I begin my travel search on my favorite social media channel. Supported by a virtual assistant, I move onto the mobile platform of a travel brand that catches my attention. A few days later I complete my booking using my laptop — with a live chat for clarifications.
On my way to the airport, a message confirms that my flight is on time with the gate details. I check into my hotel using my smartphone as soon as my flight lands. Through chatbots, the hotel provides me restaurants that align with my food preferences, and I make reservations in a jiffy!
My wonderful three-day vacation has to be cut short due to work emergency. The changes are made seamlessly — right up to the cab waiting on arrival to whisk me away.
I return to social media to share my ‘wow’ experience with my friends.
I am the diverse persona of tomorrow’s traveler. Diverse, knowledgeable, demanding, connected, empowered, collaborative – and mobile. Demanding unique travel personalization — without sacrificing standardized benchmarks of convenience, connection and context.
So, how can businesses cater to this emerging traveler segment? Their path to purchase is non-linear. They have abundant access to information, with ‘always-on’ touch points. They have to be shown they are understood and valued through continuous enablement.
A purely digital approach may not be effective. A seamless, omni-channel strategy, however, will. The right information backed by the right actions can reduce friction at every stage and continuously enhance the narrative cost-effectively creating true brand loyalty.
Technology, analytics, mobility and agile processes will need to bridge the strategy, marketing, commercial and service-level interactions. This calls for smart investments to build the future, and not just fix existing problems. Achieving this omni-channel reality requires the right organizational structures and business models – and the right partner with the domain and technology horsepower.
Third-party providers with the required industry knowledge, and technology and analytics expertise can help companies meet the demands of digitally savvy customers. They can also untangle the challenges and enable travel companies to offer a seamless experience across channels.
In an omni-channel world, airlines, online travel agencies, hotels and logistics companies will have the competitive edge when they co-create innovative solutions and business models with the help of third-party service providers.
WNS, an expert in travel solutions, has been ranked #1 in HFS’ 2018 Top 10 report for Travel, Hospitality and Logistics. The HFS report highlights WNS’ industry-specific expertise, execution capability, voice of customer, technology enablement and ability to co-innovate with our clients.
Click here to read the detailed report