by Mkgt team | Nov 29, 2012
It ‘s a story known to hoteliers: intermediaries dominate the market and put under pressure hoteliers to keep prices low and increase commissions.
The OTA (Online Travel Agency), who continued to use the same old business model of travel agencies adapting to web, are not really interested on the innovation of the market structure.
Two examples for better understanding:
Expedia and Booking.com.
Expedia has made a deal with Groupon, while Booking.com launched Flash Deals (offered a 50% discount for fans of Booking.com on Facebook).
The fanpage has reached nearly 200,000 fans and many hotels have received phone calls from Booking.com to participate in this initiative.
No matter how advanced is the use of vouchers in online social networks, the business model is still the same.
It ‘a kind of vicious circle:
Hotels need of customers every day and intermediaries offer them customers, but they are not enough because the number of beds is high and the fixed costs to be incurred are worrying.
Intermediaries offer more customers for more fees and so fewer gains to the hotel (a kind of sale), putting competitors in the position of being forced to accept their offers, having also need more of customers to survive.
Competition between hotel is, therefore, forced by intermediaries through lower tariffs and increased commissions. That works subtracting customers to competitors.
The total number of customers is not growing because other hotel react and do the same thing but the hotel will always pay more for the broker to find more.
With this logic, the end customer is convinced that reservations are cheaper with intermediaries. The high commissions earned are invested by the intermediaries in marketing to achieve greater visibility, increasing its market share at the expense of the hotel, since they can not afford that kind of investment.
This free fall is as valid today as 30 years ago, when the market was dominated by tour operators.
The Expedia-Groupon voucher and booking of Flash Deals don’t save any hotel from falling or crisis, in contrast, often contribute to worsen the situation.
So here’s three simple rules to follow:
- Renew the direct sales channel and implement a system of effective customer support and allow direct dialogue with the customer
- Intended to this channel more resources than they would with the more expensive intermediary
- Pay attention to the low season. If you find special offers, do it on every channel (parity rate).
OTA is an opportunity, not a threat, but should be used strategically, with awareness and in the right measure support which is rarely done.
Vivocha, a multichannel communication tool for websites, is the perfect complement for online sales, allowing customers to ask questions in real time and get the support they need. Have a look at all the features or request a demo to learn more.
by Mkgt team | Nov 29, 2012
Those who have experienced poor customer service are more likely to share their experience than those who had a good service.
The 83% of customers in tourism establishments decide not to conclude a purchase due to a bad customer service. It is the result of a recent survey conducted by American Express, in partnership with Echo Research, titled “Global Customer Service Barometer” that shows how excellent customer service is able to retain the customer, who is willing to pay more while to receive assistance impeccable!
The good news is that, among the various sectors, the tourism and hospitality industry is one of the most appreciated by the respondents: 48% claims to have received treatment than expected, and 57% claim to have spent more to return the facility in which he had a good experience.
Here the 5 secrets to ensure that your customers Online Customer Service is perfect:
1. You have to reach people before they reach you.
Proactivity is the key to customer loyalty.
2. Customize!
The customization creates a more intimate relationship with the customer.
3. Always respond to reviews
Reply always criticisms that are made online. Do customer service also means knowing how to manage critical.
4. Invest on training
Training is essential to grow your team.
5. Prevention is better than cure. Know your customers and analize their behavior. The proactive approach wins!
Prevent the dissatisfaction of your customers. Use software that provides an insight into the online habits of your customers is of paramount importance.
Vivocha helps websites provide high-quality support to customers, with shorter waiting times and easy integration with other support tool. Check out all the features or request a demo to learn more.
by Mkgt team | Nov 13, 2012
According to a Google’s research we will give you the facts to answer key questions about the path to purchase of online customers.
Maybe this paper will encourage marketing leaders to move to a fact-based approach to understanding the consumers path to purchase.
The results indicate that:
- Research journeys are long and can take a month or more in some categories. With a strategic proactive live help you can reduce this period of research, understanding better needs of your customers.
- One in three conversions occur 30 days after the online research began (the perception of risk is a key factor in the timing of research). Though the average path to purchase for all verticals is under 1 month, we find that one in three conversions occur at least 30 days after the initial research began.
