We all work hard to provide our customers with the best experience ever. We hope their experiences are so enjoyable that they will be returning customers and recommend us to their loved ones. But have you ever thought about when and where those experiences begin? Have you considered the overall impact of the services you provide? Have you ever considered putting a broader scope on that experience? Let us explain. When we all think of exceptional experiences for our travelers, we think about the start of those experiences as beginning the moment they land at our front desk for check-in or the moment they step onboard. But customer experiences or traveler experiences begin not just from the moment they hit the airport but in reality from the moment they pick up the phone to research and book a flight and or hotel stay. Many may deny it, but exceptional travel experiences begin before booking.
We need to have a clear picture of who our travelers are and what they need. Having this picture gives us a very fresh idea of what they are looking for when they call us, enter our website or Instagram account. Knowledge is power, and in the service industry, we need to have the ability to stay updated and expand that knowledge is the key to offering exceptional travel services.
We need to have a clear picture of who our travelers are and what they need. Having this picture gives us a very fresh idea of what they are looking for when they call us, enter our website or Instagram account. Knowledge is power, and in the service industry, we need to have the ability to stay updated and expand that knowledge is the key to offering exceptional travel services.
Understanding their needs may seem like too much research but the benefits outweigh the downsides. In this era of health concerns and present restrictions, our travelers want to know about how we provide a safe and clean environment for them. We may go through lengthy and sophisticated processes to ensure them a clean and safe space but, if we do not provide them with this fact, nobody else will. Just remember, the information we provide about our safety and health protocols, amenities, and services should not be difficult to understand.
Another point to take into consideration is the human touch. And when we say human touch, we mean automation vs. human contact/interaction via email, chat, or phone. Travelers want to book and schedule quickly and efficiently. When visiting our website, people want to get the information they need without running into any complications. Many situations are handled best by automation. However, when possible, we should provide a kind human interaction or warm written tone to those we interact with via phone, email, or chat. Human interaction is always best so that our travelers feel appreciated and cared for instead of a registration number or code.
As part of the travel industry offering memorable experiences, we sometimes forget what it is like on the side of those receiving the service. Take one day out of this month to sit down and trace out your traveler journey map, which is just a map layout of the experience/interactions your customer has with your brand. Make it a point to consider all the ways your customer can interact with your brand, be it print material, website (phone, tablet, or computer), social media, phone call, email, or booth. Have a walkthrough of the different processes involved in the inquiry, complaint, registration, and booking to pinpoint if their experience throughout all of these platforms is consistent and reflects the values that your brand stands for. If there are any aspects to improve, take note and have a team session to brainstorm ways to fix whatever roadblocks are present. Remember, being present is good, but showing up as a service provider is just the starting point to offer exceptional travel experiences.
Making each traveler experience our service as incredible and exclusive is something that can slip through the cracks in the middle of schedules and traveler rosters, flight numbers, and time zones. Although we have a list of numbers on paper, each traveler is unique and inspiring in the way they view the world and, we should always treat them with respect and compassion. Excellence in the service we provide means we should work to deliver more than what we promised. Sometimes company offers can be defined or limited, but to make experiences truly memorable, we should try to make these offers our base point, the standard we build on to surpass expectations. Doing this does not have to break our budget because if we cannot invest in tangible things, we can invest in the quality of service aspect of the experience we are providing. One way to do this is to make each interaction a priority. If issues arise at any point in our service, we must follow up after resolution so that the traveler knows that their satisfaction is always important to us.
Patience is key, a phrase that is so underrated when dealing with people. A little patience and consideration/empathy go a long way. In our interactions with people, problem-solving or troubleshooting situations are bound to come up at some point. We must make it a point to keep a positive attitude, customers are sometimes wrong, yes, we said it, but that does not mean we should ignore or avoid them. We should always do our best to find a reasonable solution to the problem even if we cannot give them exactly what they want. Having a positive tone of voice, using positive words and, positive body language is always a win. We must use active listening in our conversations because it helps us put aside our bias and preconceived ideas and helps us sincerely take in the other person’s point of view. We need to develop the ability to listen to others because it is a valuable skill to have no matter what job we do within the company we work.
Exceptional service is not a department; it is not up to the customer service representatives; providing truly outstanding service is a responsibility we all hold in our hands.
Having the skills to communicate effectively and clearly is very important, especially in the tourism/travel industry. If we see our team lacking the communication, persuasion, patience, empathy, or any other customer service skill valued necessary to provide exceptional service, we should procure the appropriate training to boost their confidence. Having a happy and confident team is something that travelers can sense when it is genuine. So, we must create an exceptional work environment as a platform to provide extraordinary travel experiences to those around us. The high standard we provide will always start with the high standard in personnel and team we are a part of. So, our first job is to constantly build our team so that they can work on our services/products.
There are three major takeaways we want to stress in this blog article:
- Think beyond your service package, and go beyond their needs;
- Make them feel like the only traveler in the world, think VIP treatment; and
- Deal with them patiently because every traveler is not the same.
At Ascendant Holidays we are always looking for new ways to level up the service we provide. Because the quality service we provide is a reflection of who we are. May 2022 be a year where our exceptional teams provide exceptional travel services to all those we encounter!
Join us in this journey of exceptional travel experiences!
