直接通信启用24/7旅行社
经过理查德·德·安布罗西奥(Richard D'Ambrosio)/
这是数字时代的事实 - 消费者永远不会偏离线路。结果,在整个旅程的整个生命周期中,旅行社的工作24/7。他们正在寻找可以指望对共同客户努力工作的供应商。
“Travel agents are working around the clock to ensure their clients’ needs are met, making it more important than ever for agents to work with suppliers they can rely on and who will be available to them and their client 24 hours a day,” said Robert Ardino, vice president of sales at Auto Europe. He leads a team of more than 30 regional sales representatives in North America who work directly with travel agents every day.
Phocuswright的研究与创新经理Michael Coletta说:“旅行者,尤其是年轻的旅行者在个人生活中使用聊天服务和其他数字通信很自在,并且正在跨越他们的旅行生活。”“因此,现在,旅行社必须24/7在线,交流,接受服务请求。如果代理商想继续为自己的客户提供足够的价值以区分自己,那么数字通信是保持这些客户忠诚的一种很好的方式。”
Coletta said it is becoming a requirement to be responsive via Twitter and other channels. “For customer service, it’s very important to get on a handle and be there when travelers want to talk to you, especially while travelers are in destination,” he said.
This means leveraging the full array of digital communication tools available today, starting with direct cellphone access, and including everything from Facebook messenger to Twitter to chat services like WhatsApp, experts said.
Coletta指出,2016年10月左右的某个时候,聊天应用程序的全球用户比社交网络的用户更多,到2018年,预计将有36亿用户。
旅行社说,尽管如此,这一切都始于与真正的人的真正联系。
纽约Tzell Park Avenue/旅行社销售和供应商关系董事总经理Roy Twiste称Auto Europe销售人员“非常有效,对我们的需求非常有反应”,这会导致更快的销售能够关闭业务。
Stacy Small, CEO and founder of Elite Travel International in Maui, HI, cited a few small hotels whose general managers and sales reps have given her their personal cellphone numbers and instructed her to call or text them at any time, day or night.
“这些人了解我为客户做什么,并从字面上生活在他们的智能手机上,快速回复电子邮件和文字,或者将我们带给我们所需要的人。”
Small, who frequently copies in hotel general managers on emails to sales reps, said luxury hotel companies are “very well staffed and suited for the younger, on-the-go travel agents. But if a supplier says, ‘I am sending this to reservations,’ I don’t want to wait. I need a high-level person to work with my high-level clients.”
Client communications preferences vary
“我们的目标之一是通过向消费者展示一个人(旅行社)正在等待与他们进行对话,以尽可能多地'人性化'在线渠道(网络,社交等)。我们希望在消费者和代理商真正见面之前建立个人联系。
“As consumers become more and more tech savvy and require more online interactions versus in person conversations, our travel agents will need to be able to provide their expertise and services in an online marketplace. Consumer communication preferences are driving this change.”
露丝·杰特(Ruth Jeter),ACC,MCC,CTA和纽约州长岛露丝(Ruth)的旅行所有者说,使用数字通信实际上减轻了我的压力。过去,我犹豫要休假,因为我担心没有获得新客户,或者如果有人需要我。作为一个独自工作的家庭经纪人,很难无人看管办公室。有了其他工具,我至少可以与客户保持联系,如果有问题,他们可以与我联系。”
杰特(Jeter)已经利用Facebook Messenger了大约一年。她还与德国和新加坡的客户一起使用Skype,出于成本原因,他们更喜欢打电话。
有一次,Facebook Messenger帮助Jeter赢得了一项业务。“我自己正在巡游,并通过Facebook向客户询问。客户与我预订,全额付款,两周后离开他们的巡游。如果我无法到达它们,我可能会失去销售。”
Beth Foss, CTC, MCC, MBA and president of My Travel Elf, Inc., in Naples, FL, says Facebook Messenger is “particularly useful for communicating with clients in other time zones, especially on the other side of the globe. They’re far more likely to have their phone with them and see that FB message, than catching an email right away.”
自由/开源软件说她喜欢Facebook messenger文本messaging on her phone “because, to me, texting seems kind of cold and impersonal,” and Facebook messages “tend to be really short, unlike many emails, so I can respond right away with an equally short message. Then I’ll shoot them a detailed reply by email. They get that instant gratification, and I’ve again solidified in their mind that they have a friend that’s a travel agent.”
并非所有供应商都得到它
许多特工告诉TMR一些供应商不知道要满足客户需求并保持繁荣的代理商所做的事情。纽约Fofravel International的旅行顾问Josh Alexander说:“成功的代理商现在非常非常忙。”“我最近增加了员工,以跟上这一数量。但是我不知道我是否会说有些供应商正在这样做以跟上我们。”
Stacy Small and other agents said many popular travel suppliers in the cruise and tour industries still require agents to dial into a large call center.
“每天,我都在计算机前,Facebook Messenger都开放。我们不断地向客户使用。这就是我们希望供应商能与我们合作的方式。当我们被告知打电话给预订线时,我们会停滞不前。”
Ardino说,当代理商与Auto Europe的呼叫中心建立联系时,他们将获得优先排队,并将其路由到“经验最丰富的租赁专家”。“代理商还可以联系其区域销售代表,以直接回答他们的问题。”
At the very least, Small said, larger suppliers should be fully staffed to promptly answer via email. She has been bringing her concerns direct to the supplier C-suite lately, getting some verbal assurances that they are working toward better servicing for “the new, digital travel agent.”
Sometimes, Small said, they offer a dedicated phone number. “If you scream loud enough, they will add a dedicated email address.”
“我的代理机构非常忙,以至于通过电子邮件沟通比让我打电话更有效。我重视一个供应商,他重视我的业务足以花时间写一些东西,并使我们轻松与客户分享这一点,”小说。
Profravel的亚历山大(Alexander)也看到“一些供应商为此努力。”他指出,一位供应商拥有一个网站,该网站提供文档供客户进行审查。“他们将向客户发送指向所有信息的链接。当我的客户点击该链接时,它向我发送了一条消息,即我的客户审查了URL。”
“Suppliers are using the same approach to humanize the online world by incorporating virtual assistants, virtual concierge systems, voice recognition tools, Artificial intelligence and interactive online support,” said Van Kuyk.
Some agents find the reluctance of some suppliers to provide direct access to their employees confusing, since many of them are very actively communicating directly with their clients.
PhocusWright’s Coletta noted how hotels are providing chat services to guests when they are on property. “If guests need something in their hotel room, instead of picking up the phone, they’ll chat. Younger travelers are using messaging apps to communicate with their friends, and that translates naturally to their travels, and hotels and resorts are responding to that,” he said.