Using Customer Experience to Drive Travel Business Growth

Employees often miss what #CX is about, so I have an ice-breaker activity I've used at the beginning of #CustomerExperience workshops. Now, I offer this idea to you: At first, this will seem obvious and perhaps unhelpful, but stick with me, please. The activity is to have small groups spend 10 minutes discussing what drove their satisfaction and dissatisfaction with recent air travel. No, the outcomes will not be surprising—but that hides a really important point that will shake up participants' expectations and attitudes. Of course, everyone says the same things in this exercise. "I was satisfied because we arrived on time." "The snacks were better than expected." "The seats were surprisingly comfortable." "The flight attendants were attentive and pleasant." And, on the other side, "I was dissatisfied by delays." "Communications about flight changes were poor." "The seat was cramped and awkward." "The staff was grumpy and indifferent." I'll spend a few minutes collecting the drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Everyone will nod in agreement. And then comes the point of this exercise: Absolutely no one will say that a driver of satisfaction was that the airline flew them six miles in the air and delivered them to their destination safely. In other words, the CORE experience--and the most important priority of any airline--drives virtually nothing in terms of customer relationships. Getting there safely is expected, not a driver of satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. That's the "aha." Whether you're talking to a group of healthcare workers who think their only essential function is reducing mortality and morbidity or a room of telecom execs who feel everything hinges only on uptime, the message is that it's not what we do but how we do it that drives differentiation, satisfaction, and loyalty. We all can become so focused on the delivery of our primary product or service--or achieving the chief KPIs--that we can neglect to understand the experience from the customer's perspective. Forcing people to consider their own experiences and perceptions as customers helps them to perceive that air travelers landing safely (or patients having successful surgeries, or your phone service working) isn't what drives differentiated CX and outstanding loyalty. Don't get me wrong—you can't miss the table stakes. An airline isn't forgiven for lax safety because it has fresh nuts, nor is a telecom company pardoned for unreliable service thanks to rapid call answer times. But delivering table stakes is not what drives the kind of rabid loyalty, sales, and margin enjoyed by brands with differentiated CX. Ensuring people realize this before introducing them to customer-centric concepts and practices opens their minds to new possibilities within their existing job roles.

What happens when a travel agency decides to reinvent customer experience rather than compete on price? This week on the Unlocking Africa Podcast, I sat down with zodwa Mkandla, Founder and Managing Director of Traverze Travel, one of Zimbabwe’s most successful travel management companies and a leading voice in Africa’s tourism sector. From selling bus tickets in Harare to running a regional travel company, her story is a lesson in resilience, service and African ambition. As she explained: “I have elevated from being a bus conductor to a plane conductor.” That decision changed the course of her life. Within six months of launching Traverze in 2003, the company was voted the best travel agency in Zimbabwe, surpassing agencies that had operated for many years. And Zodwa has not looked back since. But her defining moment came during one of Zimbabwe’s most difficult economic periods. When the business was forced to shut down temporarily, something unexpected happened: “They trusted me with their money without security… That was the turning point.” This trust, built through consistency and integrity, has kept many clients loyal for almost three decades in a market with more than 250 travel agencies. The impact of Traverze’s approach speaks for itself: → Customer experience reimagined: Traverze became the first Zimbabwean travel agency to launch an airport lounge, giving every client complimentary access. “Every client who buys a ticket from our office… has free access to the lounge.” → Operational excellence: Round the clock service, airport transfers, personalised travel consultants and one of the only travel agency offices located inside the airport. → Regional expansion: The company now operates in Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo, offering lessons on localisation, partnerships and understanding diverse African markets. → Adaptation in the post pandemic era: When COVID reduced travel volumes dramatically, Traverze adjusted its model. “I used to employ about 20 travel consultants… now I only have five, and they are still performing the same roles.” The company expanded into car hire, conference transport and digital booking tools. → A bold vision for African aviation: Zodwa believes Africa must improve pricing, accessibility and airline connectivity if the continent is to grow. She is already exploring the idea of starting Traverze Airlines. Yet beneath all of this sits the mindset that has shaped her career from day one: “Never give up, never look backwards… Failure is not an option.” Her journey reminds us that Africa’s travel and tourism sector is not only rebounding, it is being rebuilt with creativity and purpose. If you are interested in travel, aviation, entrepreneurship or the future of mobility on the continent, this is a conversation worth listening to. ⬇️ Listen now in the comments ⬇️ #Travel #Tourism #Aviation #Entrepreneurship #Zimbabwe #Podcast #PodcastHost

