How listening to your customers can spell business success  

It’s easy to overlook customer service. No matter how good your products or services are, people will always have their opinion. And as a tourism operator, it's your job to listen to your customers’ feedback. While marketing, sales, and operation strategies are important, happy customers lead to more sales, better marketing, and improved sustainability for your business.  So how can you improve your customer service relationship? Here are some things to think about.

Practice social listening, engage online

Web 2.0 has revolutionised our world, not just the internet but our society in general. Social media allowed people to connect and interact wherever they were around the world. They could post comments and reviews online. And this changed the landscape of running a business forever.  

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are great promotional platforms for your tourism business. Not only can you leverage these to promote your brand, but they are also a platform for your customers to voice out their opinion about their experience with you. Make it count.  

Your job as a tourism operator is to listen to people on social media. Respond to their comments, show gratitude to your happy and loyal customers, answer their enquiries, listen to the complaints, and provide solutions. People love it when their voices are being heard. Be courteous when answering their complaints no matter how harsh they may be. Build a community with your customers (as well as prospects) online and reap the rewards.  

Establish a good customer service policy  

Your policy for customer service must cover all aspects of the customer journey - from the time they discover your business to the minute they finish their experience. This is where having a good booking software can come in handy too, as it will provide your customers with the convenience they need to browse your products and services. The booking process should be quick and easy and should come with personalised customer service.  

Ask for feedback and encourage online reviews

There’s a reason why Google reviews, TripAdvisor reviews and Facebook reviews are so popular in the tourism industry. Travellers trust reviews. That's why we highly recommend soliciting feedback and online reviews from your customers.

Of course, your goal is to get a good rating and positive feedback. However, it's unrealistic to expect that all the time. The best thing you can do is provide a good service in the first place. If you do get negative comments about your service, it's best to respond to the unhappy customer as quickly possible. This will show your them (and other people who may be considering to book with you) that you value their feedback and will look for ways to improve the quality of your services in the future.   

Parting Tips  

Customer service is easily one of the most undervalued aspects of running a business. But as a tourism operator, you can never skimp on this. If you master good customer service, then you can expect satisfied and loyal customers.