- 70% of purchasers use search at some point in their research journey. Over 70% of consumers who purchased online run at any rate one relevant search during the observation period. customers online are 30% more likely, on average, to have performed a search than customers whose research didn’t finish with a real conversion. These customers are also more likely (by 17%) to have clicked on a sponsored search ad.
- The way shoppers research and purchase different products online doesn’t neatly follow traditional structured method for developing products and/or service offerings at multiple price points. The Marketing Funnel, done right, maximizes the lifetime value of a client.
- Search paths to purchase often include brand and generic terms and 48% of purchasers switch between terms at some point in their journey.
BRAND VS. GENERIC SEARCHERS
To achieve the maximum number of profitable sales or conversions advertisers everyone have to understand the entire value of all consumer online touch points and, in particular, the role of ‘assist’ clicks in the consumer path to conversion.
Vivocha comes with an integrated Proactive Engine that’s able to recognize from which search the user is coming from, and offer a different experience to anybody. Take a look at all the features or request a demo to learn more.
by Mkgt team | Nov 13, 2012
With today’s cutthroat competition from big Companies, trying to compete on price can be a quick road to ruin for startups, companies and e-business in general.
We have to keep in mind that customers will not go almost anywhere just to save a buck so you have to stop trying to compete on price alone.
What your business needs to stand out is better customer service and satisfied customers for drive your business. What keeps customers satisfied?
- Knowledgeable and available staff: While a customer is making the buying decision, they want knowledgeable assistance, available when they want it.
- A fast finish: This final item is where too many businesses fall flat, right at the finish line. They want thoughtful help making the right decisions.
- Convenience: The service rule here is simple: make it easy!
- Friendly people: Your staff should value each customer more than any individual sale.
Vivocha is designed with interoperability in mind, and offers many pre-built integrations with widely-used softwares, to provide Agents will the information they need, when they need them. Request a demo to learn more.
by Mkgt team | Nov 13, 2012
There’s a way for you to increase your online sales and you won’t have to do anything shady.
When most people start selling online, they often create extensive product and service lists because they believe that will help them to increase sales.
The problem is that people think “more is better” but long product lists are conversion killers. And if you want to increase your sales you must streamline your offerings.
Two researchers at Columbia University,Mark Lepper and Sheena Iyengar, decided to test this in different ways, for example they setting up a sampling table in a supermarket with either 24 jams or 6 jams. The 30% of those who had tasted one of the 6 jams bought a pot compared to just 3% of those who tasted one of the 24. They repeated the experiment in all sorts of markets experiencing the same behavior!
A customer wants to be sure they are making the right buying decision. If there are too many choices that can lead to confusion!
Portfolio analysis is an important activity for any business, and it needs to be done regularly. Done properly and it can increase your sales.
Proactively and regularly interactions with your customers is essential to keep you informed on the needs expressed and hidden from your target audience.
Vivocha is the perfect complement for online sales, allowing customers to ask questions in real time and get the support they need. Have a look at all the features or request a demo to learn more.
by Mkgt team | Nov 13, 2012
Companies today need to shift the focus of the activities in store or on its website to a strategy that includes social networks, mobile applications and other technological innovations.
To be successful you need to focus on the targeting of customers and prospects using the same channels they prefer.
Before launching a multi-channel marketing campaign is essential to identify and manage customer profiles, communities and interactions between users and web analytics through a variety of channels.
Moreover, the analysis of consumer behavior must take into consideration the social media that are used, sites visited, newsletters and forums that are recognized or community in which they participate. This type of analysis provides information on the personal experience of online users who turn out to be vital in order to build a personalized offer that takes into account the time, the level of expenditure and the product best suited to the needs of every consumer.
In order to achieve this level of visibility and knowledge of the user, companies need to invest in the creation of media-rich online user experience-oriented and customer support, which allows businesses to communicate directly and in real time with their visitors.
Vivocha is multichannel, allowing communication via Chat, VoIP, CallBack, Video and email, to let visitors choose what they like the most. Have a look at all the features or request a demo to learn more.
