The summer travel season is in full swing! With 82% of Americans—roughly 212 million people—planning a summer getaway, travel booking apps and sites are bound to notice a significant surge in traffic. But while these platforms help consumers score the hottest deals and easily plan their trips, they aren’t without drawbacks.

 

Among the top friction points customers encounter on booking sites and apps are navigation problems, complicated checkout processes, technical glitches, and lengthy customer support times. These problems hinder the user experience and can cause travel brands to lose customers by the boatload.

 

With over 60% of travel sales happening online, booking sites must deliver cohesive, personalized experiences that make it effortless for customers to plan, book, and pay for their summer holiday from their devices.

 

Fortunately, SMS allows booking app companies to do just that while alleviating common customer frustrations.

 

Here’s how. 

Complicated booking processes 

 

Although a customer’s path to purchase is no longer straightforward, they still want the booking process to be simple and painless. One of the most significant obstacles customers experience on travel apps is too many clicks to book. Lengthy booking processes can lead to higher cart abandonment and churn rates. In fact, almost all customers (97%) have abandoned a purchase because of inconvenience.

 

Booking companies must streamline checkout processes to drive conversions. SMS is an effective way to close the convenience gap. Instead of going through step after step, travel brands can send customers curated deals via SMS. All a customer has to do is click the link in a text to book a flight or hotel.

 

A travel booking company can also send a friendly, non-intrusive SMS reminder if a shopper fails to checkout. Roughly three-fourths of customers will return to their abandoned cart after receiving a text. 

Lagging customer support time 

 

Today’s consumers prioritize immediacy. They want to quickly book their trip without any hiccups. And if customers run into issues, 90% expect on-the-spot support. Customers might take their business elsewhere if a booking company fails to deliver.

 

Travel booking brands can deliver prompt, asynchronous support with SMS. Instead of dialing a customer service number and waiting on hold, consumers can simply send a text.

 

Identify the most common customer questions and concerns your booking company receives. Then, create auto-reply templates for each. This allows you to address after-hours inquiries 24/7.

 

You can also create an FAQ page on your website and text customers a link. This self-service option empowers them to find resolutions on their own and reduces customer support agents’ workload.

 

Some of the top customer inquiries travel booking agencies can develop auto-replies for include:

 

  • Cancellation policies and fees
  • How to make changes to a booking
  • Hotel/flight check-ins
  • Refund policies
  • Troubleshooting declined payments 
  • How to access an account

Real-time booking updates, confirmations, and reminders 

 

Planning a trip has many moving parts, and crucial booking information can easily slip through the cracks. Booking apps can help customers stay on top of all those details with real-time text reminders and confirmations. Automate SMS booking confirmations customers receive immediately upon purchase completion. Include essential info in the texts, such as property addresses and reservation or flight dates. Add a personalized touch by including a warm welcome note.

 

Travel booking companies can also keep customers in the know with reminders, including check-in/check-out dates and payment deadlines.

 

With 98% open rates compared to email’s 22.7%, SMS is an efficient way to keep travelers informed and up-to-date. 

Elevate your booking app with SMS 

 

Booking app companies can eliminate friction points and deliver stellar customer experiences with Mitto’s SMS API solutions. Streamline booking processes, provide instantaneous support, and empower customers with self-service options and important updates and alerts. And thanks to our seamless API integrations, you can add SMS to your tech stack in a cinch.

 

Contact us today to learn more.