The airlines that will stand out during the upcoming busy travel season are those that are ready to support today's most frequent travellers, millennials and Gen Zers, across a variety of digital channels such as instant messaging, video and text, according to a survey by Teleperformance Business Insights Lab.
While calling, email and web forms continue to be the customer service channels used most by airline travellers, nearly 70 percent of travellers who have contacted airline customer service before and after the pandemic say their interactions with airlines have changed since the 'new normal'. Almost a quarter of travellers (24 percent) now say they're branching out and trying new channels to contact the airlines, and a quarter (26 percent) report using more self-help options to get support.
These findings derive from the Teleperformance Business Insights Lab Survey, in which 87,000 consumer interviews were conducted across 20 sectors and 16 countries. Now in its ninth year, the survey queried consumers across topics ranging from customer service channel preferences and metrics, including more than 4,800 airline customers. The Business Insights Lab looked into travellers' use of airline support channels and their preferences to help airlines understand how travellers want to be served and what channels airlines should consider adding to their contact options.
President of Global Travel and Hospitality, Teleperformance, Rahul Jolly, said that one of the most significant changes in the travel industry since the pandemic is the growing demand for flexibility among travellers, Including a demand for more diverse contact options and travellers' rising preference for digital channels that provide flexibility in how they receive help and support.
"Building out and enhancing support capabilities across emerging digital channels can help airlines differentiate themselves, provide positive experiences and help customer retention," said Jolly.
Contacting airlines for help through an airline's mobile app rose 29 percent since 2019. Instant messaging with airlines' customer service was up 71 percent since before the pandemic, and texting airlines grew 105 percent. Travellers told Teleperformance they are also using other ways to seek help from airlines including automated chat and video. These trends are more pronounced across younger demographics.
