Customers First Issue 3
Global insights on strategy & innovation
How JetBlue keeps its (customers) cool in a crisis Interview with JetBlue’s customer commitment and social media manager | P.13
The rise of white-glove customer service How to transform loyal customers into proactive brand advocates | P.4
The sharing economy and the future of travel and hospitality The symbiotic relationship between disrupter and disrupted | P.8
Tailoring service by demographic Why meeting the differing needs of Baby Boomers and Millennials is key | P.18
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Contents 4
6
8
The rise of white-glove customer service
13
How JetBlue keeps its (customers) cool in a crisis
Companies are stepping up their game
Interview with Laurie Meacham, cus-
to transform loyal customers into proac-
tomer commitment and social media
tive brand advocates.
manager at JetBlue.
Why Las Vegas is a sure bet for outsourcing
16
Using data to gain a 360-degree customer view
The city best known for its casinos is
What the travel industry is doing today
now making a name for itself in the
to attain, and utilize, a full understand-
BPO industry.
ing of their customers.
A better traveler customer experience, thanks to the sharing
18
Why tailoring to each demographic is key for great customer service
economy
Meeting the differing needs of Baby
A closer look at the symbiotic relation-
Boomer and Millennial travelers.
ship between disrupter and disrupted.
11
Three ways contact centers can localize the customer experience Insights from our own contact center experience as well as industry experts.
19
The big picture A stunning sunset overlooking San Ignacio, Chalatenango in El Salvador.
TELUS International
Have you ever noticed that when you visit a Disney resort, their employees (otherwise known as cast members) rarely ever point? In fact, employees at Disney are trained not to point with just one finger, because in several cultures, pointing is considered rude. To point or not to point seems like such a small detail, but it’s exactly this type of detail that impresses customers most. Disney focuses on exceeding customer expectations with what they call “little WOWs.” Big WOWs are expensive and hard to sustain, but Kona, Hawaii – Chuck Koskovich, with wife Michele, on a recent dream vacation
Dream vacations – supported by the “magic of process”
little WOWs involve minor, inexpensive details that serve to surprise and delight customers. In general, the opportunity to create “little WOWs” in the travel and hospitality industry is huge. And that’s why we’re excited to dedicate this issue of our Customers First magazine entirely to travel and hospitality best practices. In this issue, you’ll discover insights
Whether you travel a lot or a little, we all
excited to join the TELUS International
from industry experts and top brands
dream of that perfect getaway – when
family this year as their Chief Operat-
like JetBlue, Turo, Joie de Vivre Hospi-
everything goes exactly as planned –
ing Officer – especially as we look to
tality and Lux* Resorts and Hotels.
flights connect on time, the rental car is
enhance our BPO service offering to
brand new, the hotel upgrades you to a
the travel and hospitality industry. As a
inspired to talk to us further about cre-
better room, the restaurant is five star,
self-proclaimed ‘Operations and Cus-
ating “WOW” moments for customers,
the staff knows you by name and so on.
tomer Service guy,’ I want to decode
just as my wife Michele and I received
While I love the end result of great
great customer service experiences
from Sunshine Helicopters on a recent
customer service, what fascinates me
to see if they are global, sustainable,
visit to Kona, Hawaii.
most is the process behind it all – the
repeatable, efficient, and importantly,
operations, the standards, the training,
cost-effective.
We hope you enjoy this issue and are
Enjoy the read!
the quality assurance, the discipline
I also take inspiration from other
and rigor and all of the other factors
admirable global brands across all in-
Chuck Koskovich
that go into achieving a desired service
dustries that seem to have cracked the
Chief Operating Officer
outcome.
code on what it means to delight cus-
TELUS International
tomers. Take the iconic Disney brand.
@TELUSInt
That’s a big reason why I was so
Customers First | 3
Noteworthy advises Ron Kaufman, consultant and New York Times bestselling author of Uplifting Service. “Personalization and memorization deal with the fact that airlines or hotel brands should already know something about who I am and what I like.” Kaufman goes on to observe that hospitality brands are realizing the need to examine and improve their performance in the area of anticipation. “Take hotels, which [often] don’t anticipate any future travel needs at checkout. It would be so simple to let the next hotel know that I prefer a certain pillow type, for instance, and have those pillows waiting for me along with a note from
The rise of white-glove customer service
housekeeping confirming my preference,” he says. Using information about a specific request to anticipate future ones is critical in an era where on-demand apps and 24-hour access to brands
Customer loyalty is a powerful mar-
Companies ahead of the curve
are raising customers’ expectations.
keting force that travel and hospitality
recognize the critical role that customer
“Customers are delighted when brands
businesses are always chasing.
service plays in winning people over,
care more about them than how much
and the best travel and hospitality
they’re paying and what time they’re
customer exists: The brand evangelist,
brands are stepping up their game with
checking out,” Kaufman says.
described as the kind of traveler who
white-glove service and concierge con-
feels so connected to a company that
tact centers to transform travelers from
Turning loyalty members into evan-
they proactively share their positive
simply being loyal, to being proactive
gelists
experiences with others.
brand advocates.
In its 2017 travel and hospitality out-
But a whole other degree of devoted
look, Deloitte predicts that customer
In today’s connected world, customer service experiences — espe-
Four factors for exceptional service
experience will make a much bigger
cially the bad ones — often spread like
Technology today is expanding the
impact than loyalty programs on cus-
wildfire. For companies in the travel and
definition (and capabilities) of white-
tomer retention. Dave Murray, senior
hospitality industry, this presents new
glove customer service for travel and
customer experience consultant at The
challenges in terms of managing their
hospitality brands across the board.
DiJulius Group consulting firm, agrees.
reputation. However, smart companies
“White-glove service is about four
“Consumers aren’t going to continually
see this as an opportunity to create
things: personalization, memorization,
subject themselves to poor customer
brand evangelists.
anticipation and response to requests,”
service or experience just because
4 | Customers First
TELUS International there’s a free flight or stay at the end
what went wrong, and figure out how
view of the customer, and empowering
of the tunnel,” says Murray. “Organiza-
to make people happy again. Today
them to think independently and ex-
tions can have great rewards programs,
there’s a shift, where hospitality brands
periment. “You need to create a culture
but it’s not sustainable long-term if the
want call centers to drive the customer
inside that concierge contact center
service is poor.”
relationship, anticipate future needs and
where people can try new things, then
offer personalized service.”
share what worked and what didn’t,”
Kaufman points to a resort brand based out of Mauritius called LUX*,
What’s more, travel brands that
Kaufman advises. “Brands shouldn’t
whose vision for its loyalty members
focus on call center service can signifi-
be compulsive about everybody having
is to make every moment matter. “At
cantly impact revenue per traveler, also
to follow a script. Passengers and
LUX*, they’ll keep track of things like
known as “Revenue Management” in
customers know when somebody is
whether loyalty members did yoga or
the travel industry, says Dr. Kevin Mur-
scripted, and that’s not what they’re
signed up for an art class,” he explains.
phy, the hospitality department chair
looking for,” he says. “Travelers want
“So, when they arrive on their next stay,
at University of Central Florida’s (UCF)
real, human interaction. Agents need
there’s a yoga mat or even art supplies
Rosen College of Hospitality Manage-
the freedom to try different conversa-
waiting for them in the
ment. For instance, airlines
tions, up-sell and cross-sell ideas with
room,” says Kaufman. “If
face low profit margins per
customers on the fly.” That requires
customer due in large part
engaged team members who feel a
to massive overhead costs,
real connection for the brand they’re
but Allegiant Airlines is
representing.
you travel with kids often, they might put some toys in the room. Those are exactly the kind of customized things that brands can do to create evangelists. That’s not about points or perks, that’s about the special experience that members
The merging of contact center and concierge functions — making restaurant reservations, booking entertainment and coordinating local transportation — is already taking place today.
will positively associate with that brand,” he says.
successfully leveraging their call center to become one
Customer service and storytelling
of the highest-margin carri-
At its core, brand evangelism is shared
ers in the United States.
through stories. “If you go online and
If a customer calls
see something rated highly with lots of
Allegiant about an issue re-
five-star reviews — whether it’s a hotel,
garding an upcoming flight
resort, airline or even Amazon.com —
to Orlando, for example, the call center
you still look at the reviews,” concludes
agent might try to up-sell a car rental
Kaufman. “What you’re looking for is
The contact center as a concierge
along with tickets to Disney World.
‘What’s the story?’ What happened to
The merging of contact center and con-
Although this isn’t a direct sale of an
that person, and is there something in
cierge functions — making restaurant
Allegiant product or service, they still
that story that sounds like, feels like or
reservations, booking entertainment
take a cut of the revenue. “That’s where
could have been me?”
and coordinating local transportation —
[Allegiant’s] incremental profits come
is already taking place today.
from,” Murphy notes. “Revenue man-
tell those customer service stories, and
agement is basically the art of providing
they’re highly relatable, because so
functions to provide highly personalized
great guest service, and combining it
much about travel is universal. And as
and differentiated service when people
with the art of making additional sales
the positive stories pile up, they begin
call in for support. “Under the old par-
over time.”
to pay dividends over time, especially
Travel brands are combining the two
adigm, customer service was consid-
For Kaufman, creating a concierge
Kaufman says that travelers love to
online. “That’s exactly why improved
ered ‘playing defense,’” says Murray.
contact center is about giving agents
service translates into hospitality brand
“The call center was there to defend
the tools they need to get a 360-degree
evangelism,” Kaufman says. Customers First | 5
On the road
Casinos – A significant draw for many tourists, the gaming industry is one of the primary drivers of the city’s economy bringing in more than $72 million a year in revenue, according to the University of Las Vegas.
Hot air balloons – There are plenty of other tourist attractions for those uninterested in slot machines including a visit to the Neon Museum, a tour of the Hoover Dam or catching the desert sunset from a hot air balloon.
6 | Customers First
TELUS International The Las Vegas Strip – The four-mile long row of hotels and mega casinos is the sixth most visited tourist attraction in the world, according to Travel and Leisure.
Elvis Presley – One of the most iconic entertainers to ever be associated with the city. Tourists can still enjoy Elvis tribute shows, see artifacts from his residency in Las Vegas and even get married in the Graceland Wedding Chapel by an “Elvis” officiant.
Why Las Vegas is a sure bet for outsourcing Neon lights, slot machines, Elvis impersonators, these are just a few of the im-
This popular onshore location serves
ages that come to mind at the mention
as an ideal option for companies seek-
of Las Vegas, Nevada.
ing customer care, technical support,
The city is known as a global leader
sales support and back-office services.
in hospitality, welcoming an impressive
And with its low risk for natural disaster,
30 million visitors every year. But thanks
Las Vegas offers the added assurance
to its innate foundation in customer
of business continuity and operations
service and an impressive talent pool of
redundancy.
English and Spanish speaking citizens, Mojave Desert – Las Vegas is surrounded by mountain ranges on all sides and enjoys a subtropical desert climate with very warm summers and brief, mild winters.
Outsourcing industry.
So, while you may not win at the
Las Vegas’ reputation now extends well
blackjack table, you can’t go wrong
beyond its famous strip to encompass
selecting Las Vegas as an outsourcing
the ever-growing Business Process
destination. Customers First | 7
Industry focus
A better traveler customer experience, thanks to the sharing economy In a very short time, the sharing economy has changed how customers rent office space, find parking, ride bikes and book travel accommodations. Companies like Airbnb and Lyft have served as disrupters to “traditional” options like hotels and car-rental agencies, with newspaper headlines often pitting them against each other as if it were a battle. The truth is, however, that it’s actually an opportunity for both to learn from one another, all in the name of better customer experience. Changing customer needs Sharing economy companies have been quick to tune into the evolving needs of customers. More and more consumers are looking for sustainability, ease of use, cost effectiveness, and perhaps the most sought after feature: unique, personalized and authentic experiences. Take Turo, for example. The San Francisco-based peer-to-peer car-sharing company allows customers to rent any car they want, from a Nissan hatchback to a Lamborghini. The car owners often deliver the vehicle themselves and can share suggestions for driving routes and stops along the way. “The typical, traditional car-rental experience is much more cookie-cutter,” says Trevor Humphrey, a director of customer support at Turo. “This is much more personal.” 8 | Customers First
TELUS International or risk being left behind. Adapting to the sharing economy Traditional travel and hospitality companies have taken learnings from the sharing economy and started applying them to their own approach to personalization and digitalization. “If you look at how hotels are combating [the sharing economy], they are trying to bring the local experience into their hotels,” says James Geneau, the director of marketing at Benbria, a hospitality engagement app that enables guests to quickly communicate with hotel staff. Geneau points to how hotels, for example, localize their restaurants with beers on tap from nearby breweries. He Paris, France – View of an Airbnb apartment interior
also notes how major hotel chains are introducing “sub-chains,” like Hyatt’s
has evolved dramatically, and compa-
Unbound Collection or Marriott’s Auto-
travel accommodations by allowing
nies have had to evolve with the boom
graph Collection, which try and create
guests not just to live like locals, but to
in digital tools. Keyless unlocking,
their own individual identity and brand-
choose temporary homes that reflect
integration with multiple transport apps
ing. “All of those are about keeping the
the distinct experience they want.
and one-way car-sharing are some of
unique experience in each location and
Airbnb has recently taken this one step
the ways Communauto has modernized
not creating uniformity across all their
further through the recently launched
its service.
properties,” adds Geneau.
It’s similar to how Airbnb upended
Airbnb Experiences, a service which turns regular people into tour guides.
With new types of sharing economy
Susie Grynol, president of the Hotel
companies entering the scene almost
Association of Canada, says that desire
daily, companies like Communauto and
to create unique experiences also
Speed of service
ZipCar aren’t just competing against car
drills down to the smaller aspects of a
In today’s on-demand world, customers
ownership anymore, but also a wider
customer’s stay. “The range and quality
want authentic experiences and they
array of car-sharing options. Someone
of amenities continues to improve. Each
want them now. “It’s the speed that
who wants to do an IKEA run may use
stay becomes more personalized, from
counts more with the digitalization of
a ZipCar, while opting for an Uber or
pillow preference to express check out,
the exchange and the relation with the
Lyft to bring their cat to the vet. The
as hotels seek to understand what’s
customer,” says Marco Viviani, public
ease of use and on-demand nature of
important to a guest,” she says.
relations director of Communauto, a
the latter services have transformed
Montreal-based car-sharing company.
customer expectations of what a good
What the sharing economy can
Since Communauto’s inception in 1994,
service should deliver, and all travel and
learn
the world’s relationship with computers
hospitality companies must keep pace,
While traditional travel and hospitaliCustomers First | 9
Industry focus
ty companies are learning from, and
This kind of concierge service helps to
adapting to, their disrupters, there is
professionalize the sharing economy
an opportunity for sharing economy
and speed up customer support.
companies to do the same. “One of the learning curves for the sharing
The customer wins
economy is, how do you manage a
The long-term success of shar-
bad experience properly? How do you
ing-economy companies doesn’t mean
respond other than simply giving them
the failure of more traditional compa-
a refund?” asks Geneau. “[Hotels] have
nies. Rather, the relationship between
had the equipment and the skill set to
disrupter and disrupted can be far more
manage those bad experiences quick-
symbiotic in nature, with each group
ly, and to resolve them to the guests’
learning from the other — in turn upping
satisfaction, a lot longer.”
the overall customer experience.
The sharing economy would do well
“What both entities are doing in
to consider how to use its service mod-
different ways is offering a guest expe-
els to help customers in a similar way.
rience that is tailored to the needs of
Companies seeking to merge the Airb-
that specific voyage,” says Grynol. “The
nb-type experience with hotel-level ser-
lesson is that all businesses, hotels
vice are starting to pop up. For exam-
included, need to be laser-focused on
ple, Sonder is a vacation property rental
continuous improvements, with the
start-up which hires a local concierge
guest experience at the center, in order
to attend to guests’ on-location needs.
to thrive in a competitive market.”
10 | Customers First
“One of the learning curves for the sharing economy is, how do you manage a bad experience properly? How do you respond other than simply giving them a refund?” James Geneau Director of Marketing Benbria
TELUS International
Three ways contact centers can localize the customer experience Flight delays. Booking or check-in prob-
1. Controlling for region-
lems. Regional, cultural and linguistic
al differences
differences. The travel and hospitality
Leonardo Inghilleri, pres-
business can be a perfect storm for
ident and founder of
contact centers, offering both added
Inghilleri Consultants Group
challenges and unique opportunities.
and the author of ‘Excep-
Not only are the purchases made
tional Service, Exceptional
can help bridge the gap. Contact centers can play a vital role in easing customer effort by providing an exceptional customer experience before a customer even leaves their home.
But when it comes to the travel and hospitality industry, it can be difficult to consistently anticipate the language and culture of the customer on the other end
by customers often constrained by
Profit,’ believes that great
budgets and very specific travel sched-
service delivery comes
ules, but also the buying cycles can be
down to managing expectations right
complex with many travel options to
from the start. “What do you expect
to keep track of patterns and season-
consider and compare.
from a call center? You expect people
ality in customer behavior, allowing
with excellent communication skills,
them to staff and train accordingly. For
in easing customer effort by providing
you expect people who speak your
example, some of the busiest travel
an exceptional customer experience
language and understand the cultural
days for Americans are Fridays in July
before a customer even leaves their
nuances of you as a customer, you
and August, with many looking to take
home. From our own contact center
expect people who remember your
advantage of a long weekend. For
industry experience and the insights of
preferences,” he says.
UK travelers, February 12 is a popular
Contact centers can play a vital role
industry experts, here are three ways
Inghilleria explains that some degree
of the line before starting to interact.
Fortunately, contact centers are able
option for families thanks to a mid-year
contact centers can deliver a localized
of cultural and language alignment is
school break for students. By acknowl-
experience to each and every traveler.
necessary, adding that regional offices
edging these travel patterns, contact Customers First | 11
Concierge customer service doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor. According to Chip Conley, the founder and CEO of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, it can be as simple as an email newsletter sent prior to arrival. “Say it’s a hotel company. If every hotel in the chain came up with a list of five hidden treasures or tips for guests — either in the facility or in the surrounding environment — such that there was a URL that a call center agent could email customers, that would have the same effect [as making personal recommendations],” says Conley. “That doesn’t mean the call centers need to be acclimated to all the special secrets of every location, but they can help direct people.” Inghilleri, adds that contact centers
centers are able to offer appropriate
providers, including The Four Seasons
suggestions and travel tips to meet the
and Hilton, accomplish this by offer-
can always facilitate a connection and
specific needs of their customers.
ing significantly discounted rates for
a positive customer service experience,
employees.
by adding that personalized and human
2. Routing customers differently
Another way to build a stronger con-
touch. “Whenever you can do so,
Another opportunity to create a per-
nection with the customer is through
humanize the experience and connect
sonal and localized experience is by
affinity routing, or matching customers
with the customer on a personal level,
orienting the customer, even before
with agents who have similar interests.
and those minor cultural differences
they reach their destination. In recent
Dykes says some brands have begun
kind of disappear,” he says. “You can
years, and especially among higher-end
experimenting with affinity routing as
show that you remember and under-
providers, it has become more common
an option when employee travel is not
stand their preferences, that you know
for brands to give employees an oppor-
plausible. For example, a customer
what’s important to them and you’re
tunity to travel.
planning a golf trip would likely prefer
willing to satisfy their needs on a human
to speak with a customer service agent
level. That’s all it takes.”
By experiencing the destination and
While contact center staff in the
facilities themselves, customer ser-
who follows the sport, even if they hav-
vice representatives are able to build a
en’t been to the destination in question.
travel and hospitality industry face some
personal knowledge base that trans-
“You’d want advisers who have some
unique challenges, there are an increas-
lates to better customer service. “It’s
understanding of the game of golf —
ing number of technological and orga-
great when you’re talking to someone
not in that country necessarily, but in
nizational solutions that are aiding in the
who can say ‘I’ve been there,’” says
terms of what’s going on in the sport,”
management of that complexity. In the
Brendan Dykes, the director of strate-
he says.
end, however, an exceptional customer experience comes down to making a
gic marketing for Genesys, a customer engagement and relationship manage-
3. Finding common ground
personal and human connection at any
ment provider. Many hotel and airline
Localizing the experience for customers
distance.
12 | Customers First
TELUS International
How JetBlue keeps its (customers) cool in a crisis
Airlines invest a lot in their aircraft, cabin product and services — but all that money has no currency with customers when things go wrong. With a brand that emphasizes a refreshing wit balanced with a laser focus on customer service, JetBlue has remained at the top of the industry. We spoke with Laurie Meacham, customer commitment and social media manager for JetBlue, to find out what it takes to turn challenging travel experiences into opportunities for customer delight.
Q: How would JetBlue describe its
Our brand values have been in place
ty-control process. When we work with
brand character?
for years and include being stylish,
our team that engages with customers,
A: Our brand character is really import-
smart, fun and witty. We want to main-
be it at the counters or on the phone
ant to us and it’s something that we
tain the same look and feel that we
or through social media, we want to
make clear across channels. Whether
established when we started 17 years
ensure our responses are hitting the
you’re seeing an ad in the subway or
ago.
right tone.
communicating with JetBlue one-on-
Our customer experience team has
one on Twitter, we want that voice to
Q: How does JetBlue establish a
three words to guide them: person-
have integrity and to feel like it’s the
standard tone for communication?
al, simple and helpful. If a customer
same company across touch points.
A: It’s part of our training and the quali-
has had a really bad day and they Customers First | 13
Success stories are experiencing a flight delay, or an experience that is not great, we’re not going to respond to them with something that doesn’t show empathy. We want to make sure that our contacts are personal and that we are really mirroring what our customers are offering us. Q: How does JetBlue encourage free thinking and improvisation for representatives to go “off script” when unique situations arise? A: It starts with the hiring process. We screen for voice and we look for the people who can express their individuality and uniqueness. We don’t use a lot of scripts or templates for our responses and we encourage the team to be personable and to use their own creativity and humanity. This can be a bit of a challenge for some people, but others embrace it. Those are the types of people that we like to hire. We want
delays and frustrations that occur
ers on social platforms like Twitter?
them to be comfortable using their own
during travel?
A: A lot of our customers are using
voice but also to know that they are
A: We look at these kinds of complaints
social media just as a place to vent.
representing JetBlue. The way we refer
as a chance to showcase our humanity
They’re not always looking for an
to that is, “Be you, but be you in Blue.”
and our empathy with the situation that
answer from us. [Others] want to know
customers are going through. Air travel
why a flight is delayed, or when a flight
Q: What special recruiting and
can have a lot of unpredictable situa-
is going to depart, or what their options
training processes are involved in
tions. A lot of the time our customers
are if they don’t want to take that flight
building great customer support
don’t necessarily care what the cause
anymore. Those are the people we can
teams?
is; they care that their plans are being
help.
A: We understand that we can train
disrupted, and that’s not fun for any-
skills, but we can’t really train person-
body. We really like it when we are able
about smart engagement. If you have
alities. We want to hire the person who
to turn a situation around for someone
information or anything that might help
can work well under pressure, who can
who is having a bad experience to a
the customer feel better, that’s great.
multi-task and who has a passion for
more pleasant one, just by listening and
But if you want to tell them something
JetBlue and our brand.
responding.
they already know, and isn’t going to
[We] talk to our team constantly
[better] the situation, then that’s not the Q: What’s your strategy for deal-
Q: How do you know when - and
ing with the inevitable challenges,
when not - to engage with custom-
14 | Customers First
best opportunity to engage. There have been times when some-
TELUS International questions, or as we call them, SAQs. These are generally when a customer understands the guidelines, but they don’t understand how those guidelines apply to them personally. Q: In what ways are staff empowered to make decisions to help relieve passenger stress? A: Our [contact center] team has the same ability and the same level of empowerment to offer something that any other front line personnel can offer, and our crew members have the same ability to offer something that customers would get if they called 1-800-JetBlue. We don’t want there to be a big discrepancy between support channels. For example, there was a customer who had arrived at the airport early for her flight only to find out when she got there that she would have to wait three hours [due to a storm]. She tweeted jokingly at JetBlue “give me some “It’s easy for customers to find answers to common questions but we make sure we’re available for the seldom-asked questions, or as we call them, SAQs.”
pizza.” The [social] team took note of her name and confirmed what flight she was on and what airport she was in. They notified the airport [staff] saying, “There’s a customer sitting there waiting
Laurie Meacham Customer Commitment and Social Media Manager at JetBlue
for a three-hour delay and she mentioned pizza... just FYI.” The airport staff ended up ordering
one is waiting for a flight and was not
Q: What is JetBlue’s approach to
pizza for everyone on that flight—not
very happy with the long delay. [We
automation in customer service?
just the one customer— because they
took the opportunity] to help pass the
A: We’ve adopted the idea that, when
knew that everyone had that three-hour
time with a few jokes and they loved
you ask questions, usually the answer
delay. The customer was really happy.
that! Customers really enjoy having that
can be found through self-service plat-
She even tweeted about it and it had a
sort of interaction with JetBlue. For us,
forms, via our website or our app. It’s
lot of engagement from her followers.
it’s also a lot more effective than just
easy for customers to find answers to
saying ‘we apologize for the inconve-
common questions, but we make sure
nience.’
we’re available for the seldom-asked
It really illustrates how we work as a team. We’re all in this together.
