For travel agencies, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) will form the backbone of much of their marketing and promotional activity. However, a CRM is nothing without quality data.
Fortunately, for travel agencies, there are a wealth of channels, platforms, and solutions that they can integrate into their CRM to gather varied, insightful, and actionable data.
This guide is the essential resource for travel agencies looking to improve their CRM strategy to streamline their operations and execute better campaigns.
Read on to learn the benefits of utilising CRM integrations, explore the best integrations for your travel agency, and be inspired by different campaigns, complete with real-life examples.
The benefits of CRM data and integrations for travel agencies
Before we dive into the ‘how to’ of CRM integrations, let’s explore the benefits that focusing on data and integrations can bring to a travel agency.
Operational efficiency
It’s common for businesses in any industry to utilise multiple disparate systems, all containing different sources of data and information.
The challenge with this approach is that there is no ‘one source of the truth’ which holds all of the most accurate data and is accessible to all relevant parties.
By integrating these systems into your CRM, data becomes much more visible, accessible, and actionable. Enabling travel agencies to improve efficiency through automating routine tasks such as booking confirmations, itinerary updates, and payment processing.
Through the use of automation, agencies can reduce human error alongside time-consuming manual data entry, and the associated operational costs. Freeing up their time to focus on strategic and creative areas of their roles.
Enhanced customer experience
Customer experience is at the core of success for any travel agency. However, without the right data and data management via a CRM, keeping customers happy becomes a significant challenge.
CRM data enables travel agencies to generate detailed customer profiles which encompass the most important information on their audience, such as their preferences, booking history, and feedback.
This comprehensive view enables more personalised campaigns and offerings, from determining the best destinations and deals to promote, to tailoring travel itineraries and recommendations.
Data-driven decision making
We’ve discussed the importance of integrating data sources into the CRM to improve efficiency, but this process also supports data-driven decision-making.
It’s easy for businesses to make significant decisions based on anecdotal evidence, but this often doesn’t tell a full story.
The analytical capabilities of a well-integrated CRM provides travel agencies with objective information regarding their customers’ behaviour, booking patterns, and trends. Armed with these insights, travel agencies can make informed decisions in multiple areas, such as promotional offerings through to marketing campaigns.
Agencies can further benefit from predictive analytics, helping them to anticipate their customers’ needs. This could include peak travel periods and popular destinations, which allow them to adjust their offerings proactively, and stay ahead of consumers’ demands.
Revenue growth
Lastly, let’s talk about the bottom line: revenue.
A healthy, well-integrated CRM contributes to revenue growth in a range of ways. All of the benefits it brings: data management, improving customer retention, reducing operational costs, and informing better decisions, have a direct impact on revenue growth.
The best CRM data integrations for travel agencies
When it comes to data and integrations for a CRM, the options are vast. So to help travel agencies out, we’ve selected our top 5 integrations to create a seamless and efficient operational workflow.
Global distribution systems (GDS)
First things first, to gather the most essential data into a CRM a Global Distribution System (GDS) is essential.
This integration will streamline the booking process for travel agencies, ensuring that all booking information is automatically captured in the CRM. Thus, reducing manual data entry and minimising errors, as well as providing a comprehensive view of customer travel plans.
This information can then be utilised in marketing automation and communication efforts that are both accurate and tailored to the individual.
Website and landing pages
For many travel agencies, the website acts as a virtual storefront to engage travellers into further exploring their offering. And of course, the website is where much of the magic happens when it comes to exploring destinations and booking trips.
Therefore, the integration of websites and landing pages into a CRM is essential for travel agencies to capture and centralise all customer interactions and data from the agency’s website and landing pages.
When potential travellers visit these pages, their information will be automatically fed into the CRM, including contact details and travel preferences.
This setup allows travel agents to personalise follow-up communications based on the customers’ interests, as well as offering integrated analytics to track the performance of landing pages, helping agencies understand which promotions are most effective.
Mobile app
Of course, many travel agencies will also boast a mobile app to complement their website.
The integration of their mobile app allows travel agencies to capture real-time customer interactions and preferences, feeding this data directly into the CRM system.
This provides further data alongside that gathered from the website to execute tailored communications and offers. As well as triggering automated notifications, booking reminders, and travel itineraries directly within the app, alongside other key marketing channels.
Email marketing solution
When it comes to using the data you have in your CRM for effective communications, email marketing is the perfect place to begin.
Because email campaigns boast a 44% open rate for the travel industry, making it one of the most engaging channels for travel agencies.
And perhaps that’s not surprising, as email marketing provides a vital channel not only to promote destinations and packages, but also to keep travellers up to date with automated trip confirmations, reminders, and essential information.
By integrating a CRM with an email marketing solution, travel agencies can ensure seamless, consistent messaging that utilises data in the CRM to add additional personalisation and relevancy. Further improving engagement.
