TELUS International there’s a free flight or stay at the end
what went wrong, and figure out how
view of the customer, and empowering
of the tunnel,” says Murray. “Organiza-
to make people happy again. Today
them to think independently and ex-
tions can have great rewards programs,
there’s a shift, where hospitality brands
periment. “You need to create a culture
but it’s not sustainable long-term if the
want call centers to drive the customer
inside that concierge contact center
service is poor.”
relationship, anticipate future needs and
where people can try new things, then
offer personalized service.”
share what worked and what didn’t,”
Kaufman points to a resort brand based out of Mauritius called LUX*,
What’s more, travel brands that
Kaufman advises. “Brands shouldn’t
whose vision for its loyalty members
focus on call center service can signifi-
be compulsive about everybody having
is to make every moment matter. “At
cantly impact revenue per traveler, also
to follow a script. Passengers and
LUX*, they’ll keep track of things like
known as “Revenue Management” in
customers know when somebody is
whether loyalty members did yoga or
the travel industry, says Dr. Kevin Mur-
scripted, and that’s not what they’re
signed up for an art class,” he explains.
phy, the hospitality department chair
looking for,” he says. “Travelers want
“So, when they arrive on their next stay,
at University of Central Florida’s (UCF)
real, human interaction. Agents need
there’s a yoga mat or even art supplies
Rosen College of Hospitality Manage-
the freedom to try different conversa-
waiting for them in the
ment. For instance, airlines
tions, up-sell and cross-sell ideas with
room,” says Kaufman. “If
face low profit margins per
customers on the fly.” That requires
customer due in large part
engaged team members who feel a
to massive overhead costs,
real connection for the brand they’re
but Allegiant Airlines is
representing.
you travel with kids often, they might put some toys in the room. Those are exactly the kind of customized things that brands can do to create evangelists. That’s not about points or perks, that’s about the special experience that members
The merging of contact center and concierge functions — making restaurant reservations, booking entertainment and coordinating local transportation — is already taking place today.
will positively associate with that brand,” he says.
successfully leveraging their call center to become one
Customer service and storytelling
of the highest-margin carri-
At its core, brand evangelism is shared
ers in the United States.
through stories. “If you go online and
If a customer calls
see something rated highly with lots of
Allegiant about an issue re-
five-star reviews — whether it’s a hotel,
garding an upcoming flight
resort, airline or even Amazon.com —
to Orlando, for example, the call center
you still look at the reviews,” concludes
agent might try to up-sell a car rental
Kaufman. “What you’re looking for is
The contact center as a concierge
along with tickets to Disney World.
‘What’s the story?’ What happened to
The merging of contact center and con-
Although this isn’t a direct sale of an
that person, and is there something in
cierge functions — making restaurant
Allegiant product or service, they still
that story that sounds like, feels like or
reservations, booking entertainment
take a cut of the revenue. “That’s where
could have been me?”
and coordinating local transportation —
[Allegiant’s] incremental profits come
is already taking place today.
from,” Murphy notes. “Revenue man-
tell those customer service stories, and
agement is basically the art of providing
they’re highly relatable, because so
functions to provide highly personalized
great guest service, and combining it
much about travel is universal. And as
and differentiated service when people
with the art of making additional sales
the positive stories pile up, they begin
call in for support. “Under the old par-
over time.”
to pay dividends over time, especially
Travel brands are combining the two
adigm, customer service was consid-
For Kaufman, creating a concierge
Kaufman says that travelers love to
online. “That’s exactly why improved
ered ‘playing defense,’” says Murray.
contact center is about giving agents
service translates into hospitality brand
“The call center was there to defend
the tools they need to get a 360-degree
evangelism,” Kaufman says. Customers First | 5