Chatbots are becoming increasingly popular across many eCommerce websites. They can provide answers to customer queries quickly and efficiently, making them an ideal solution for the travel industry. With chatbots, customers can find out more information about their chosen destination or airline by asking structured questions in real-time, meaning that they don't have to wait for a response from an agent.
Let's take a look at how chatbots can help improve the customer experience in the travel industry by providing quick and accurate information to customers.
24/7 Availability
Browsing holiday destinations and travel options are often done outside of office hours and in the comfort of home. One of the biggest benefits of using chatbots in the travel industry is that they are available 24/7. This means that customers can easily search for their holiday destination or book flights without having to wait for an agent to help with their query. Whether they’re on the sofa, at work, or out and about, chatbots allow customers to shop for the holidays without needing any agency intervention.
Multilingual Support
Travel by its very nature often involves multiple countries and therefore multiple languages Chatbots in the travel industry are now often able to offer multilingual support meaning that customers from around the world can receive answers to their queries in their native language. This is especially useful in regions like the Middle East and Europe where a huge variety of languages are used. By providing this level of support, chatbots can enhance the customer experience and ensure that customers worldwide can have a positive experience when booking their holiday.
Menu Driven Access
Another great benefit of chatbots in the travel industry is the nature of the buying process lends itself well to a menu-driven approach. Requirements for travel booking are often relatively standard in the initial stages (date, destination, number of travelers, type of room, etc.) This means that customers can be guided through their customer journey quite easily by a well-designed chatbot and have their needs met quite quickly and efficiently. With a menu-driven chatbot, customers will have a much more streamlined experience when booking flights or searching for information about their destination.
Automated Suggestions
Chatbots can provide automated suggestions to customers. For example, if a customer has browsed a destination page on your website and shown an interest in booking a specific hotel, the chatbot could offer them personalized recommendations for other hotels in the area or other room options within the same hotel. This will help ensure that customers have access to all the information they need to make an informed decision.
Cross Sells and Upsells
Chatbots can also be used to cross-sell and upsell products in the travel industry. For example, if a customer is booking a flight, a chatbot could offer them appropriate insurance or rental car options for their booking based on their selections. Or even something more interesting like restaurant suggestions. By offering customers these little extras, businesses can increase their revenue and ultimately, profit.
Ask for Post-Trip Feedback
Once a customer has completed their trip, chatbots can be a great tool for getting feedback. They can be used to send automated messages asking them to rate the hotel out of five stars or ask how the trip was. This information helps businesses gain insight into the customer experience and learn ways to improve it for future customers. Asking for and crucially, acting on feedback, is a great way of turning a one-time customer into a loyal service user.
Conclusion
The travel industry lends itself well to the use of chatbots. From 24/7 availability and multilingual support to cross-sells, upsells, and after-trip feedback surveys - there are a variety of ways that businesses can benefit from using chatbot technology. If you would like to find out more about how you can leverage chatbots in the travel industry, talk to our experts and find out how you can get started with our chatbot builder, WhatsApp business solution, and custom campaigns.
