Upgrading a customer relationship management (CRM) system can be a big investment, but agents who make the leap find it soon pays off, creating improvements in customer service and deriving insights to help with conversions and marketing.
Last year, Magic Vacations in Kinsale, Ireland, upgraded from a CRM included with its accounts package to a full Zendesk software suite. The most immediate benefit was more effective customer logging.
“In your local coffee shop you love the fact they know your name and how you like your coffee. A [travel] client doesn’t want to think ‘I spent £15,000 with them last year, and they don’t even remember I went to Lapland’,” explains managing director John Barrett. “In the luxury market, it’s all about personalisation.”
The system also integrates the agency’s phone, email and social media contact points and logs the full lifecycle of an enquiry. “You can see the whole flow of the conversation,” explains Barrett. This is particularly helpful for Magic Vacations’ part-time workers.
“You can see the whole flow of the conversation”
A traffic light system indicates when elements need actioning, improving response times so opportunities aren’t missed. “It sets a time limit; you’re under pressure to convert,” says Barrett.
The agency has another custom-built system which gives internal star ratings to clients, prompting its concierge to consider treats like lounge passes for loyal repeaters or big spenders. “With any system, you get the bones of it, but we have a number of add-ons and apps,” explains Barrett. “In the luxury sector it’s a case of trying to keep on top of everything.”
Swords Travel, Wimbledon used an off-the-shelf CRM with add-ons until 18 months ago. Having shopped around, co-founder Mark Swords commissioned more seamless software from non-travel provider Mercury who custom-built a system covering client engagement, bookings, reports and messaging.
“It was a big investment,” he says, but believes it’s already saved £30,000 in losses alone, now clients confirm booking documents through a formal process so they “really pay attention”.
The CRM also prompts welcome home calls that can yield repeat bookings. However, like Magic Vacations, the agency finds it most helpful for personalising service, for instance by setting reminders to check hotels have prepared for their customers’ needs.
Tracking daily sales has, meanwhile, helped the agency build supplier relationships. “We know how many room nights and the average revenue we’re doing [for them]. We can look at the previous year’s data and use that to create marketing partnerships,” enthuses Swords.
However, he warns other agencies not to underestimate system set-up times. “I did it in November thinking ‘it’ll be done by January’ and it wasn’t. It was quite intense.”
“We know how many room nights and the average revenue we’re doing [for them]. We can look at the previous year’s data and use that to create marketing partnerships”
Jessica Blyth, a Yorkshire-based agent, is making good use of Personal Travel Agents’ new business insights dashboard, which breaks down profits into simple charts.
Prompted by the system, her welcome home messages are now more consistently professional, with emailed links inviting clients to leave Facebook reviews and refer her to friends. This has also improved Jessica’s marketing. A week after a family has reviewed a Thailand triple-centre on her Facebook page, she’ll market a similar holiday on the platform.
And knowing the US, Thailand and Mauritius were her big sellers this Easter means she can plan for next. Tracking her busiest departure months also helps. As last November was quiet, Blyth is now planning a luxury Dubai email offer to stimulate November 2024 departures. Tracking her busiest departure months also helps. As last November was quiet, Blyth is now planning a luxury Dubai email offer to stimulate November 2024 departures.
She also praises Personal Travel Agents’ new My Automated Referral Tracker (MART) which logs new business. “It might be school mums, groups or a friend who is doing all the hard work for you,” she points out. “It’s useful to help know who to reward and to gauge the value of formal networking groups because time is money when you’re self-employed.”
More broadly, Personal Travel Agents already credits the new systems for a 10% increase in the number of homeworkers upping their year-on-year profits. “It should drive business. It’ll be fantastic,” Blyth agrees.
