Does your tour operator company have a digital strategy? – How to use it in your travel business
Part 2. Data – What the Fuss Is All About and How to Use It in Your Travel Business
This month we’ve been diving deep into the world of digital, and more specifically how an effective digital strategy can mean great things for tour operators and Destination Management Companies (DMCs) – it really is a brave new world! In case you missed it, check out Part 1 where we talk about all things mobile.
In Part 2 we’re talking about data, and more specifically the insights and clarity it can provide you and your business when collected and analyzed correctly.
So What’s All the Fuss About?
Connecting with your customers in a digital environment presents a unique opportunity for the collection of information about your consumers. The amount of customer data that can be gathered, whether through social media, web-based means, or travel software, really is invaluable for travel operators.
Data can be particularly useful for luxury inbound tour operator providers. The insights your data provides can inform plans when arranging a high-end, personalized holiday. There’s no sense in not capitalizing on the opportunity for getting better insights on your customers’ needs, experiences, and feedback. Having solid data backing up your decisions helps guide you through when things start to feel a little clouded.
What to Do with It?
As we discussed in Part 1, it really is a digital world – and that means there is no shortage of technology that is actively and passively collecting data for you to use to inform your business operations. With that being said, all the data in the world isn’t worth a thing if there’s no way to engage with it in an accessible format! This is where data analytics skills and tools are essential. They turn seemingly incomprehensible numbers and data points into useful insights that can be put towards improving your operations and services.
This area is a particular challenge for a number of businesses given the skills shortage in data analytics technologies. According to Econsultancy’s Measurement and Analytics Report. The vast majority (84%) of marketers agree that their understanding of the customer is increasing over time, and 64% say that they are using data-driven customer insights to adapt their marketing strategies and influence business decisions.
Econsultancy’s Measurement and Analytics Report
Comprehensive Travel Operator Software with customer relationship management (CRM) functions can be incredibly beneficial for tour companies that want to maximize their use of client data but don’t have a background in data sciences and analytics. Another essential you should expect from your travel software is reports. They don’t sound pretty, but automated reports are the perfect way to pull insights in real-time from what was originally a database full of raw data. We’ve developed our Tourwriter reports with this in mind, so you can collect insights about your clients, suppliers, and team to ensure you always have a bird’s eye view of what’s going on.
Data…it may sound scary, but the insights and intelligence it allows you to gather will free you and your team up to do more of what you’re great at creating fantastic travel experiences for your clients – we think that’s something worth celebrating!
