After an unprecedented decline due to the pandemic, travel is back—in a way that the industry was unprepared1 for. It’s no secret that people worldwide are itching to travel, so much so that the United Nations World Tourism Organization predicts tourism to reach about 80-95%2 of pre-pandemic levels in the coming months and beyond. And with the deluge of jet-setters, vacationers, and business travelers set to arrive at their respective destinations, there will follow unprecedented competition among travel and hospitality industry players.
Make no mistake: the key differentiator for businesses is customer experience in hospitality. Period.
Consumers have changed significantly—a negative review can now be more detrimental3 than a bad product. In the same way, customers have high expectations for their shopping and retail experiences; they also anticipate seamless and extraordinary customer experience (CX) during their trips—from planning to their return home.
People are also more likely nowadays to experiment with new experiences and brands.3 To stay competitive, travel and hospitality players should revisit, and sometimes even overhaul, their customer experience strategies, ensuring that they provide the absolute best in CX possible for guests.
Investing in innovative and targeted solutions to improve customer experience in hospitality and travel customer journey will be crucial, be it a hotel business, travel agency, or airline.
Travelers by the Numbers
To get a better grasp of how the current consumer landscape is unfolding, let’s take a look at some key statistics:
Consumers are ready to spend more, making up for lost travel time
49%
of respondents in a Booking.com survey say that they are likely to spend more than usual on their next vacation or pleasure trip4
43%
would "go all out" in terms of spending money, from accommodations to purchases and everything in between4
18-34
A study from Expedia found that younger travelers are ready to splurge, with people aged 18-34 willing to pay more for an upgrade in experience4
Sustainability as a secret to success
74%
of travel executives saw higher sustainability interest from consumers in 20225
48%
of travel execs report that their business is driving sustainable initiatives or investing in sustainable services and products5
58%
of travel execs say clients will pay extra for sustainable services and products. Some examples include renewable usage, carbon offsetting, and paying more for locally-sourced food and beverages5
Travelers are constantly researching
95%
of travelers who have already booked revisit travel-related sites6
74%
of travelers re-research a trip6
Given these insights, it’s clear that players in the sector can substantially improve their customer experience in hospitality by providing more “upgrade” options or luxury offerings. Additionally, with the increased awareness and sensitivity towards pro-environment initiatives, businesses should invest more in sustainable campaigns, products, and services. Lastly, with travelers constantly looking to the web for inspiration, online presence shouldn’t be taken for granted.
Elevating Customer Experience in Hospitality
Now that we have a better understanding of consumers, how can businesses elevate their customer experience in hospitality or travel customer journey? Here are some great examples:
- Convenience is Key
With e-commerce redefining customer convenience, players in the sector will be challenged to meet the aforementioned high expectations of travelers across the globe. Fine-tuning details in guest experiences, such as improving your app customer experience, will be crucial. Provide everything they need—and more—each step of the way; Map out your travel customer journey, from the moment they book to the moment they get home, and find out everything you can provide to make their experience seamless and hassle-free.
- Customization for Customers
According to Deloitte’s hotel guest experience report, luxury travelers value customization 33% more than other clients. Thus, proactively offering multiple options for activities and services will give your establishment an edge. Study your guest profiles and figure out what options you can provide. Who wouldn’t appreciate a tailor-fit guest experience?
- Immediate Action
The same Deloitte report found that guests are 40% more likely to share positive reviews quickly when an issue is solved. The last thing travelers want to do during their precious vacation time is to waste it waiting on problems to be fixed. Delays in bookings, accommodations, or services can harm a brand’s reputation, especially in this age of social media. Ensure you’re prepared for any mishap, provide omnichannel support for your customers (consider partnering with a call center to provide 24/7 customer service, for example), and be ready to make up for any bad experience.
Ridiculously Good Travel Experiences with Us
Providing reliable customer experience in hospitality might be the bread and butter of most companies in the industry, but providing an exceptional one will be challenging in today’s demanding consumer landscape. If you’re looking for ways to increase customer satisfaction through Ridiculously Good experiences, you can’t go wrong with Us.
Recognized by the Everest Group as the World's Fastest Business Process (Outsourcing) Service Provider in 2022 and with glowing reviews in Gartner Peer Insights Review, TaskUs can help you get miles ahead of your competition.
Scaling Up Cost Efficiently
For years, one of the world's leading online booking applications simplified reserving hotel rooms at a discounted rate, setting the standard for CX while growing to serve over 15 million users and counting.
Due to the app’s continued exponential growth and seasonal volume, customers often faced long hold times and poor customer service. They needed a CX partner that was agile enough to quickly scale up and down for seasonal volume fluctuations while controlling costs.
As their new BPO partner, TaskUs:
- Implemented staff load balancing, enabling them to scale support operations during peak periods and exceeded the client’s service levels by a whopping 102%
- Overhauled training to maximize teammates' customer-facing negotiation skills; 94% of customers who called in asking for a refund left with credits, encouraging customers to continue using the app and extending their loyalty
- Delivered exceptional CX services, surpassing expectations for the 15-agent pilot program and becoming the client’s permanent CX partner with exclusive lines of business
We power the most disruptive and high-growth travel and hospitality brands worldwide through pioneering AI solutions, optimizing operational processes, driving cost efficiencies, and maximizing omnichannel customer experiences.
Glenn Chua
Editorial Director
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