Over the past decade, the travel industry has been immersed in a technological revolution. Today’s travellers expect not only higher quality service, but also an excellent customer experience. This starts with the consumer’s first contact with the brand, so it is important to build a good relationship with customers from the beginning, for example through personalized interactions, in order to gain their loyalty.
Changing expectations: the customer as a travel agent
As the travel industry recovers from architect database pandemic restrictions, customers are increasingly showing a preference for planning their trips themselves rather than leaving it to agencies. A recent study in the US found that 48% of travellers chose to book online directly with a travel agency, while 37% preferred to use services such as Expedia or Travelocity. Only 7% said they planned to use a travel agency.
According to Salesforce : “Today, customers expect a high-quality experience from start to finish, from the moment they start looking at their travel options until they return home.”
The trend for customers to act as their own travel agency, searching for the best deals on flights and accommodation themselves, also means that their expectations are becoming more sophisticated and detail-oriented. Customers are not just looking for quality, they also want an exceptional experience. The travel industry is highly competitive, and in the age of social media, online reviews can make or break a brand.
Staying one step ahead of the competition: How intelligent automation can help you
The use of intelligent automation in the travel industry is already common, and is expected to increase . In response to customer expectations, a new “travel marketplace” is emerging, with companies increasing their offerings through collaboration with select partners to meet customer demands.
Intelligent automation can create value for the travel industry in a number of ways. Robotic process automation (RPA) bots , such as those offered by our partner Laiye , can be deployed to collect and aggregate data from multiple sources, allowing real-time access to competitor pricing strategies and changes, as well as pulling data from other systems or applications into the CRM system.
Robotic process automation improves service quality and response times by being available 24 hours a day, while also reducing errors and improving compliance with regulations, as explained by Laiye.
Another potential use of RPA bots in the hospitality and travel industry is connecting to multiple reservation systems, streamlining the process and reducing manual data entry – a benefit for both the end user and the customer service team. Additionally, data can be pulled from multiple systems to provide personalized recommendations for accommodation, travel, and local attractions.