Mobile messaging solutions
Mobile messaging via SMS or WhatsApp for Business provides the perfect complement to email marketing efforts.
By integrating CRM data with these solutions, travel agencies can execute direct, real-time communications with their customers, ensuring they receive timely updates on booking confirmations, itinerary changes, and flight delays.
And with 98% of SMS messages being read within five minutes, this channel is ideal for ensuring important information hits home.
Furthermore, the ability to automate responses and follow-ups through SMS and WhatsApp for Business ensures that customer inquiries are addressed quickly, providing excellent customer support which helps to build long-term relationships.
5 campaigns for Travel Agencies using CRM data and integrations
Now that your CRM is set up with a range of useful integrations, and is gathering tonnes of insightful data, you can start getting creative with the types of campaigns to automate.
Here are just a few to whet your appetite:
1. Personalised travel recommendations
Personalised travel recommendations are particularly useful for travel agencies as they cater directly to the unique preferences and interests of each customer.
This personalised approach not only boosts customer satisfaction and loyalty, but also differentiates the agency in a particularly competitive market, leading to higher booking rates and repeat business.
How to:
Travel agencies can utilise CRM data to segment customers by their travel interests, preferences, and previous booking behaviour. This could include family holidays, solo travel, or winter sun. By integrating with an email marketing solution, travel agencies can then automate personalised email campaigns with exclusive deals and destination recommendations tailored to each segment.
Furthermore, travel agencies can embed dynamic content blocks into their emails, which will pull through personalised imagery, copy, destinations, and pricing. Providing a unique experience for each recipient.
2. Abandoned booking reminders
The average browse abandonment rate for online travel agencies is a whopping 81.54%. Making abandoned booking reminders essential for any agency that wants to claw back potential lost revenue.
By sending timely follow-up emails, mobile messages, or in-app notifications combined with incentives, travel agencies can recover lost sales and convert these warm leads into happy customers.
Not only does this increase revenue, but also enhances customer engagement by addressing potential barriers to completing their booking.
How to:
Agencies can use their CRM data to identify abandoned bookings, and utilise their integration with email marketing and mobile messaging solutions to trigger useful follow-up messages.
With the use of dynamic content blocks, these email communications can be highly tailored to the individual, offering a wealth of additional information. This could be positive reviews, discounts and incentives, or alternative destinations for their requested dates.
3. Seasonal promotions
For travel agencies, identifying seasonal peaks and troughs is essential to determine the best offerings to promote at the best times.
These promotions create urgency, encourage quick bookings, and can be tailored to seasonal experiences like summer beach holidays or winter ski trips. This strategic timing boosts sales and ensures a steady flow of bookings throughout the year by matching marketing efforts with customers’ travel planning cycles.
How to:
CRM data can be used to identify peak booking times and target customers who have previously shown interest in similar promotions. Travel agencies can utilise their email, mobile messaging, and in-app integrations to promote coordinated sale campaigns, whilst leveraging analytics tools to measure their effectiveness.
4. Special offers for loyal customers
Travel agencies can make their most loyal customers feel like VIPs with the use of exclusive discounts, perks, and early access to sales. These campaigns help loyal customers feel valued and appreciated, increasing their likelihood of future bookings.
These targeted campaigns not only boost customer retention but can also encourage positive reviews and referrals, helping to foster a positive brand reputation for the agency, and building a new customer base.
How to:
The CRM can be used to identify loyal customers based on booking frequency and spending patterns, then integrated with an email marketing solution to automate personalised emails offering exclusive discounts, VIP packages, and pre-sales access.
Travel agencies can combine these emails with mobile messaging to VIP customers to increase their exposure and the likelihood of travellers making the most of these special offers.
5. Post-trip feedback
Post-trip feedback campaigns are invaluable for travel agencies as they provide insights into customer experiences, helping them to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
By collecting feedback, the agency demonstrates their focus on customer satisfaction, helping to build loyalty and encouraging repeat business.
Furthermore, positive reviews can be collected and used as testimonials to attract new travellers, whilst constructive criticism helps the agency to further refine their services and offerings.
How to:
With the use of CRM data integrated with email, mobile messaging, and in-app systems, travel agencies can trigger post-trip surveys or review requests to customers once they have returned from their destination.
Travel agencies can further integrate with a review platform to collect and showcase positive reviews on their website and social media channels.
Next steps
It’s clear that for travel and transportation brands, data holds the power to keep travellers engaged, informed and booking.
And by integrating solutions which hold valuable data into the CRM, this information can be easily managed, viewed, and used in marketing automation. With little additional effort or resource required.
At Deployteq, we offer a marketing automation solution that boasts a range of channels, all of which can be integrated into a CRM to share data, in both directions. From ensuring the basics are covered via website and mobile apps, through to sending creative and personalised campaigns via email and mobile messaging.
Get in touch with our team of friendly experts to find out more.
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