In the digital era, we have come to expect fast and efficient services, personalisation and flexibility in our experiences. This does not only apply online, but is expected to be implemented across many of our daily activities.
In the past, the travel industry has been one area that has often fallen behind in achieving these qualities in their service provision. However, new developments in technology are now being designed and rolled out here too, and customers will soon enjoy a faster, more improved travel experience.
This is great news for the business traveller; a subsector of the market that requires speed, efficiency and reliability, as, after all, time is money.
So where might we see these improvements?
Personalisation is a big emphasis currently for businesses. Customers do not want a stock service; they are looking to be treated as an individual. In business travel, this should be a given. Often paying for a premium service, what business clients receive should be anything but standard.
Travel bookings generate a lot of data that can be used to tailor the reservation process for the client. Being offered bespoke options, when searching online, will speed up the booking time. No CEO will want to pay for their staff to trawl through deals for hours to try and find the most suitable option for their trip. By building profiles and offering personalised deals, this should no longer be the case. A further step forward would be Chatbots or AI functions that could interact with customers online and do the searching for them.
It is not just the booking process that could be made more efficient with new technology. Experiencing a more efficient, personalised service during a trip is also where improvements may be seen.
For example, a recent pilot scheme was run by an airline at Boston Logan International Airport for check-in via facial recognition. The scheme was reported to be relatively successful and if rolled out by more airlines could be a huge step forward in efficiency of the check-in process.
On arrival at the destination, new technology could improve experiences here too. Hotels are beginning to adopt smart technology, in order personalise their guests’ stay. This could include having easy control of the temperature of the room, choosing their entertainment and even ordering room service, via smart technology.
As one or two travel companies, airlines or hotels begin to offer this new technology and the impact is seen on their sales, it is likely to only encourage a wave of followers; making going on a business trip away a smoother, more efficient and stress-free experience.
For your personalised business travel experience contact BEYOND Business Travel