. At the micro level, however, this means competition is going to be even tougher than ever. To succeed, small to medium-sized enterprises need to innovate fast, embrace various types of technology, and grow along with their customers. One of the best ways to do this is to provide excellent customer service.

Why customer support matters

Traveling and tourism is an industry that heavily, if not fully, relies on the ability of brands to provide a one-of-a-kind customer experience. Here, everything is about the customer. Whether they’re traveling for business or leisure, customers deserve a hassle-free and fun journey. To make this possible, travel companies have to juggle several factors at once: people’s safety, their schedules, the activities they’ll enjoy, the food they shouldn’t miss, and of course, the highlight—the places they must visit.
Imagine doing all this without a team of customer service providers. Without a team of qualified professionals to assist customers, you won’t be able to attend to a huge volume of queries, organize the best trips, or give customers your undivided attention. And so your firm’s conversion rates would dwindle and your prospective customers may end up choosing other brands that could meet their needs.
To be people’s first choice, travel agencies and companies in the hospitality industry need to bolster their customer support. Here’s how partnering with a 24/7 call center can help you.

Creating good first impressions

First impressions are crucial for all brands, but for travel firms, it’s everything. These companies interact with customers every day, and therefore, their credibility is judged based on how effectively they can communicate with customers. Tourism firms can’t afford to miss a call or leave Facebook comments unanswered, as this affects the brand’s image. Plus, poor first impressions discourage customers from doing business with travel brands.

In contrast, having a customer service team equals having a team of customer relationship experts. You can be sure that there’s someone assisting your customers from the moment they contact your brand and even after they’ve availed your services. With their help, you can engage with customers on social media, attract new clients, and make your internal processes more efficient.

 

Consistent company branding

The key to making your brand memorable is to project a consistent image across all touchpoints. This means that whether you’re talking to customers via email, on the phone, or inside your office, you must adhere to the same set of standards. A good image backed up by good performance would keep customers coming back for your services.

An omnichannel call center that operates 24/7 can help you manage your presence on multiple platforms. Just make sure that the strategies they adopt are consistent with your organizational values and practices.

 

Fast and accurate services

It’s no secret that speed is at the very top of the list of customers’ demands. But in order to deliver fast services, brands need to streamline their internal processes first. They need a workforce large enough to accommodate all customer requests. These people must also have the right tech and communication skills and be knowledgeable about the company’s products and services.

For travel agencies, it can be challenging to do all these things at once without disrupting their everyday operations. Partnering with a call center is therefore one of the most practical solutions. It would let brands manage the customer experience across all touchpoints, letting you deliver fast and accurate services.