How Your Transportation or Hospitality Brand Can Revitalize Consumer Trust
Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have struggled with maintaining their customers’ confidence. Consumers are still worried about the long-term effects the virus could impose.
Businesses in the hospitality and travel industries in particular are facing this challenge as consumers continue to be wary of crowds. How can they know for sure that your company is taking all the proper precautions? Even if your cleaning and disinfection protocols are flawless, many still fear the risk of being exposed to all illnesses. Additionally, you’ll want to have procedures in place in the event of canceled reservations or tickets.
However, there are steps your business can take to instill confidence in your customers and remain profitable. At Radius Global Solutions, our customer care specialists are knowledgeable and prepared to reassure your consumers of your reliability. Read on to learn how your business in the transportation and hospitality industry can win your clients’ trust.
Regaining Customer Confidence in the Hospitality Industry
Businesses in the hospitality industry are well aware of society’s continuing hesitation when it comes to spending time indoors with the public. People were starting to become more comfortable with dining indoors and staying overnight at a hotel. But then, the fast-spreading Omicron variant once again set customer confidence back significantly.
Rebuilding customer confidence starts with communication. Your customers will feel more comfortable if they know that you’re taking cleaning protocols seriously. Communicating your current protocols via multiple channels will help set your customers’ expectations. Remember that lower-risk individuals are more likely to return to your business than high-risk groups.
Aside from COVID concerns, knowing how to respond to unhappy customers is essential for winning back their trust. Maybe a customer’s reservation got lost or changed last minute. Or maybe their booking simply wasn’t up to expectations. It’s essential to have a rapid, standardized, genuine response.
Ensuring that your brand is available across multiple digital channels will help get your message across. Younger customers tend to check digital channels for updates about their favorite brands while older generations often prefer to call. It’s vital to ensure that your customers are getting a consistent response regardless of their preferences.
Building Brand Loyalty in the Transportation Industry
2019 was a great year for the transportation and travel industry. By contrast, 2020 was its worst year by far. It’s no mystery why. The pandemic had just begun, and society came to a standstill as a result. With the virus spreading so quickly, travel restrictions were still being enforced. This made it almost impossible for travel companies to make a profit.
However, there’s potential for significant improvements on the horizon. After being stuck at home for so long, many Americans are participating in “revenge travel.” Revenge travel is a phenomenon in which people are more eager to travel and less likely to cancel vacation plans as a result of the pandemic. They’re also more willing to try exotic locations and spend more money simply because they haven’t been able to for so long.
Airlines, car rental companies, railways, and more can take advantage of the revenge travel trend. Notify your customers that you’re ready for their business. Communicate that you know they’re itching to travel, so you’re taking the necessary steps to ensure it’s safe for them to do so.
Again, knowing how to respond to disgruntled customers is vital for the transportation industry. If someone’s flight is canceled or significantly delayed, they’re bound to be frustrated. Is your customer service team equipped to effectively handle these types of situations?
If the status of a flight, train or bus ride has been changed, alert your audience across all platforms. It’s important to apologize, explain the situation, and offer a solution as soon as possible. Whether that solution is a ticket refund, a hotel voucher, or a free ticket for a future trip, make sure it’s communicated quickly.
A Multi-Channel Approach to Customer Engagement
Messages are most effective when they’re sent across multiple channels. You never know what channel your audience will use to find out the latest updates about your business. So, it’s best to take a multi-channel approach to your customer engagement efforts.
Radius’ customer service agents can reach your audience via:
- Live chat
- Self-help portals
- SMS
- Video
- Traditional phone
With our experienced and friendly team on your side, communication will be seamless. We’ll tailor our messaging to meet your customers’ needs via their preferred channels.
Navigate Your Customer Service Needs with Radius
Radius Global Solutions will help you navigate through consumer trust challenges. We want to help drive your business’s success. Reach out to our customer service experts today to learn how you can build confidence in your travel and hospitality business.