Flew Singapore Airlines again after nearly three years—and only then did I realize how much I had missed. This time, I was traveling with my 81-year-old mother, and the level of care extended to her was truly exceptional. Not just efficiency, but genuine attentiveness—anticipating needs, checking in quietly, and making the journey feel safe, calm, and dignified. And I can go on and on about our experience over the 17 hour flight. That kind of care can’t be scripted; it’s cultural. I’ve traveled across many airlines over the years, but hospitality or in fact Asian hospitality is truly personified by SQ. There’s a quiet confidence in how service is delivered—warm, thoughtful, consistent, and never performative. From a brand and marketing lens, this is a masterclass. For marketers, having an organization that puts this level of emphasis on customer experience makes their lives so much easier. When service, culture, and execution are this aligned, marketing isn’t about spin or over-messaging—it’s simply about amplifying the truth. And this is how enduring brands are built: • Relentless consistency, not episodic campaigns • Service as a differentiator, not a function • Trust earned over decades, not quarters • Every touchpoint reinforcing the brand promise It’s been said many times—but it’s worth saying again. In a world obsessed with growth hacks and quick wins, Singapore Airlines reminds us that investing deeply in customer experience is the most powerful long-term marketing strategy there is. Great brands aren’t just communicated. They’re felt. PS: With a brand like this, I sometimes wonder—does the marketing team there even need to do much heavy lifting?  :P #SingaporeAirlines #BrandExperience #CustomerExperience #MarketingLeadership 

Personalization in Air Travel: Turning Complexity into Competitive Advantage As expectations of modern travelers are evolving and rising—shaped by experiences from businesses such as Amazon, Netflix, and Spotify—the airline industry is under pressure to deliver a more personalized shopping experience, offer end-to-end journeys, and make interactions that are in real time and at all touchpoints. For airlines, personalization can provide a sustainable competitive advantage, an increase in loyalty, an increase in the sale of ancillaries, and a reduction in marketing costs. For customers, personalization can provide an improvement in travel experience through an understanding of their individual needs and preferences as well as their value. Airlines such as Lufthansa, Singapore, and United are already beginning to report measurable, although incremental, benefits through higher conversion rates, higher sales of ancillary products and services, and an improvement in customer loyalty. But personalization needs to go beyond tailored websites, seat selections, and in-flight services such as meal preferences and in-flight entertainment. It requires expanding the scope of the journey from airport to airport to door to door, and with a seamless and consistent experience. The expanded scope of the journey requires, first, overcoming the incompatibility of legacy systems and integrating fragmented data, and second, working with real-time data, AI, and agentic platforms to anticipate and meet individual customer needs—not just reactively, but proactively across the entire journey. Airlines must redefine personalization beyond segments and personas, embracing it as a strategic, data-driven capability that spans operations, customer service, and retailing. Coordination with airports, integration with technology platforms, and a workforce empowered to act on insights and foresights are all key. The real opportunity lies in transforming personalization from a marketing tactic into a critical competitive differentiator that enhances and grow revenue and improves operational efficiency. Achieving this vision demands investment—not just in technology, but in people, processes, and partnerships to reduce complexity and overcome legacy incompatibility. Personalization should not be treated as a cost center. Instead, it’s the foundation of modern airline strategy. To go beyond incremental benefits, to justify the needed investment, and to catch up with other industries, airlines need innovative resources, and out-of-the-box thinking. Collaboration with partners can reduce complexity, overcome the incompatibility of legacy systems, visualize new forms of the end-to-end personalized journeys, increase speed to market, and generally embrace ideas from the broader consumer environment. #AviationStrategy #AirlineRetailing #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation #AIinAviation #EndToEndTravel #Personalization #TravelTech #AviationLeadership #CXInnovation

CX: Your Direct Line to Revenue, Loyalty, and Advantage Many leaders understand Customer Experience (CX) matters. Yet, some still miss its direct impact on the bottom line. This is not a soft metric; it is a hard business driver. I have seen how a sharp focus on CX transforms companies from struggling to market leaders. Think about loyalty. One bad interaction can send a customer running. They have choices now. We saw this with a customer when a competitor gained ground due to slow service. We then revamped their entire support process around speed and empathy. It rebuilt trust. Data shows this clearly: customers who rate their experience as great are almost certain to buy again. Great CX means greater engagement. It fosters a connection beyond just a transaction. This creates long-term loyalty that competitors find hard to break. The financial upside is clear. Businesses that put customers first earn a loyalty premium. They see higher annual revenue growth. It is simple math. When we delight customers, they stay. They buy more. They tell their friends. Ignoring CX is a risk no company can afford today. Our survival, and our ability to outperform rivals, depends on delivering truly excellent experiences every time. Today's customers expect personalization. They want interactions that feel tailored, fast, and easy. A generic approach simply will not cut it. We built systems for real-time behavior analysis. This lets us offer proactive recommendations, not just reactive responses. This level of personalization sets companies apart. It builds deep trust. It moves customers from casual buyers to loyal advocates. Your customers are talking. Are you listening and acting? If not, contact Digital Transformation Strategist to help you with listening and acting. This focus is your competitive edge.

