This is the fourth of five articles co-written by Sandra Thomas-Comenole and Frank Belzer on the "New Travel Consumer". The articles in this series delve into the concept of how COVID-19 and the quarantine impacted the travel consumer mindset, preferences and expectations, as well as offer ways that travel professionals can meet these new expectations.
Customer service has always been the hallmark of the travel and tourism industry. And the new travel consumer has grown accustomed to a higher level of customer service due to the upsurge in widespread usage of technologies that effortlessly provide a high level of personalization, limitless options and over-the-top customer service.
On a local level, most consumers have experienced smaller companies, such as local grocery chains, contractors, healthcare providers and retailers, adjust and accommodate to their needs like they have never done before. All of a sudden, almost everybody was offering home delivery. Retailers created parking places for pick-ups where items can be ordered ahead of time and then delivered and placed in the trunk of their cars. And finally, those entities who would never take an appointment or reservation previously started utilizing these systems quickly. Now they could pace the arrival or the departure of their customers to ensure not only a high level of service but their customers' safety was considered at the same time. Has this caused the new consumer to expect to see adjustments in how they are treated across the board from a service perspective? And if so, what adjustments do travel and hospitality providers need to implement immediately?
A high level of customer service will be even more important during the reopening stages of post-COVID travel. Travel consumers will have fears regarding travel including their own health and well-being, as well as those around them. Beyond that, customers will be wary of destinations closing or changing protocols after they have booked or while they are in destination. This shifting sand presents a level of risk that many travel consumers are not ready to bear on their own. To mitigate these risks, a higher percentage of international travelers will book with travel advisors, to add an extra layer of insurance in case something goes wrong. Travel advisors know their clients and their risk tolerance, and they have their clients' backs when something goes wrong. But this will be even more important to the new travel consumer during post-COVID travel. Here are a few ways that travel advisors can meet the customer service demand.
1. Specialize in two to three destinations.
While it may make sense to offer all open destinations to clients, specializing in a few select destinations allows you to be able to offer a higher level of customer service. There is a lot of information and protocols that are constantly changing. Travel advisors that have customers heading to the ends of the earth will have a harder time tracking the pertinent information for each destination.
2. Implement a reservations system with multiple touchpoints.
Meet customers on their terms, in their time. Let customers schedule appointments with you, using popular apps such as Calendly. Let them meet you within their comfort zone, whether that means in person at your place of business, at a local cafe, Zoom or the good old fashion way, a phone call.
3. Follow through.
Good customer service will include a lot of hand-holding during this time. When booking your clients' trips, set reminders to follow up with them at specific intervals prior to departure such as two weeks and two days. In the reminder to yourself, include links to the protocols and safety information for their destinations. This will allow you to check in on your customers with pertinent information. Call customers after arrival in their destination to check on them. Let them know that you are available to them and will be keeping an eye on health and safety information for them. Lastly, check in on them after their trip.
The new travel consumer has a high level of expectation, in our next article on the "New Travel Consumer" we explore how travel professionals can meet this new demand.
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