Two-way Messaging: The Modern Way to Travel

We’re living in a mobile-first world where communication has shifted to online interaction and instant messaging. This is great news for a heightened level of customer experience (CX) as the accessibility and convenience of digital communication can enhance operations – when done right. In the travel industry, two-way messaging can drastically help business gain and retain customers, while boosting engagement and satisfaction. Here’s how!

What is two-way SMS?

Two-way SMS is a messaging service that allows users to send and receive messages from a dedicated number through a web messaging platform which uses application programming interfaces (APIs). This SMS API is a great way for travel companies in particular to engage with their customers by sending notifications, reminders, alerts, and PIN codes. Travel businesses gain a huge variety of benefits for their digital CX, customer service departments, and customer support quality by enabling customers to communicate with businesses through two-way messaging. 

What are the Benefits of Two-way Messaging for Travel Businesses?

While travel can be very exciting, the administrative hassle of travelling can be quite overwhelming. Booking flights, accommodation, outings, renting cars, and navigating new towns and cities can be a stressful endeavor. However, with a cleverly designed automated messaging app which offers 2-way SMS, your customers will feel as though they have a personal travel agent right in their pocket. Here are some of the benefits of this messaging service for your customers – and for your business! 

1.  Two-way SMS Offers Real-time Customer Support

Two-way SMS APIs offer 24-hour service to your customers, no matter the time zone. This means your customers can reach out to you and get their urgent travel questions answered immediately. Whether they need to know about a delayed 3am flight or simply recommendations for a great local restaurant or hotel, your handy little instant chatbot will provide personalized consultation using approachable conversations. 

2.  Ultimate Convenience

Your customers are already online via their mobile devices; all you need to do is meet them halfway. Link your personalized, automated bot to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, or SMS to connect with your customers from any Wi-Fi spot at home or abroad. Your customers will appreciate the fact that they can contact you when they need you the most, with total ease, and without incurring extra charges.

3.  Quick, Simple, Easy

This messaging platform is quick, personal, and incorporates natural language conversation that answers your customers' questions directly and simply. There is no waiting on the phone for a call center operator or waiting endlessly for an email response when time is of the essence. Their questions are promptly answered and they constantly feel taken care of and heard with the power of two-way messaging.

4.  Two-way Messaging is Mobile

Most vacationers access important travel information through their mobile phones, forcing travel companies to step up their online game. By doing this, travel operators can engage customers directly through their smartphones instead of laptops or tablets.

5.  Lower Operational Costs

Introducing an automated messaging app to your digital customer service strategy reduces operational costs by replacing customer service interactions with automation. Automated messaging alleviates stress from call centers, freeing up employees to focus on business-driving tasks such as handling critical data and complex emergencies. The SMS API can deal with smaller, less urgent matters more efficiently, significantly reducing your internal costs.

6. Self-service Option

Two-way messaging is not just about answering questions; your customers can also seamlessly book flights or accommodations through this messaging channel. From finding flights and accommodation to bookings and upgrades, the two-way, advanced messaging keeps your customers up-to-date and engaged.

7.  Boosts Customer Loyalty

Some users may still choose travel agencies instead of booking and managing their trips personally, but the number of digital customers is growing rapidly, and digital travel consultation has become the norm. Customers now expect to arrange and manage their itineraries from any place, at any time, and nothing builds customer loyalty faster than a helpful, reliable automated messaging system that answers questions and delivers critical information. 

8. SMS Assists with Air Travel

This dedicated messaging service is useful when coordinating air travel. Your customers can engage with the two-way message service to view and select seats, manage meal plans, book extra luggage and leg room. They can even view mileage points and redeem them over the phone, check for status updates, notifications, and security alerts all in one place. 

What Does Clickatell’s Two-way SMS Service Offer?

At Clickatell, we believe in creating a meaningful and authentic customer engagement. Our two-way, advanced messaging automation allows for personalization that goes beyond simple notifications and one-way conversations. We build a truly symbiotic system that introduces self-service into the customer experience. Through the messaging service, customers can: 

• Check status alerts

• Check account balances

• Book and rebook trips

• Manage direct debits

• Check weather information

• Check regional news

• Receive security updates

• Check flight times and travel length

…and more!

Two-way, advanced messaging makes planning and booking trips so much simpler. World tours, multi-stop trips, long weekends, and group bookings can all be easily managed and accessed in one place, making your company the ‘go-to’ for self-managed holidays.

 Whether you decide to build a dedicated app or integrate existing software like WhatsApp into your automated messaging system, Clickatell can assist you in building a useful and reliable customer service bot. Our software offers a seamless CX in the customer journey by giving your customers direct access to you before, during and after their trip. You can even incorporate multimedia and videos that make automated engagement interactive and bespoke.

 Your customer has already decided that they want to take a trip. All you need to do is convince them to book it and manage it. Set yourself apart from the competition and build a superior mobile customer experience with Clickatell. Connect with a Clickatell expert today to explore how your business can reinvent the way you provide superior customer experiences.