Happy Customers, Happy Holidays Using the customer journey to build your brand Kate Burgess, Head of Customer Experience Virgin Holidays
Who are we?
Virgin Holidays The largest and most successful transatlantic tour operator in the UK Creating unforgettable holidays since 1985 The market leader to the USA & Caribbean A proud Virgin company, with a long history as an innovator and customer champion
What do we do?
Some of our product range
Here s how we do it
We listen to our customers to understand them & their needs Private customer panel, The Holiday Lab Touch point surveys (pre-departure) Relationship survey (post-holiday) Interviews with customers, stakeholders and staff NPS driver analysis Destination & resort visits Mystery shopping and more
The Holiday Lab 8,000 users with a mix of existing and prospective customers Use surveys and polls to test product ideas & gather feedback Initiate conversations about holidays in discussion forums Used for web usability testing Can host video chats to brainstorm ideas Ability to ask customers to document their experiences at specific points of the customer journey
Re-designing the customer journey
A n e x c e p t i o n a l c o m p a n y i s t h e o n e t h a t g e t s a l l t h e l i t t l e d e t a i l s r i g h t. A n d t h e p e o p l e o u t o n t h e f r o n t l i n e, t h e y k n o w w h e n t h i n g s a r e n o t g o i n g r i g h t, a n d t h e y k n o w w h e n t h i n g s n e e d t o b e i m p r o v e d. A n d i f y o u l i s t e n t o t h e m, y o u c a n s o o n i m p r o v e a l l t h o s e n i g g l y t h i n g s, w h i c h t u r n s a n a v e r a g e c o m p a n y i n t o a n e x c e p t i o n a l c o m p a n y Sir Richard Branson
Customer journey mapping Booking is exciting, we re going! Holidays are great! Little need for fungineering. Though rep and registration/ welcome meeting can be a distraction The dead-zone: customers left feeling like ghosts Deluged by emails, un-edited information, hard to access booking details and repeated sales approaches VAA: The dull experience of flying, made fun Arrivals and transfer a universal low. The 1970s paradigm Follow up is ad hoc. In competition with direct approaches from hotel or customers packaging direct
The customer journey Booking
In store By phone Online An Omni-channel approach Our customers choose, how, where and whey they choose to interact with us
Our retail network
Our people, our greatest asset
Inspiring our customers
The customer journey Pre-departure There is a real lull after the initial high of booking the holiday and where there is the greatest opportunity to enhance and improve the customer experience
All-new comms RETAIL WALLET BOOKING CELEBRATION HOLIDAY EXPERT TRAVEL PLANS DESTINATION TEASER AIRPORT GUIDE ONLINE CHECK IN
Virgin Holidays Experiences - Virgin Holidos campaign
The customer journey The holiday
We remove stress and inject fun into the journey
We make what can be a dull experience fun
Atlantis, The Palm We add value in resort Dedicated car hire zone at Orlando airport Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa
The customer journey Return
The dreaded last day
Departure beach, Barbados
In summary: a joined up customer journey A fun, joined up, seamless, brand consistent end-to-end customer experience
Don t think What s the cheapest way to do it or What s the fastest way to do it Think What s the most amazing way to do it?
A final note: connecting with our customers
Connecting with our customers
How you re feeling right now?
Locard s Exchange Principle Wherever he steps, whatever he touches, whatever he leaves, even unconsciously, will serve as a silent witness against him. Not only his fingerprints or his footprints, but his hair, the fibers from his clothes, the glass he breaks the paint he scratches, the blood he deposits or collects This is evidence that does not forget. * Every contact leaves a trace * Paul L. Kirk - Crime Investigation: Physical Evidence and the Police Laboratory (1953)
Locard s exchange principle seen in a different light Every time two people come into contact with one another an exchange takes place. Whether between lifelong friends or passing strangers, we encourage, we ignore, we hold out a hand, or we withdraw it. We walk towards or we walk away. We bless or we curse And every single contact leaves a trace. The way that we treat and regard one another matters. It really matters * * John Sutherland, "Every Contact Leaves a Trace," London TEDx (22/06/17)
In store Online Office based staff In-resort team By phone Every contact leaves a trace
What will your trace be?