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Industry insights from Joanie Ogg, Publisher of Travel Professional NEWS
Customer Communication: Part 3 – The Art of Delighting Your Customers!
In the goal to delight customers it is so important to really listen and take the extra time to understand what they are trying to communicate to you. What do they really want? It could be that what they think they want is not the best travel experience for them. You are the guide to getting them what they need as well as what they want.
- Your experiences as a travel professional put you in the position of being the expert and they need your honest guidance and suggestions. What they ultimately want is a great travel experience. Perhaps they researched online and found what they really believe is the perfect cruise for them. What they don’t know is what you know. You have the opportunity to help them make the best decision, which may not in fact be what they thought they wanted. Asking questions and receiving input from your customers builds the relationship and generates trust. That trust in you will help you guide them to the best travel experience solution.
- Adding the FUN element when communicating with your customer can prove to be a real success building your relationship. How many times have you received an email from a colleague that sincerely gave you the feeling that they were happy and anxious to share that with you? When you use a carefully selected emoji that is spot on, you can make a huge impact in the receipt of your communication. Did you know there is actually an Emojipedia that is the home of Emoji meanings? You will know which customers are likely to respond favorably and which others may not. The use of exclamation points introducing a sense of excitement can also have a great impact on your messaging.
- Sometimes unfortunate things happen that are seriously out of your control. Is it worth it to try and fix problems that are not your fault? While you may not be able to actually fix it, you can at least try to help them understand the situation better. Perhaps you can help by directing them to resources to solve a problem that is something you simply cannot fix. The key is here to try. Be a good listener and show your concern and make efforts to be a problem solver for your customers.
About the Author
Joanie Ogg is a 40+-year travel industry executive that has been recognized by all facets of the travel industry. She and her husband, Tom Ogg and son, Andy Ogg own and operate a plethora of websites supporting Travel Professionals with resources and tools to grow their respective businesses. As co-author of a variety of books and publications she has inspired tens of thousands of travel agents attending her presentations and keynotes at trade events, cruise seminars, international trade gatherings and numerous local educational venues throughout the United States. Joanie is a Master Cruise Counselor (MCC) and a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) as well as a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions within the travel industry.
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Abc user | 12/29/23 - 02:51 AM
Nice article test comment
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