Agents Diversify Client Servicing Bouquet

India’s outbound curve apart from filling agent coffers has also nudged them to go that extra mile on client servicing. Bhisham Mansukhani measures the risen bar

The inverted and sufficiently denied chord between quality and volume of a product finds its most visible analogy in the Indian outbound segment. Travel abroad has gone from being predominantly up market to mid market but as the margins have fallen with the emergence of economies of scale, the bouquet of back-end client servicing has not yet flattened. In the wake of this economically uncharacteristic phenomena, consumers are enjoying quality at lower price as tour operators fall over each other to box a larger share of the market.

Know Thy Traveller

Restaurants have fostered a method of ostentatiously earnest familiarity to add value to customer servicing — one that encompasses their likes and gripes so they do not have to be apprised of the same again. Tour operators on this count have backed up several more paces to maintain virtual files of client profiles, transactions, favoured airlines, destinations, hotels et al. Some are anyway. Thomas Cook is in the process of integrating their customer profile database and their website. Anil Nadkarni, head of information technology, Thomas Cook, enunciates, “What we have done is strengthen our back-end systems to support the growth of traffic so we are deploying a new software which is based on a centralised server and the software is accessible over the internet though not altogether done for security reasons. The software tracks the customer’s lifestyle and his life-cycle which helps us understand what affects his travel decisions. We have captured customer data which enables us to provide customised service to them.” Thomas Cook has a centralised database which is connected to each of its outlets. So any client or potential client who has made contact the company previously through any interface can go to any of TC’s outlets and his or her transactions or enquiry records will be available with the said outlet. “Very soon we will integrate a back-end call centre with this technology. Clients do not need to repeat their enquiry or keep a record of their transactions. Also, as per their requirements, we provide them multiple itineraries. So, if they have a certain price range in mind, we offer them itineraries within the scope and even a little outside it if they are willing to go the extra mile.”

To Each, His Strength

Replicating the wheel in an industry that is contracting in terms of large operators in the market makes it easily susceptible to a plateau. That some of the big tour operators have a forbearance of this, is cited in their decidedly stronger selling points. Lalit Seth, for instance, has made authentic Indian cuisine buffet for his tours, disputably his own.

“In 1981, I introduced the concept of the kitchen van. I drove the first one myself. This facility of offering authentic Indian food piping hot at a foreign location was instant hit with groups. The concept was then elevated in 1997 when we negotiated an understanding with hotels that we did significant volumes with, wherein our cook would be based out of their premise so our clients could eat Indian meals at the hotel itself.”

Applying an inherently strong product knowledge is another strength that has not necessarily met with ubiquitous accent. Without articulating any particular instance, Suraj Dalwani, managing director, Krisia Travels, believes that his clients have travelled plenty to arrive at an appreciation for this implicit benefit he provides. Dalwani explicates,”We are incumbent not only to ensure our clients have a trip without incidence when they are on it, but even before they get there. Let’s cite an elemental example, travellers to Genting outside Kuala Lumpur (KL), should not be put on overnight flights because they get there early morning and have to wait out half a day because Genting hotel check-ins happen only later in the afternoon. But to fly them in earlier and take them on a city tour of KL when they have had a sleepless flight is not a very nice thing to do, is it? The point traces back to counter staff training. We have got specialists for each region who have the eye for detail in designing itineraries with a focus on client comfort level. Also, using client profile, we provide them luxury value, built into their tour cost. Indians travelling to Bali would appreciate a bottle of wine or scotch on arrival for a nightly unwinding.

When Trouble Strikes

Selling a travel package is uniquely the easier part of the transaction, as any seasoned tour operator will insist with gumption. The hard-sell, well and truly plays out when clients are on holiday and blissfully insulated from all that can go wrong. Mahesh Shirodkar, chief operating officer, Kuoni Outbound Division, SOTC, explains, “Robust systems and well-defined processes are essential elements which contribute to ensuring customers enjoy hassle-free trips. All escorted tours from SOTC comprise tour managers that escort the groups from Indian cities and assist travellers in whatever travel requirements they may have while on tour. Given that the tour comprises a mix of first time and non first time travellers, assistance in requirements are bound to vary. Apart from managing a tour programme, various unfortunate situations such as loss of passport and baggage, injury on tour etc could also arise for which SOTC Tour Managers are fully trained and equipped to handle these and other such emergencies.”

SMS, Dalwani points out, is his clients’ most popular choice for contacting his staff in case of unlikely situations. “My FITs are given telephone contacts for every city that they travel to. If there is no ground-handler contact available, they can SMS us in Mumbai and we would take care of it. A slip up in hotel reservations because of a probably spike in the system or missing transfers or even a flight, are some of the crises that can crop up but can nevertheless be dealt with and the customer is equipped with ability to communicate that to us.” Lalit Seth, chairman and managing director, Raj Travels, has armed each of his tour directors with cell phones with inserted internationally roaming SIM cards. “My personnel are accountable to send me a report every night. All reports are forwarded to the 75 tour directors on the Raj Travels network.” Seth emphasises the need for emotional intelligence when dealing with clients in inopportune moments. He says, “On one occasion, a client was vacationing in Europe when his mother back in India passed away. We offered him the option of resuming the remainder of his trip whenever he felt he was ready at no extra cost or refund the amount for the portion of the trip not utilised.”

Meher Bhandara, general manager-corporate communications, Travel Corporation (India) Ltd (TCI), adds, ”First time travellers need a lot of assistance. They are guided by our very experienced Travel Counsellors prior to departure. However, there can be emergencies which arise when they are travelling and therefore systems have to be in place to address them. At TCI we strive to ensure a hassle free holiday for our customers. The clients are provided with emergency telephone numbers, local contact details, helpdesk numbers, etc. so that they can get in touch with them for any problems that may arise.

Bhandara points out the most common problems that can lead to trouble. “Most of the problems arise due to miscommunication at either the client end or at the service provider end. Also there is a slack attitude towards reading instructions given on vouchers and tickets, etc. which may also result in confusion. There have been instances of loss of vouchers, documents or money. when passengers have been stranded and are completely helpless. We have gone out of our way in such cases and extended utmost co-operation and help to the travellers. Our strong network of suppliers and principals overseas ensures that such contingencies are met.”

The Cinching Mould

An ideal product mix in a free market has become nigh impossible to consolidate. This is especially true of the travel industry where aggressive pricing and value addition, frequently along similar lines is gradually perching the consumer’s notion of a typical tour on to a plateau. While that may be redoubtable as holidayers increasingly find familiarity in destinations marketed and deals dangled, perhaps choices in the future will be driven by that painfully inarticulate notion of quality as the recipient discerns it. Bhandara sums it up with accurate brevity, “As travel evolves, customer expectations and service levels are bound to increase.” Client servicing is therefore quite literally as the final bastion of distinction that sets one tour operator apart from the other and the other.

As is apparent, a lot seem to be listening.