Early adopters are key to the travel industry for one important reason: They like to connect. That is, early adopters are always looking for new ways to engage with their favourite brands. For travel industry companies, the challenge is to create more enduring connections with these technology-obsessed customers -- or risk greater disintermediation and disruption. How can travel providers get closer to their fastest moving customers? Cognizant identifies three key opportunities among the results of the Cognizant Travel Survey.
How can travel providers get closer to their fastest moving customers? Cognizant identifies three key opportunities among the results of the Cognizant Travel Survey:
Create stronger, more vibrant connections between virtual and real experiences. Customers are already satisfied with their booking, research and destination experiences. Our survey findings reveal travel providers can bring that same level of satisfaction to the hotel or transportation experience by capitalizing on consumer reliance on mobile apps and devices. Travel intermediaries have been disruptive in this regard, but providers have the end-to-end control to add a more vibrant texture to the virtual experience.
Target early adopters with engagement strategies that focus on new technologies. Digital natives are leading indicators for travel consumers, and they’re attracted to every new technology they can get their hands on, from smartphones to wearables. They want a frictionless customer experience that captures convenience and simplicity. The message for travel providers? Prioritize engagement strategies that go beyond new apps or technology initiatives and instead focus on keeping customers’ attention and consistently engaging them.
Better understand and serve the crossover traveller. However your organization refers to crossovers – and they go by many names, including frequent business traveller and managed traveller – the key takeaway about them is their willingness to embrace digital technology. Yet their early-adopter status also presents a risk for travel providers because it invites digital disruption. Figuring out the crossover traveller is imperative to staving off disintermediation.
Understand your customers’ journeys, engage them more vibrantly, and create the easy planning and booking experience they increasingly demand. Download the report today to help your organization sharpen its industry point of view and develop a customer-engagement strategy that simultaneously differentiates and generates ever-increasing business value.