From “thank you for your booking” to “welcome back.” A complete, automated post-sales funnel for the travel industry
You buy your tickets, wait for your dream flight, and then… what next? This is where the real game of building a long-term relationship with the customer begins. After-sales communication in the travel industry is not just a simple “thank you for using our services.” It is a strategic process of building value after each transaction.
Why most travel agencies waste opportunities after the sale
Do you think that there is no point in contacting the customer after they have purchased a trip? The post-sale moment is the start of the most valuable marketing opportunities. Take care of your customer during their trip and stay in constant contact with them, and they will be happy to return to you in the future. The cost of retaining an existing customer can be several times lower than acquiring a new one, but most companies do not take advantage of this.
Properly planned Marketing Automation scenarios can increase customer lifetime value and boost sales through up-selling and cross-selling.
How to build post-sale scenarios?
We have a few tips on how to take care of your customers at every stage of their trip:
Thank them for their booking and encourage them to purchase additional services
The trip has been booked – now your job is to make sure that your customers are satisfied throughout all stages of their trip. Set up a scenario that automatically sends a thank you message for the booking. Include links to the most important things travelers should know in the message. Also offer additional services such as insurance, private VIP transfer to the hotel, or seat reservations on the plane.
Encourage them to use the mobile app and provide the contact number of the local representative.
A jeep ride or a guided jungle tour – a few words about optional excursions
With the vacation fast approaching, the customer is looking at a map of the area and searching for interesting attractions to visit. Send them suggestions for various personalized optional excursions. You may just fulfill their dream of seeing wild animals on safari or visiting the city center and sampling local cuisine.
Is the departure date approaching? Don’t leave the customer alone!
Provide the most important information about the flight, give the time and terminal, and remind them of the baggage requirements. Also send an SMS notification 24 hours before the flight.
Before the trip, it is also worth sending information about the weather forecast for the coming days at the destination.
Are the holidays coming to an end? Remind them about their return flight
Instead of the standard “thank you for choosing our company,” try to attract the customer’s attention and send a personalized message. Provide a link to services such as purchasing additional baggage allowance.
On the day of their return, send a short text message: “Hi Paul! We hope you enjoyed Barcelona!” This way, you show that you haven’t forgotten about the customer and that you care about them at every moment of their trip.
Ask for a review
The customer will not remember what happened on the trip if too much time has passed since their return, so send them an email or text message no later than a few days after their arrival: “Hey Joe! We would appreciate it if you could write a review about our travel agency. Link.”
Offer another trip
Based on segmentation, send personalized recommendations for future trips. In iPresso, you can create emails with dynamically changing content, so that thrill seekers will receive completely different trip suggestions than parents traveling with children.
Measuring the effectiveness of post-sale scenarios and optimization
Post-sale scenarios require monitoring of several key metrics. First and foremost, check whether messages reach recipients and are read. Check what reviews travelers give and what needs to be improved. Generate campaign reports and compare whether the results have improved in recent months. The data should be analyzed by segment and communication channel.
Post-sale scenarios require periodic optimization. With dynamic changes in customer preferences, A/B testing must be performed to determine which message is more relevant. Choose different forms of communication depending on what you want to convey. Emails will not work for time-sensitive messages such as flight delay notifications, but they may be the best choice for service recommendations.
Summary: from transaction to relationship
After-sales scenarios in the travel industry are like a good friendship – they don’t end after the first meeting. A satisfied traveler can become a regular customer and recommend you to their friends. Just remember a few things: send messages tailored to the moment of travel on an ongoing basis, personalize communication, measure what works, and improve what doesn’t.
Would you like to see how it works in practice? iPresso is a platform that will help you build after-sales scenarios tailored to the travel industry.
