Why Travel Agencies are Getting Bad Reviews and How Technology Can Help (Part 2)
There are a lot of problems listed above with a lot of different root causes, and this isn’t even all of the reasons that travel agencies may be getting poor reviews. Let’s face it, sometimes certain people hired by tour agencies just shouldn’t be working in the industry. There are personnel problems in every business but fixing what you can as a company can help make your process a lot smoother. Here are some things to think about.
Recently, travel agencies have been getting more and more bad reviews, which isn’t good for business for all of the above reasons. Yet, why is that? What aren’t they doing that they used to be doing? How does technology affect these reviews, and how can it potentially mitigate the negative reactions it’s experiencing? Keep reading for all you need to know.
How travel agencies can fix this (with technology!)
1. Technology is not your enemy
While a lot of the above indicated that technology is “replacing” travel agencies in this industry, that’s not entirely true. While the travel industry is becoming more and more streamlined by the presence of technology, there’s still a niche for agents who want to help individuals maximize their travel experience. Don’t shun technology in your practice. Consider incorporating it more and more your practice, so that you can use tools that everyone involved is familiar and comfortable with (more on this in #3).
2. Make sure you have the right people on board
If people are using a travel agency instead of doing it themselves, they want the convenience of having someone manage it for them. Make sure you have the right people in your agency doing this! Remember, not everyone is built for a customer service job. Pick the cream of the crop to represent your company.
3. Consider incorporating more technology
Look at each of the services you provide and how you provide them with a critical eye. How can you incorporate more technology to meet your customers’ needs? A great example of ways this may help mitigate existing issues is during tours. Sending out an email or a text on the spot with information that customers might not be able to hear if the tour group is really big might help people feel more included and as though they’re getting their money’s worth. It helps the tour and tour guide feel more accessible and all it requires is typing on some information once and having the email prepped and ready to send.
4. Don’t pressure for tips
Tips are important and it helps people make ends meet but asking for it in the right way will help you save face. Have you ever heard of Venmo or one of many other money transfer apps? Travelers today are wary about carrying too much cash because of pickpockets and the fact that cards are more convenient and accepted most places. If you want to make sure your employees get tips but make it more convenient, mention it once that you accept tips in any number of ways (cash or technology-based) and you’re golden.
5. Encourage electronic feedback
Remember, people trust customer reviews as much as they trust their own friends or family, so you should be encouraging feedback in any way you can get it. Not only does this help others see what your travel agency is all about, but it also helps you learn from what you can do beier. Sure, a bad review is never fun to read, but if it’s done in a public forum like a website, then it gives you a way to respond respecjully, explain your side of the story, and explain how you rectified the situation (always follow- up!). When you earn positive reviews, those help you earn street credit and more business. Technology and online reviews are your keys to beier business, so help your travel agency get more today.
Final thoughts
Travel agencies today don’t have the street credit that they used to. As technology dominates more and more in the travel industry, agencies will need to incorporate technology or watch themselves get phased out. Fortunately, there’s a myriad of ways that you work around the bad reviews and work with your customers to ensure their satisfaction.