Many travel arrangements are made via automation, from deciding on a destination to comparing flights to booking a hotel to reserving entry slots for attractions. And when these things go smoothly, as set up via clicks and keyboards, no one complains – and, generally, no one remembers.
This isn’t to say that technology isn’t important for customer experience (CX) – it certainly, undeniably is.
Yet while technology makes CX accessible, people make Travel and hospitality (T&H) memorable, from flight attendants to hotel clerks to that friendly server at that restaurant that didn’t serve the dish you wanted, who quietly gave directions to another restaurant where you could get it. That’s the kind of thing people fondly recollect decades after the actual trip when other details and travails have faded.
And that’s the impact your brand can make with the right people representing you!
But with staffing concerns all across the business landscape—companies needing help to recruit talent, retain personnel, and sustain employee engagement—how can you be sure you have the right people?
Your company needs CX agents who:
- Act as the voice of your brand
Compared to chatbots, human representatives know how to apply instructions they’ve been given, adjust their reactions, and even devise innovative solutions, all in keeping with your brand image. So, your CX provider, whether in-house or outsourced, needs to deeply understand your company’s goals and values and the travel industry in general.
- Express genuine empathy
Once things get complicated, most customers still prefer to speak to a human agent. For instance, only a human will get that you need to make it home for your father’s 60th birthday, so you’re willing to consider all the options you previously turned off in your search filters. Even if nothing can be done, genuine sympathy can turn a bad situation into a bearable one.
- Get continuous training
The T&H industry may be in a heightened flux, but it has always been and will always be constantly evolving. Your agents need to do the same in terms of how to do their baseline jobs and in keeping with broader awareness, like the outlook on travel in areas around Ukraine or what female travelers ought to pack for visiting a Muslim country.
- Collect and convey feedback
Your frontline staff members are the ultimate authority on what travelers want, from SMS updates to more options for more summer destinations. They’re also the best resource on what’s working and what needs work in your operational process, both for your customers and themselves. Analytics deliver data, but human feedback turns that information into insight.
All this can only happen if your agents are fully engaged. Your people must feel cared for to care for your company and customers honestly. Remember – happy agents make happy customers!
