As the travel industry grows at a significant rate, Travel Customer Relationship Management systems are also evolving to meet clients’ sophisticated demands. On the other hand, more and more travel agencies are considering travel CRMs, given that they automate workflows and streamline operations.
Travel CRM systems are also powerful tools for increasing your productivity and elevating your business to the next level.
But as the world becomes AI-obsessed, customers’ demand for personalized services is getting steeper, too. Industry experts have predicted that AI-powered personalization will evolve at a remarkable rate in the coming time.
On that note let us explore the trends and features that will shape the Travel CRM landscape over the next decade.
1. Inclusion of AI and Machine Learning in Travel CRM
AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning are transforming every possible industry and the travel industry is not an exception. AI experts have suggested that future travel CRMs will be extremely advanced in a way that they might not just identify customer behavior patterns but will start predicting customers’ emotional states too.
It will be like predictive reporting based on customer behavior. This will direct the travel industry to predict rising global trends or sudden surges in the market. Travel agencies can have the upper hand in staying ahead of the market fluctuation scene.
The regular chatbot conversation will get promoted to quick conversational chats wherein agents can probe and understand customer demand on a deeper level. This will increase the booking process and overall delivery. Resolving queries and disputes single-handedly will again increase the productivity level of an agent.
With such increased efficacy, agents will have more time to focus on other complex issues. AI-advanced CRMs will also enable tour operators to suggest itineraries that not only resonate with customer behavior patterns but will also vocalize customer personality.
Predictive analytics will exponentially grow sales opportunities and redefine customer demands.
2. Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
AR( Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) are ready to change the dynamics of how customers decide their travel excursions.
Future CRMs will integrate these technologies to create immersive experiences, helping customers visualize their journeys before making a booking.
AR and VR will effectively enhance customer experience. Clients can experience a virtual tour of the destinations and accommodations before booking. AR will allow clients to experience their journey beforehand in 3D.
It will speed up the booking process for travel agencies while giving customers confidence in their choices.
On the other hand, VR simulation will increase the efficacy of travel agents to identify loopholes in the booking system and offer tailored solutions in less time.
3. Blockchain Technology for Data Security
Travel CRMs are yet to explore blockchain technology in full-fledged. The travel industry though has started to see the adaptation of blockchain technology but according to industry experts, it is at the preliminary stage.
Industry experts are predicting that future CRMs will go beyond conventional data security measures like data encryption and secure patent gateways. Advanced blockchain technology will go deeper than this.
With blockchain technology, future CRMs will store customer data across a decentralized network which will heighten the security level.
Information like itinerary details, payment details, and client data once processed in the system will be impossible to get altered.
Cracking this for hackers will be presumably next to impossible.
Next with Blockchain-powered parameters, CRMs will automatically identify the gap in fraud detection minimizing the payment fraud or data leak. It can signal if there is a change in customer behavior patterns thus sending pre-alerts to tour operators.
It will enhance the transparency level for both clients and travel business operators. On the other hand, VR simulation will increase the efficacy of travel agents to identify loopholes in the booking system and offer tailored solutions in less time.
Hence a very little chance of tour cancellation. This also strengthens the client-customer relationship.
4. Data Analytics and Advanced Reporting
Future CRMs will redefine the way the travel industry operates more so in data reporting. In the future CRMs will not predict the customer’s past travel history but will make it more predictive and actionable.
Predictive analytics functioned by AI will enhance business to predict upcoming trends like shifts in customer demands or emerging travel behavior. Tour operates based on these predictions and can curate exciting customized packages for customers. Agencies and tour operators can predict changes in market conditions with enhanced AI-powered data reporting and analysis.
5. Enhanced Automation
Traditional CRMs are more focused on streamlining and automating the manual tasks. Though it eliminates administrative tasks it is limited when it comes to offering predictive insights.
Traditional CRMS are more inclined to generate a specific template-based service wherein follow-up notifications and reminders are set up but fail to anticipate the market changes and thus limit the adaptability of the business to evolve and expand.
In the future, with more advanced CRMs, automation will not only remain limited to routine follow-ups and reminders but will involve fast decision-making.
With AI-powered automation- tour operators and agents can not only predict the customer changing dynamics in their preference but can also fast forward to deliver counter packages and offers.
The speed of delivery and efficacy of delivery will heighten the customer retention rate directly.
Ready for the Future
The future travel CRMs will not only change the dynamics of the travel industry but will bring an evolution in customer hierarchy also. Study shows that Travel agencies and tour operators are already aware of this possibility.
Also, Industry experts have time and again hinted at the possibility that with AI-advanced CRMs- a customer’s emotional scale can also be detected and with that insight- a business efficacy and speed to deliver service will also see great evolution.
Travel business owners who are future-ready to invest in such AI-advanced travel CRM will gain a remarkable edge by increasing their efficacy and remodeling their business strategy.
They will be able to offer irresistible personalized packages by 10x. The future travel industry with the inclusion of advanced AI will be more predictable-based.
Advanced CRMs will transform the way the travel industry is currently operating. With such evolution, the future holds more customer-oriented personalized travel solutions.
