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Providing the Business Traveler With Brand Value
BY ERIC J. BRUNO
As any business traveler knows, despite the available technology connecting people around the globe, you can’t underestimate the value of in-person collaboration and face-to-face business meetings to cross cultural and geographic boundaries. The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), projects that U.S. business travel will increase significantly over the next two years, and is particularly seeing annual growth in international business travel spending. As markets continue to develop through Latin America and Asia, business travel is not slowing down any time soon. You’re faced with an opportunity in the face of growing domestic and international business travel to use technology through speaking directly to your business traveler customers, offering perks and increasing fun and convenience to secure brand loyalty from frequent travelers.
Speak Directly to the Business Traveler
According to a study by American Express and PhoCusWright, travel services aimed at tech-savvy millennials (who will make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025) are most successful. This generation is looking for strategies that are being marketed directly to them and are looking for solutions that are directly for them. Programs that utilize mobile apps, like TripCase, where alerts can be personalized to the individual are most appealing. By connecting with the traveler and increasing communication throughout the journey, you can help limit disruptions to the traveler experience and increase satisfaction. Mobile apps also offer airlines the ability to instantly provide answers and services to travelers while keeping your brand front and center. The advantage of speaking to the business traveler is that they often also speak back. It’s important to understand your customers’ needs and respond accordingly. Mobility offers more opportunities to connect.
Offer Perks and Rewards
When it comes to perks and rewards, it’s crucial to understand what the customer is looking for. As American Express reports, frequent business travelers are looking for: