Maintaining client loyalty is the key for any travel business to grow. But cost-effective marketing takes planning, experience, time, and getting those customers to come, and then stay, isn’t always down to the budget. Often times, your job is to provide excellent service, and your customers will choose to do some of the legwork for you. But this isn’t 100% reliable when you’re just getting started.
If you are cash-poor but personality-rich you are already off to the best start. Though there are some tips here that budget can contribute to, client loyalty is all about being the person they need for their holiday.
So, if you want to reach client loyalty of this level, here are a few things you need to keep in mind for your travel business:
Exclusive Offers
Exclusive offers can be reduced rates or the best rates in the industry for a certain trip, hotel, or experience. However, this route tends to be difficult to maintain and will negatively affect your profit if you rely on it too heavily. The cheap route is not generally the best route.
However, if your travel business has different ideas or different packages that are unique and exclusive to your company this too is an exclusive offer. Unique packages, services, and experiences are an extremely strong tools to keep client’s coming back for more.
Concentrate on a niche market within travel or develop unique products. This is something to keep developing and will truly become your Unique Selling Point.
Client Loyalty Offers
Membership schemes, loyalty points, or exclusive returner offers are brilliant tools to keep your clients coming back for more.
As an example – you could offer your returning clients an exclusive Early Bird Booking Discount. In travel, this is generally a win-win for both the company and the client. The client reserves a discounted rate and the travel company can secure reduced advanced rates. Or, you could offer a collective point system that the client can apply to a future booking of their choice.
If you reward client loyalty, it will most definitely reward you in return.
Social Media and Communication
Never underestimate the power of just talking to your clients. Share ideas, create a community, share new products, ask for feedback. Today, social media allows us to speak to our clients with a click of the return key.
Make sure your travel agency or tour operator business host great social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok. Dependent on your market, any of these platforms could by the key. This content doesn’t even need to be selling product. Many businesses or chains gain huge momentum just by having a fun voice on screen to keep clients smiling.
Newsletters are a tool that allow you to reach out directly to your clients too. There are many newsletter tools that are free so this does not need to become a large overhead for your business. But it can become a great way to get personal.
Organisation and Efficiency
From the enquiry point to the return home feedback it is imperative the client feels their entire journey with you and your company is seamless.
To enable this a company needs a solid software system and client management tool behind them. One that caters to the client as well as the business. Protected Trust Services (PTS) is a great example of this. With a customisable client itinerary that links directly to the system where you take care of business, you can keep things organised without a hassle, and they can feel taken care of.
Customer Service
Customer Service is the key to ensuring your customers love you and speak fondly of you. Treat your clients how you would like to be treated and times it by 100. How your client perceives you is the realistic measure of how well your company is doing. If they feel comfortable telling you more about themself, that helps you pick their dream holiday, and in turn leads to them trusting your business for more.
Every client is important, and a travel company should treat each and every client as if they are their first. By making a consumer feel special you are enhancing their experience and they will develop a trust and a love of your travel company.
In essence, your clients are your value and client loyalty is priceless so treat them like gold and create a service level that is unbeatable.
If you’d like any further assistance with client loyalty, please get in contact with one of Protected Trust Services (PTS) lovely staff members by calling 0207 190 9988. Or, you can visit our member support and travel trust account pages to learn more about how we protect you.
