Where the wired things are courting the tech-savvy traveler
Your customers are clamoring for on-the-go travel technology solutions. Here’s how to appeal to the upwardly mobile traveler—even if you’re new to the world of “apps.”
Whether you still think of Apple and Blackberry as diner pie varieties, enjoy holding the whole world in the Palm Treo of your hand—or are somewhere in the middle of the spectrum when it comes to mobile technology—you have to admit it: the times, they have a-changed.
Especially when it comes to mobile travel technology.
Paper tickets are not only passé but obsolete, and now even printouts of e-tickets are becoming unnecessary since most airlines allow you to check in to your flight from your phone. New travel-related mobile phone applications are introduced on an almost daily basis. Your customers can do everything from reserve a restaurant table to deny an employee’s travel request just by sliding their finger across a touch screen.
Two questions to ask of your travel business
These new developments beg two important questions, according to Owen Wild, director of marketing strategy and planning for Amadeus North America. “First, you need to decide if you’re sufficiently conversant in mobile travel technology.” You need to be able to answer customers’ travel technology questions, such as how to check into a hotel from a phone, or your opinion of various travel apps. “The second question,” Wild continues, “is whether your travel business offers customers the right mobile travel technology to meet their needs.”
Talking the talk
A recent study conducted by Amadeus and the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) found that the use of emerging mobile technologies among corporate travel customers is becoming increasingly widespread; use of “smart phones” (mobile phones with Internet access) rose 60% worldwide. The trend is also spreading quickly across leisure travelers as well. So the question is: are you up on the latest apps (the nickname for mobile phone applications)? Can you talk a less-than-technologically-savvy customer through the process of checking into a flight online?
It’s all about customer service
Jumping on the mobile bandwagon is about more than seeming “old-fashioned.” Being able to advise about travel technology is an important part of offering travel expertise and service, says Wild. “It’s also a great way to take your business to the next level.” So even if you prefer the comfort of your mobile flip phone to the bells and whistles of the latest and greatest “smart” gadget, keep your knowledge base up-to-date. Also make sure the technology your travel business offers meets the needs of your clientele—whether they want to view their itineraries from their mobile phones, make a reservation online, or simply want to learn more about your agency from the comfort of their home computers.
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Online social networking 101
Use Facebook, blogs to make “friends” with prospective travel customers.
Travel consumers aren’t without choices. Online agencies, the travel shop down the street and airline Web sites all beckon for their business.
But if they’ve got a travel agent “friend” whose knowledge of travel is impressive, the choice is a no-brainer. And becoming the friend of dozens, even hundreds, of travel consumers is easy and free—not to mention fun.
Wave of the future
Networking Web sites like Facebook.com and MySpace.com play an important role in the decision-making process, according to 42% of travelers polled in PhocusWright’s Business Travel Trends Survey.
“Most people learn from their peers,” explains Becky Gonzalez, Amadeus North America’s team leader for curriculum development and product documentation. “Blogs and networking sites let you reach potential customers who value your expertise about travel, particularly in niche travel markets.”
Networking on the ‘Net
Getting started is easy and free—just sign up for an account with the social networking site of your choice. There are dozens of such networks on the Web—even social networking sites targeted to baby boomers, such as Eons.com and Tripsay.com, for those who love to travel. With 250 million people on Facebook and more than 100 million on MySpace, chances are many of your acquaintances are already on a networking Web site.
If they’re not, invite them to join: they’ll thank you for it after they’ve reunited with best friends from high school and played some entertaining trivia games. And you’ll thank yourself for inviting your friends after they help you promote your business.
When setting up your profile, be sure to include professional information about your travel agency, including a link to your Web site, if you have one. Once you’re set up, get hooked up with the networking sites’ various travel communities, so you can meet people who love to travel.
Showcasing your travel expertise is simply a matter of playing games like Facebook’s “TravBuddy Countries Visited Map” and offering plenty of advice to members who ask where they should go on an upcoming vacation.
Currently only 42% of Amadeus North America travel agents use Web sites like Facebook, according to a study by Amadeus. But Gonzalez hopes to see that number grow as more travel professionals become aware of the importance of this medium among consumers of travel. “This is an opportunity for free, fun marketing,” she says.
Beauty of the Blog
The best way to win friends and influence people online, notes Gonzalez, is to write a travel blog, an informal piece of writing offering your ideas, experiences and advice. The PhocusWright study reinforced this comment, finding that 85% of business travelers surveyed read travel blogs for vacation advice.
To get started, sign up with TravelPod.com, an online community of travel bloggers. This site will link back to your Facebook profile and publish your blog free of charge. TravelBlogs.org, a similar site, is also free.
Ideally, you’ll link your travel blog to your travel agency’s Web site, so readers can jump straight from your words of wisdom to booking travel with your agency.
“As times change and the next generation of travel consumers begins to rely on online communities, it’s important to evolve to meet their needs,” Gonzalez advises. “Most people find that after they take the initial leap into these new mediums, online social networking is a great way to grow their business and have fun at the same time.”
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Call 888-AMADEUS, in the U.S.; in Canada, call 888-611-5554; E-mail salesinquiries@amadeus.com; visit www.us.amadeus.com/solutionfinder to discover your niche and create a customized solution for your travel business in just 4 easy steps!