The best customer journeys don’t have an end! Getting the customer experience right through a #journeymanagement approach creates journeys that keep going. Customers stay engaged, growing their spend, becoming advocates for your brand and bringing in more prospects.  These journeys deliver value to your customer and to your business - so do everything you can to keep them going. Unfortunately not all journeys are built this way. For example, many marketing systems provide “journeys” that are really just a series of outbound messages built around a business goal - pestering the customer to buy the latest product. Once all 6 or 8 attempts have gone out the journey is done…. At best these “journeys” might add a percentage point or two of improved response rates. Not really worth the effort! Journeys built around the customer, tracking to their lifecycle and enhancing their experience in every interaction (inbound AND outbound) can deliver 10, 20 perhaps 100 times more value.  McKinsey & Company, Bain & Company and others have tracked this evidence for years. The right journeys can double your growth because they keep adding to the customer's experience, and therefore adding big value to the business. The most successful journey managers have learned to talk the language of the CFO. This is critical because getting it right takes investment. The good news: that conversation is much easier when you are adding 20% to revenue growth rather than adding just 1% to campaign response rates.

Here's a note for all my fellow colleagues from HOSPITALITY to have a robust start in 2025: Dear Folks, As we are ready to step into 2025, the hospitality industry is poised for growth and innovation. To ensure a robust start,we shall focus on the following key areas: 1. Guest Experience: Personalize and enhance the guest journey through seamless technology integration, tailored services, and exceptional staff training. 2. Sustainability: Embed eco-friendly practices into your operations, reducing carbon footprint and appealing to environmentally conscious travelers. 3. Digital Transformation: Invest in cutting-edge technology, such as virtual assistance, AI-powered chatbots, mobile check-in, and data analytics, to streamline operations and improve guest satisfaction. 4. Staff Development: Foster a culture of continuous learning, providing ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure your team is equipped to deliver exceptional service. 5. Revenue Management: Implement dynamic pricing strategies, leveraging data insights to optimize room rates, occupancy, and revenue. 6. Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and suppliers to create authentic experiences, promote destination awareness, and support the community. 7. Health and Wellness: Incorporate wellness-focused amenities, services, and programs to cater to the growing demand for healthy travel options. 8. Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data analytics to inform operational decisions, optimize resources, and drive business growth. 9. Social Media and Online Presence: Develop a strong online presence through engaging content, social media marketing, and reputation management. 10. Innovation and Adaptability: Stay ahead of the curve by embracing emerging trends, technologies, and changing guest preferences. These key areas, will help us to be well-positioned to drive growth, enhance guest satisfaction, and maintain a competitive edge in the ever-evolving hospitality landscape. Most Important, trust & treasure your team to thrive success. Best wishes for a successful 2025! Prakash Shankar

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬! I've witnessed countless instances where organizations focus solely on the technical dimensions of a problem, while the root cause – often originating with the customer – receives insufficient attention and #rigor. We often talk about solving problems, but are we always looking through the most crucial lens: the customer's experience (#CX)? Shifting our perspective to deeply understand their journey isn't just about satisfaction; it's the bedrock of real #businessvalue. Here's how we can start tackling issues with a #customercentric approach that drives tangible results: 1. 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝑿 𝑳𝒆𝒏𝒔: Walk in your customer's shoes. Map their journey, identify their pain points, and truly empathize with their challenges. This deep understanding fuels solutions that resonate and build loyalty. 2. 𝑭𝒖𝒆𝒍 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 #𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔: Customer feedback and journey mapping are goldmines for #innovation. Use these insights to spark creative solutions that not only fix problems but also anticipate future needs and create delightful experiences. 3. 𝑪𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔𝒆𝒕: Be willing to challenge assumptions and break away from internal #biases. The best solutions often emerge when we're open to unconventional ideas and actively seek diverse perspectives, especially those of our customers. By prioritizing the #CX, we're not just solving problems; we're building stronger relationships, fostering innovation that truly matters, and ultimately driving #sustainable business value. Let's make the #customer the compass for our solutions! Photo credits : NTT DATA Asia Pacific/Jean C. Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) NTT DATA, Inc.