9 Call Handling Best Practices for Travel Call Centers

Travel Call Center Agents vs Travelers

Within the travel industry, contact centers can solve many of the problems callers experience. As would-be travelers set out to find relaxation and calm, many end up more stressed than they would have been had they simply stayed home. This stress can come as a result of the travel call center agents, including incorrect bookings, unexplained charges, and other unmet expectations.
 

Travel Industry Call Practices

How do contact centers stay ahead of this?
How can they provide an exceptional customer service experience and remedy these travel-related issues?
Consider these nine best call practices when taking calls within your contact center:

1. Don’t cost callers any additional time.
Likely, your callers have already dedicated a good amount of time trying to solve their problem before calling you. Offer them efficient but thorough service so you do not cost them any additional time. Callers will appreciate feeling like you value their time.

2. Stay up to date.
The travel industry changes every day. Your airline may offer new routes or your hotel may offer new rates. Know the ins and outs of your company so you can answer each particular question to the best of your ability.

3. Know your industry.
Know the competitive landscape, because your callers have likely been shopping around. Understanding what your competitors offer and how you can help provide a tailored experience and a leg up over what others are offering.

4. Personalize the experience.
We all want to feel like we’re special when we are talking to someone. Callers are no different. The best agents are able to make connections and build relationships with whomever they are talking to. Remember the small details about why the individual is calling and address them by name as if you were addressing a friend or acquaintance.

5. Utilize mobile.
If your organization already offers mobile options like in-app customer service or chat functionality, utilize it as part of the call handling process too. Customers are already comfortable using their mobile devices, so it will feel natural for agents to use them while handling a caller’s call.

6. Mirror your caller’s energy.
Again, travel can cause major stress to travelers. While agents should not mirror anger, they should be considerate of what their customers are feeling at that moment. Taking on their sentiment will demonstrate a level of empathy that will help keep the situation from escalating into more than it should be. On the other hand, if you are lucky enough to help customers book their upcoming travel plans, share in their excitement!

7. Know your customers.
Customers spend quite a bit of money each year—around $4,580 for a family of 4—on vacations. Because of the amount of money they are dropping, they want to feel like they are valued as a customer. If they are members of your company’s frequent flyer or rewards program, thank them for their loyalty or offer them special promotions. They will appreciate the personal touch.

8. Be a hero when you need to be.
This one is simple. When you have to, do whatever you can to solve your customer’s problem. If you have the power to move mountains, do it. That might translate into speaking with a manager or escalating a concern or it could be as simple as refunding reward points.

9. Keep your callers’ information safe.
The least you can do for your callers is keep their information safe. As they provide sensitive information like credit card and passport numbers, it is your responsibility to do your due diligence to ensure that they are protected. Make sure that your contact center has tools like SecureCall in place to protect your callers and their sensitive information.

About SecureCall

SecureCall can give you the peace of mind knowing that your customers’ payment and identification information will be safe and remain confidential. Using your existing CRM and phone systems, your customers will punch their payment information in using the keypad on their phone or an SMS interface. Agents will see only dots on the screen and hear only masked tones, thus eliminating the risk of personnel fraud and phone breach. All of your customers’ payment information will be sent to and stored in your data center, without running the risk of fraudsters hacking details from your agents.
 
Be a hero for your travel callers by providing them with exceptional customer service and the confidence knowing that their information is secure and protected. For more information on travel call centers, agent outsourcing, or service and software solutions for travel businesses, contact KomBea the contact center experts.
 
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