GUEST BLOG: 2018…the year of assistance?

 

Google has just announced a new term “the age of assistance.” So what does this mean?

According to Google this term refers to the customer service of today; the new multi-faceted and multi-layered way brands communicate with customers, rather than traditional customer service offerings.

Over the years we have witnessed significant changes in the way that brands communicate, interact and service customers. In a service driven industry such as business travel the importance of these changes is more prevalent than ever.

Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business and crucial for customer retention. You frequently see organisations spending large marketing budgets on customer acquisition; the best product, price and promotion but falling down at customer service and then losing the business.

The complex nature of business travel lends itself to “the age of assistance” where you are communicating with numerous contacts in the supply chain as well as recognising the specific needs and requirements of the end traveller. This is where using big data in a meaningful and personal way can be a key differentiator. It’s not just about the preferences of the individual traveller - wherever, whenever and however they need it - but also delivering real-time data and analytics to travel managers so they can drive better travel policy compliance and in turn, create long-term cost savings.

Technological advancements have opened up new communication channels for brands to embrace. The use of AI and chatbots is beginning to become widespread, whilst mobile, text, social media all now play an active part in brand communication plans.

In today’s hyper-connected, digital world, there is an opportunity to build brand loyalty through providing seamless customer satisfaction across multiple channels. To test the market, Traveldoo is currently undertaking a survey aimed at travel buyers. The survey focuses on the importance of customer service in the business travel industry and the buyers experience of customer service.

The results will be announced at the Business Travel Show.

If you are at Business Travel Show, the Traveldoo team would love to see you on stand B619 from 21-22 February 2018. Register for a free pass at www.businesstravelshow.com/register