PICTURE: ISTOCK
BUSINESS ADVICE
Embrace mobile
technology and reap
the rewards. Neil
Herbert, marketing,
sales and distribution
director at Travel
Buddy, explains how
HOW TO...
communicate via
text messaging
Mobile technology and delivering
information via text messaging
will play a hugely important
role in the future of travel
and the way travel agents
communicate with
customers. But do you really
know what it’s all about and
how to get involved
for the benefi t of
your business?
The growth of mobile
has been similar to that of
the internet in many ways,
and we can learn from
that growth pattern.
The internet is now
viewed as integral to all
businesses, and is seen as
another channel to market and
one that can deliver across the value
chain, from sales, to marketing, to
operations and communications.
The mobile opportunity should
be viewed in the same way as the
internet. Mobile is not going to
replace any other communication
channel, but will play an important
part of the product/service
delivery mix in the future. It will
only serve to enhance customer
retention and satisfaction.
EARN MONEY
The travel industry works on very
low margins and, in such a diffi cult
trading climate, every penny
counts. As an agent, you should take
every opportunity to improve your
earning power. Off ering customers
FIND OUT MORE
λ travelbuddy.co.uk
As an agent, you can have a complete strategy
and a desktop system to manage and deliver
communications to your customers via mobile.
Email info@travelbuddy.co.uk for a free copy
of The Travel Agent Guide to Mobile.
the chance to interact via text is a
fi nancially rewarding option. You
can off er the customer a package
of information, possibly to include
their itinerary, fl ight information,
booking reference numbers, a
weather forecast, events while in
their resort, return fl ight alerts, and
maybe a post-holiday message.
A charge can be made for this
package, and commission earned.
The customer can also request
further local relevant information
while they are in resort, and
every time they text a request, an
automated response can be sent,
again allowing you to earn even
more revenue.
You can deliver sales messages
to sell more car rental, airport car
parking, airport hotels, lounges,
travel insurance, attraction tickets –
before the customer travels or
even while they are away, and all
delivered via a text.
SAVE MONEY
How often do you have to make
expensive telephone calls and
send letters to chase customers to
pay fi nal balances on their travel
arrangements? Instead, send
them a text. With the latest
technology, you can send texts
from your offi ce computer for less
than 10% of the cost of a phone call
or sending a letter. It is immediate,
and you’ll be surprised at how
quickly customers react to a text
versus a letter.
DELIVER CUSTOMER SERVICE
Why not deliver booking
confi rmations and reference
numbers, insurance policy numbers
and emergency phone numbers
via text (you could charge the
customer to receive it, or off er
it as a free service to diff erentiate
your business)?
Notify your customers of any
important operational changes,
fl ight changes, or have an instant
communication tool in the event of
an airline or tour operator failure.
Mobile phones are the most
eff ective communication tool in the
event of a crisis. You have a ‘duty
of care’ to inform your customers
of any issues in their destination.
You don’t have representatives
in resort when your customer
is away, but off ering a ‘Rep in
the Pocket’, is a way to off er a
superior customer service
experience, and a tool to help you
retain that customer.
NEIL HERBERT
Neil Herbert has held senior
sales and marketing roles in the
travel industry with businesses
including Holiday Extras,
MyTravel, Cosmos and British
Airways. He started his travel
career as an agent and is a board
director of the Institute of Travel
and Tourism.
λ travolution.co.uk
The Travolution White Paper, in conjunction
with Travel Buddy, explains the opportunities of
using mobile phone technology in the travel
industry. It is available on request by emailing
kevin.may@rbi.co.uk.
28 | Travel Weekly | July 3 2009 www.travelweekly.co.uk
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