Frictionless online travel experience
Technology has not just transformed the booking process for travellers – it has changed the very face of travel businesses, creating an ‘always on’ relationship which starts even before a customer has booked, and never really ends. Arthur Chapin, Senior
Influential factors for customers during the booking process often centre around technology, such as whether a hotel offers free Wi-Fi, digital facilities for corporate travellers, or the increasingly popular ‘concierge in your pocket’ concept. For travel brands, it means they have had to get smarter and adapt as consumer expectations rise. Travellers have become accustomed to immersing themselves in technology, which often provides an easier, faster, smoother and more convenient experience. As such, accommodation providers are responding to these demands by evolving their offer to enable better connectivity, personalisation and flexibility for guests.
Below are some of the key customer pain points during the online travel experience
Disconnect between the hotelier and the traveller’s needs – a research shows that corporate travellers prioritise productivity and flexibility above all else when it comes to their journeys, but there is a disconnect between how business travellers want to book their trips and what amenities are in place to make this possible. Findings from the EyeforTravel Digital Strategy Summit in May revealed that 76 per cent of customers will switch from a business that doesn’t meet their needs – seems harsh but that’s the reality.
Lack of instant responses from hoteliers – customers expect instant responses, answers and solutions to their queries or complaints, due to their growing digital impatience. In fact, 40 per cent of EMEA website visitors abandon a site after a three-second delay. Underscoring this is the growing adoption of digital assistants. Today, 62 per cent of consumers are comfortable with an AI application responding to their query, which provides fast and efficient results.
Key factors in reducing friction
Our recent Online Travel Friction Index research identified key factors in reducing traveller friction through a ‘Friction Reduction Index’; a weighted average numerical score rating over 15 experience attributes that nearly 850 online travel users used to assess their experiences related to research, shopping and booking of travel products on various travel websites.
Technology is the solution for removing friction
It goes without saying that technology can improve travel experiences by reducing pain points and stressors along the journey, and as a global tech platform, Expedia Group offers a wealth of tools and services to support lodging partners in making this happen. Even more personalisation is on the horizon: soon the in-room entertainment system will play guests’ favourite Spotify playlist, or video calls will pop up seamlessly on the in-room TV.
Personalised travel is a key trend that comes hand-inhand with technology, with examples including using browsing history to adapt search results, and utilising geolocation data to help customers navigate in unfamiliar surroundings. Even proactively re-booking when trips are disrupted, is now possible.
Reducing friction for customers and hoteliers
Expedia will soon roll out a trip assistance function on the app, that will alert the hotel when a traveller will be checking in, if the traveller is experiencing a flight delay. We are also piloting a shuttle tracking technology programme built by Track My Shuttle into the Expedia App, allowing hotel guests to see exactly where to find shuttle pickup for their hotel, and follow along with a live route map. For our partners, we encourage them to utilise the different tools on our platform such as our Partner Central Chatbot. We also help to improve our partners’ personalisation efforts with our new recommendation engine, which identifies potential actions they can take to reap rewards in terms of revenue opportunities.
62 per cent of consumers are comfortable with an AI application responding to their query, which provides fast and efficient results