Corporate travel solutions continue to adapt to various changes, challenges and current trends. There is a lot to take in for business travellers compared to how it was before. In the April recovery poll done by Global Business Travel Agency, it was revealed that 63% of business travellers are now more confused about restrictions and 45% feel anxious and stressed during travels.
This goes to show just how much travel managers should prioritise good customer service in choosing their travel agents, suppliers and even travel management companies.
In this article Imran Dosani, the head of support in TruTrip shared his views on the essentials of customer support in today’s business travels and his experience with the realities of resolving business travel-related concerns as the head of support.
Imran started his career working in the airline industry. He started as a call centre agent and made his way up as a customer service supervisor for one of the largest airlines in the world of aviation.
He further sharpened his knowledge of the industry by working as an event manager with a travel management company (TMC). Now, he is the head of support in one of the up-and-coming TMCs in southeast Asia, TruTrip. He stated that being with TruTrip allowed him to put both his passion into use: travel and customer service.
In his words, “ My passion is travel and customer service, and this is why I love what I do. I enjoy travelling and I enjoy assisting customers with their travel plans.”
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As Imran observed, the usual concerns of business travellers are the lack of available people to address their concerns. He said customers are now more reliant on travel agents for assistance than relying on airlines in terms of customer service. In the event of a flight delay or cancellation, since currently there is a shortage of airline staff worldwide, chances are there are either no staff or limited staff to assist customers.
On top of this, he added that travellers today have to face the confusing process of how to have their concerns resolved, “My peers in the industry all say the usual concerns clients have is customer support. Customers want to know how to reach, who to reach and when to reach. Customers want to be able to reach support who can handle their request quickly and efficiently without any delay”
He emphasised, “This is why more and more business travellers rely on TMCs to assist with travel disruptions. This is the challenge we are currently facing post-pandemic.”
To counter this, Imran believes there is a higher call to answer for all people in the business of support. When asked what are the three qualities someone in travel customer support should possess he answered, “There should be more than three qualities but the main qualities would be empathy, quick thinker and product knowledge.”
His years in both the customer service and travel industry have harnessed the wisdom required to handle difficult travel-related concerns with grace. Imran says, “Clients need support who can give them the answers they need without delay. Clients need support who know what they are doing to avoid delays and unnecessary costs.”
As the head of support, Imran vouches that TruTrip’s way of handling real-time travel-related concerns is one of a kind. In his words, “Experience, product knowledge and quick response make TruTrip’s support unique.”
With TruTrip you can have the corporate travel solution you need. You don’t have to figure out where you can reach out and when. The time for customer service tickets, and three to five business day responses are now over. With TruTrip you can connect to us your way, and get an immediate response from qualified and experienced people in the industry.
Imran pressed on saying what TruTrip is as a travel management platform, “A platform that provides the client with all the information 24/7. A platform that provides the client with real-time information and real-time cost of a travel element. TruTrip offers this and much more.”
Imran saw how business travel pans out in real life today, he parted with a piece of advice for businesses. He urged companies to engage a TMC for their travel needs as TMCs have the knowledge, expertise and experience needed to provide an overall better travel experience.
He believed in the advantages of having a TMC to assist with your travel management needs. He said, “TMCs offer a beginning-to-end service and are there for clients. They can save businesses money on negotiated airfares and hotel accommodation. Lastly, offer a seamless service for clients.”
TruTrip always thinks about the traveller first. See how this philosophy can advance your travel experience. Book a demo or sign up for free trial start prioritising comfort and quick solutions with not just our platform but also with our team.
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