Customers First | 15
Center for excellence
Using data to gain a 360-degree customer view From airline bookings, to hotel check-
lationship-management (CRM) system
out, to the various customer service
or loyalty database. However, to paint
interactions that take place along the
a full picture of the customer, the CRM
way, few industries have as many
approach needs to be augmented with
customer touch points — and expan-
the collection and analysis of informa-
sive customer data — as the travel and
tion from secondary touch points such
hospitality business.
as online bookings, customer service
Prior to the big data era, the travel industry relied on loyalty programs
calls and social media activity. Shashank Nigam, author of ‘Soar:
for insight into customers’ historical
How the World’s Best Airline Brands
behaviors, patterns, purchases and
Delight Customers,’ believes that many
preferences. However, only 40–55 per-
hospitality brands are only scratching
cent of travelers are in an airline’s loyalty
the surface in terms of utilizing custom-
database. “The travel industry has so
er information. “Airlines particularly are
much information about customers,
in their infancy in terms of big data,” ex-
yet they’re probably the biggest data
plains Nigam. “However, collecting data
under-utilizer,” observes Shep Hyken,
is just the first step. They need to drive
author and customer service consultant
actionable insights from that data, and
for brands like Marriott and American
create a competitive [customer service]
Airlines.
advantage.” As a direct result, hospi-
Companies are now in an arms
flight.” By only loading food products that
tality brands are now deploying data
are likely to be consumed, the airline
race to capture and capitalize on data
collected from all manner of sources for
has lowered food-waste and fuel-burn
gleaned from consumer trends. That’s
more customized service interactions.
costs. Hotels facing similar challenges
For example, Hong Kong flag airline
in terms of food and beverage opera-
why airlines and hotels are going to great lengths to collect and analyze
carrier, Cathay Pacific, uses data to
tions could use the same strategy to
data in an effort to better understand
provide first-class customers a more
improve their procurement and invento-
their customers and offer highly person-
personalized experience, while also
ry efficiency.
alized customer service. Here’s a look
managing its bottom line. “Cathay Pa-
What’s important for airlines and
at what the travel industry is doing to-
cific actually collects data on first-class
hotels to remember is that an intense
day to attain and utilize a true 360-de-
alcohol consumption,” explains Mark
focus on improving customer service
gree customer view.
Ross-Smith, a big-data specialist and
often leads to benefits in other (some-
the founder of travel-news site Travel
times unexpected) areas.
Painting a picture of each customer
Data Daily. “This information, combined
with big data
with historical flight data, provides some
Moving loyalty programs beyond
Most hotels and airlines try their best
ability to predict what alcohol a custom-
points
to employ data sitting in a customer re-
er is most likely to drink on a specific
Most consumers now view loyalty pro-
16 | Customers First
TELUS International tracting insights from loyalty members’
is not based purely on frequent-flyer
historical data,” says Ross-Smith. “The
status. Therefore, it’s possible for some-
result is many [up-sell and] cross-sell
one who has never flown in their life to
opportunities. A member’s propensity
be prioritized over a passenger with
score [a method of calculating likelihood
top-level status.” The result is that Qa-
of purchasing] can be calculated to
ntas is able to identify and provide top-
predict how likely they are to take up
notch service to customers that have
specific new products or services at a
the potential to be of very high-value in
given time. When a loyalty member’s
the future.
propensity score is high, it
Moving forward, Hyken
provides scope for highly targeted and personalized offers.” Personnel at every customer touch point, including the call center, can then be alerted if a customer they’re engaging with has a high propensity score for purchasing products or
recommends that travel What’s important for airlines and hotels to remember is that an intense focus on improving customer service often leads to benefits in other (sometimes unexpected) areas.
services associated with
brands no longer compare themselves to industry peers, but to any other brands that provide outstanding customer service to the same demographic. “Airlines are now being compared with most any other business that provides great service,”
that specific interaction. Smart brands
explains Hyken. “[Customers] no longer
are moving in this direction, realizing
compare service they received from
grams more as “commoditized” market-
that loyalty programs are a way to build
one airline to another. They’re thinking
ing programs; they’re enrolled to amass
a complete view of each traveler.
