Travel and hospitality companies pride themselves on exceptional customer service but are they really putting their money where their mouths are? In a 2014 survey of customer service executives, 94 percent of them agree that customer service is a priority. Yet the travel industry was the least likely of any industry vertical to invest in technology to meet customer needs. For example, 50 percent of travel organizations say that they have yet to achieve their own innovation goals. This is concerning since 64% of consumers say that customer service should be innovative like omni-channel experiences where they are able to seamlessly move me from one communication option (like text/SMS) to another (like online chat or live phone assistance).
Consumers are calling for better, more compelling self-service options for customer service but is the travel Industry putting their calls on hold? Nearly 3 out of 4 consumers want the ability to solve their customer service issues on their own and 65 percent feel really good about both the company and themselves when they are able to do so.
Consumer engagement is quickly becoming a far more influential factor in building positive brand perception. Therefore It’s imperative that travel and hospitality companies adapt and deliver interaction strategies that address these new consumer demands of self-service and omni-channel engagement.
