To stay ahead of competition, they have to go above and beyond; in other words, to deliver value and exceed customer expectations, they need to get things done as efficiently - and effectively - as possible.
Here’s our list of 7 ways that travel experts step up by working smarter, not harder and how you can take your own game to the next level.
Product knowledge – it’s obvious right? Invest as much as you can in this step and see for yourself how every stage of your business thrives. Get hold of all the online and offline information on your destinations and then go beyond. The trick is to save time by accessing information already available to you.
For example, check out the social media pages of destinations that you sell, read review sites to see what’s new. Could you add these details to your itineraries? What about challenges posted online - do you have solutions for your own clients? Keep everything ready right now.
Gathering this information in advance will help you make a better sale, allowing you to match the right customer with the right product at this point itself.
Create a document on your target customers with various personas such as couples, families, honeymooners, retirees and so on. Think about destinations that will appeal to them, their budgets, time of travel and create sample itineraries with hotel and attractions included.
Every satisfied customer can lead you to new customers - provided you exceed their expectations. You can do this by asking them the right questions to get insights on their needs. The trick is to dive deep and go beyond what’s obvious. Ask them about their past holidays, ask them what their perfect vacation would look like – you’ll get ideas and tips on what to include in this current vacation, how to upsell to them and so on.
Upselling and cross-selling leads to customer retention. Here’s how: Clients expect you to prove your expertise with options meticulously matched to their needs. By offering them different value options at different price points, they’ll feel their needs are being taken of, which builds confidence in your expertise. And you also earn more from every booking.
Using attractive photos, videos and client testimonials, don’t just talk about your product upgrade – show the value to your customers.
A CRM tool is a central database which includes information on your existing clients and new leads as well. You’ll have a single view of your customers with data like who your most valuable clients are, which ones generate more leads, which products work well for cross-selling, client testimonials and so on. You can improve your products, fix issues, offer personalized communications and attract new customers – all of which directly increase your productivity.
Retaining an existing customer is far easier - and cheaper - than acquiring a new one. Smart travel agents use their CRM to find out which clients are most valuable, and give them special attention. They reward regular customers with a free product or service, and give discounts or gift vouchers for referrals. Little gestures go a long way in making your customers feel special and not just a business transaction.
Choose to work with partners as efficient as you are and who offer strong customer service - so when something on ground does go wrong, your local partners are just a phone call away. For instance, at Bedsonline, our Client Relationship Centres are there should your customers need anything pre, during and post vacation. But that’s not all, from customer support to user-friendly technology, there are many ways we help you work smarter.
In the end, the best travel experts have a mindset to optimize and grow. And you can develop a similar mindset too. By focusing on your strengths, working with the right partners and using the tools available to you, you can scale your expertise, sell more innovatively and grow your business.
