Making small changes in doing what you do can make all the difference in how you attract and retain customers, as well as how you grow your bank account! And as the industry rebounds, you’ll want to have in place these three simple steps to help improve efficiencies in your operations, effectiveness in your work, and improve your bottom line.
How do you think I was able to grow my agency so quickly? These steps provided me with bandwidth so that I could focus on crafting new and exciting journeys for more clients, without compromising quality customer care. It also provided me with an additional revenue stream by offering my concierge services.
Step 1.
Automate. Consider how you currently interact with your customers when there’s a step they need to take in their trip-planning process. Do you flip back and forth between various technologies to track what remains to be done? Even more cumbersome, perhaps you repeatedly refer to each trip record to make sure you don’t miss an important task or deadline. Or do you keep a list or calendar that you obsessively scan on a daily basis.
Rather than wasting time trying to reconcile what has and has not been done, what if you implemented prepared scripts that would automatically go out to your customer at exactly the right intervals in the process? Sure, it takes time on the front-end to figure it all out, but any action that can be automated, should be automated. You will be surprised to discover how many hours you can save each month, and—especially in the travel industry—time is money!
Step 2.
Remind. Issuing reminders to your customers is an under-utilized strategy for earning your clients’ trust and making them feel well taken care of! Not only will leaving no stone unturned for your customers and proactively keeping them in the loop ensure they return to you again and again, but it also will demonstrate your competence, attention to detail, and level of service, all of which give you that competitive edge in this industry.
Start by providing your client a detailed welcome email that includes a thank-you note, specifies their payment deadlines, and outlines what they can expect as they go through the process with you. Follow this up with well-timed and automated emails that remind them of specific actions necessary to ensure they get the most out of their trip. These reminders may include such information as when and how to make dining reservations, or how and when they will receive their final trip documents. Remember, nothing is too small when it comes to adding value to a client’s experience with you.
Step 3. Upsell.
When you automate your reminders, it’s easy to mention your availability for ancillary services. For example, the next time you remind your clients about making dining reservations in Rome, let them know that your concierge services include recommending and making the reservations on their behalf. If you are an agency that charges fees, this is an opportunity to increase your profit. If not, providing such a service will showcase your value to and create good will with your customer.
There is no replacement for quality customer service. When you simplify the process for your client—and quite frankly, for yourself—you’re positioned to gain a life-long client, more referrals, and increased revenues.
If copywriting and sequencing are not part of your skill set, consider taking a look at Travel Industry Solutions. We offer a comprehensive suite of professionally written client email messages for both land and cruise, nicely designed customer touchpoints, and a roadmap for executing a meticulously crafted customer-outreach strategy.
