Customer-centric strategies will grow tourism industry

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Good tourism marketing strategies begin with offering world-class customer service, something we are notoriously known for failing at in South Africa.

After the recent Stats SA report cited a 2.1% (164,989) decrease in international arrivals in 2019, Minister of Tourism Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has urged the private and public sector to work together to achieve the goals of growing the tourism sector.

She has asked for more focussed and competitive strategies, and Bairstow-Klopper highlights the need to tighten up customer service in what is essentially a fully customer experience-based industry. In nlighten’s 2019 CX benchmark report, the respondents in the travel industry prioritised product innovation, admitting no priority given to CX.

"Service providers need to understand the role they play in promoting the country’s overall brand and image. It’s about going beyond the sales pitch for your own establishment or products and offering tailored advice that adds value to the tourists stay. Good customer service is paramount in growing our tourism industry. It must become part of the culture as a business," says Bairstow-Klopper.

If South African tourism operators and service providers want people to visit their country, to spend their dollars and euro and pounds and yen and yuan, they need to make an effort to make them feel welcome.

Customer service a critical competitive advantage

Despite things that are out of a service providers control, such as load shedding or the struggling economy, customer care is always something that can be controlled. In fact, it’s the main reason that people return to an establishment or make a repeat purchase.

Johan Hoogeweegen, group customer service director for Tsebo Solutions Group, says that since they made the customer experience their focus point, their overall Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) has climbed from 75% to 80% over the last four years. "Once we acknowledged that CX had become the new competitive battleground, we no longer obsessed about price and product."

According to Bairstow-Klopper, customers will rather spend more money on good service, than suffer through a bad experience. "The tourism sector is a customer-centric industry that needs to be built on offering truly memorable experiences. Price aside, many tourists make their travelling decisions based on advice from friends and family, so word-of-mouth can make or break a provider’s offering."

Investment in the hospitality sector

In many foreign countries, tourism and hospitality are chosen professional careers. There is an emphasis on hospitality programmes and hotel schools. Whereas in South Africa, a lot of hospitality jobs are regarded as menial and a stepping stone for young people who are working whilst studying to pursue their real career.

Whilst South African hospitality institutions offer solid training, Bairstow-Klopper believes the commitment to service delivery is just not there. "More emphasis is needed on teaching that a deeper understanding of customer service is at the core of hospitality-related jobs. The treatment of tourists or guests needs to be embedded in our service culture. Staff must offer the same level of service to domestic tourists as they do to international tourists."

Delivering on customer care during peak season

Delivering on service during peak tourist periods is challenging, and the festive period only adds to this challenge. It’s a double-edged sword, because the industry needs the growth and busyness this time brings with it, but they often don’t know how to cope with the increased traffic and start dropping balls.

Improving customer experience for tourists comes down to communication. "We have a conflict-avoidance culture in SA but being open and honest with customers is better than trying to deliver a perfect service. Don’t underestimate the empathy of a customer, they can be very understanding if they are given the chance."

Reaching President Cyril Ramaphosa's turnaround target of 21 million arrivals by 2030 (doubling our current figures) is ambitious, but Bairstow-Klopper believes we will see growth by marketing SA with an increased focus on customer-centric strategies and getting the basic principles of customer service delivery right.

Bairstow-Klopper shares his top tips for tourism establishments and retailers to deliver on customer service:

• Understand why tourists are here – ask them about their preferences and offer tailored, personalised, anticipatory-type service

• Encourage staff to get excited about service – incentivise staff where possible to go beyond the call of duty, be it with public praise or bonuses. There is no reason why cashiers, waiters and others on the floor staff cannot be rewarded for meeting targets

• Be committed to the well-being of staff and arm them with that they need – training is essential; service staff need to understand their clientele, the product they are selling and generally how the establishment should operate

• Manage expectations – be open with customers about how long things will realistically take. Always be attentive to how the customer might be feeling. Remember, they are on holiday

• Invest in the tools needed to create a seamless customer experience – don’t skimp on things like advanced technology when it can add value to your customers experience and speed up the process. Just be sure it offers a quality user-experience