in terms of the department store they
enough miles or points to receive a
visited that afternoon, or the hotel they
reward, without building true brand loy-
Driving service innovation with data
alty in the process. Leveraging data for
Ross-Smith predicts that brands will
enhanced experience and service will
continue to consolidate customer data,
seamless and personalized treatment
be one of the major ways travel brands
moving towards what he calls “a single
than ever before. The travel and hos-
differentiate their loyalty programs in the
customer-profile platform model.” Data
pitality industry is receiving fewer free
future.
from internal and external sources will
passes from customers for flight delays,
feed into an engine, which will update
unpleasant rooms and overall poor ser-
programs to collect customer data
propensity scores in real time and feed
vice. But by enhancing data collection,
than airlines, mainly because airlines
into the customer profile for a call cen-
and using existing loyalty data more
have access to more information about
ter agent, front desk concierge or flight
efficiently, travel brands can leverage
travelers for security purposes. There-
attendant.
this 360-degree view to increase — and
Hotels tend to rely more on loyalty
fore, hotels need to put that much more
“Qantas, for example, has a list of
focus into driving loyalty engagement.
the most important customers flying on
“Brands can create a full 360-degree
any given day,” Ross-Smith explains.
view of a customer’s lifestyle by ex-
“The list [weighs] multiple factors, and
stayed in the night before.” Customers today expect more
deliver on — their customer service promise.
Customers First | 17
Demographic data
Why tailoring to each demographic is key for great customer service Personalization is no longer a gentle
to differentiate
undercurrent for businesses looking to
themselves from
compete in today’s fast-paced market-
rival brands.
place; it’s more like a rip tide threaten-
It’s helpful for
ing to pull those who are too slow to
hospitality compa-
adapt into an undertow.
nies to know, for
The good news is that most compa-
example, that 44
nies already have everything they need
percent of Millen-
to come ashore: customer insight in the
nials favor book-
form of demographic data.
ing hotel services
Creating a better experience
from a mobile phone, as reported by
of their target customer is to leverage
The New York Times last year.
Facebook’s Audience Insights. Aside
In a crowded travel market, companies
However, demographics alone
from basic demographic information,
that can personalize customer interac-
don’t always paint the whole picture.
the tool allows companies to pull data
tions stand to gain more business and
According to Carrie Russell, the Van-
related to specific interests and habits
enhanced customer loyalty. The issue
couver-based managing director of
(i.e. yoga, coffee houses, shopping for
to note, however, is that the definition
Consulting & Valuation at HVS, “It’s not
beauty products and so on) from their
of “a better experience” is bound to
necessarily the age of the customer
target audience’s Facebook profile pag-
vary from one customer segment to the
but their mindset, since you can get
es. The information gleaned from this
next.
a 50-year-old adventurous traveler
tool can be used to determine which
who might seek out similar things to a
services and local attractions booking
25-year-old traveler.”
agents choose to emphasize when they
For Baby Boomers, genealogical tourism — in which customers plan their travels around locations that have
Demographic information is a terrific
speak with customers.
ancestral meaning — is currently a
starting point, but as Russell adds,
hot trend. Meanwhile, Millennials are
“It’s also about the personality of that
needs of each demographic is a key at-
seeking adventures that diverge from
person” — making guest surveys and
tribute of success. As Forrester noted in
the typical tourist attractions, instead
other means of collecting information
its 2017 predictions report, consumers
choosing to immerse themselves in the
on past experiences and desired future
“will reward companies that can antic-
local culture.
services a continued benefit to brands.
ipate their personal needs and wants.”
Tailoring services to the differing
The better travel-industry companies The importance of data
Social data for customization
become at linking demographics to
When hotels use demographic data to
Another way for hospitality brands to
customer communication, the happier
adjust their service strategy, they’re able
gain a deeper insight into the makeup
their guests will be.
18 | Customers First
TELUS International
The big picture This image of San Ignacio, Chalatenango in El Salvador was taken by a TELUS International team member while visiting the Entre Pinos Mountain Resort. San Ignacio is one of the most important points of attraction in El Salvador, thanks to its pleasant climate and stunning landscapes.
Photo: Alejandro Fuentes
Customers First | 19
From multichannel to omnichannel customer service Despite many years of effort, it’s still a challenge for most organizations to achieve a true omnichannel customer experience (CX). Everest Group, in partnership with TELUS International, has created a checklist to help your organization assess its readiness to make the jump from multichannel to omnichannel CX. Click here to download the ‘From multichannel to omnichannel customer service’ assessment tool and take the first step to building an effective omnichannel program. telusinternational.com telusinternational-europe.com