Now that the world is easing out of a global pandemic – one that effectively shut down life as we knew it – new normals, challenges, and trends are beginning to emerge. And in the business world, the customer journey has changed in fundamental ways. The digital marketplace has become a shopping destination in and of itself, bringing a whole set of new criteria for consumer fulfillment. Additionally, customer service as a concept has been revolutionized and re-invented as ‘customer experience’ – today’s hot button business topic that refers to the impression your customers have of your brand as a whole, through all stages of the buyer’s journey.
No industry has been more deeply impacted by the pandemic than travel, and none are more strategically poised to make a successful comeback. Adventure-starved, locked-down travelers are returning to the skies, booking trips, and checking into hotels in what promises to be a huge surge for the industry. That said, we are seeing a more sophisticated traveler than ever before – one who expects an effortless experience, quick resolutions when issues arise, personalized interactions and the utmost convenience. So how does the travel industry meet these higher expectations in the face of increased business activity? Here are our thoughts.
AI-powered chatbots are becoming a big part of the travel company toolbox, allowing companies to engage with guests at every point of the customer journey. Canada’s WestJet, for example, recently launched one of the most accurate AI chatbots to date – “Juliet” – a multilingual virtual assistant across all channels. Not surprisingly, WestJet experienced 45 times more customer service calls at the onset of COVID-19. Juliet seamlessly deflected tens of thousands of calls from human agents, causing customer satisfaction to jump by 24%. Or let’s take a look at the chatbox launched by The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Resident Mischief-Maker and Digital Concierge – “Rose” – embodies the resort’s flirty culture….she is NOT your mama’s chatbot! Then there’s “Edward” – an SMS AI chatbot developed by Edwardian Hotels London. Edward discerns guests’ needs with high accuracy, assisting with more than 1,200 topics. Integrated with back-end systems, the bot can match incoming calls with individual guests, providing a highly personalized experience. Edward also has the capability of routing requests all the way up to the hotel’s general manager, depending on the circumstances. And guess what? The bot is responsible for the increase of room services sales by 10 – 50 percent. Chatbots are looking good.
In addition to the incorporation of state-of-the-art chatbots, organizations looking to up their customer experience game in the increasingly competitive travel and hospitality sector should consider teaming up with a BPO outsourcing company.
Anytime we talk about digital customer service platforms, it opens the door to the role that BPO outsourcing companies can play in supporting a post-pandemic marketplace. With over twenty years in the competitive outsourcing industry, Anexa has established itself as a leader in brand care across many business sectors by acting as a trusted partner in the provision of remote, customer-centric services. Our rigorous hiring process and periodic staff training ensure that our agents are your agents, acting on behalf of your company as the face (and voice) of your business – regardless of your industry. The specialized training received by our customer service specialists ensures consistent and seamless interactions – and our teams are skilled in omnichannel solutions – including chatbots. We also feature bilingual services – a clear advantage considering the growth of the Hispanic market in the US today.
Your critical bottom line will benefit from our involvement with your CX strategies.
Questions? Reach out to Anexa today.