The Benefits of Customer Portals in Travel Websites
When adventure beckons, you should answer the call! Innovative travel websites continuously evolve and implement clever web development functionality and features to revolutionise the way we explore the globe.
One such remarkable advancement is the integration of bespoke customer portals within travel websites. These customer portals offer an all-inclusive getaway to the world of convenience and personalisation at your fingertips.
With features like real-time booking, document management, and payment for flights, hotels, tours, and transfers, these customer portals on travel websites allow travellers to self-manage their travel experiences on the website.
Strap in, and let’s explore the amazing benefits that customer portals bring to the travel industry!
Customer portals on travel websites provide huge value and benefit to both travellers and travel companies.
A customer portal, also referred to as a client portal, is an online platform that gives users access to their accounts and serves as a system of engagement for improved communication and self-service.
Here at Elemental, we love designing and developing bespoke web based customer portals for our travel clients, as we know that this significantly increases the capabilities of their travel website.
BENEFITS OF CUSTOMER PORTALS IN TRAVEL WEBSITES
1. PERSONALISED EXPERIENCE
Looking for a way to offer customers a personalised experience on your travel website? Customer portals allow travellers to create customised profiles with their unique preferences, travel history, and other relevant information. This makes it possible for travel companies to offer tailored recommendations, promotions, and awesome deals that match the traveller’s individual preferences.
This personalisation enhances the customer experience with the travel company and boosts the brand's reputation!
2. EASY BOOKING AND ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT
Customer portals on travel websites put customers directly in the driver’s seat. With a great customer portal, customers can take care of all of their travel arrangements with just a few clicks.
Say goodbye to old school booking and hello to the convenience of searching, booking, paying for, and managing a trip from start to finish within a single portal.
Customers can access their itineraries with ease, view and update all of their booking details, and retrieve tickets and boarding passes hassle-free. This self-service capability gives customers the freedom to do almost everything so that travel companies can focus on creating the best travel packages and reduces the need to appoint staff for this role.
Customer portals also provide customers with the ability to manage their account details, such as updating personal information, changing passwords, and managing communication preferences.
3. INFORMATION ACCESS
Customer portals on travel websites serve as a centralised hub where customers can find comprehensive information about their flights, destinations, hotels, fun activities, and so much more!
They can also view their booking history, track their loyalty programme status, and access any available rewards or discounts.
4. REAL-TIME UPDATES
Keep customers a step ahead of their adventures with real-time updates right in their customer portals. Travel companies can quickly and efficiently let their customers know about any gate changes, flight delays, check-in processes, and other important information the moment it happens.
These portals act as trusty travel companions to many adventurers and help travel companies better manage and minimise inconveniences that could arise if planning and flights go awry!
5. LOYALTY PROGRAMMES AND REWARDS
Loyalty programmes and rewards in customer portals add that extra element of excitement and incentive for travellers to book one trip after another. Travel websites that have loyalty programmes and rewards in their customer portals let travellers gather points, view their status, earn rewards, and get exclusive benefits.
5. CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE
Thanks to the support features of customer portals, navigating the travel landscape becomes so easy. Live chat features connect travellers to travel companies instantly. FAQs and knowledge bases stand ready to assist travellers with queries in their own way. From resolving queries to providing timely support, customer portals on travel websites ensure that concerns can be addressed promptly.
6. FEEDBACK AND REVIEWS
Customer portals in travel websites open the door for customers to be heard. Travellers can rate their experiences, provide valuable feedback, and leave reviews, which help not only the travel companies improve their tours and accommodations accordingly but also help other potential travellers better plan their trips.
7. WISHLISTS
Get ready to elevate your travel planning experience with the wishlist feature available on a travel website's customer portal. Similar to a bucket list, the wishlist allows users to effortlessly save their favourite items, maintain an organised list, share it with friends, and even compare various trips, places, or activities on their wishlist. Prepare to take your travel planning to the next level!
8. PAYMENT AND BILLING
Bid farewell to payment headaches on travel websites with streamlined payment and billing processes on customer portals. With customer portals in travel websites that incorporate eCommerce payments, travellers can effortlessly make payments, view and download invoices, and keep tabs on payment history.
If you’re curious to know more about how payment gateways in travel websites work, we’ve written this blog article just for you.
9. CENTRAL DOCUMENT STORAGE
Travel companies know the hassle of having all of your required documentation ready. That is why great travel websites with customer portals make this easier for travellers by often serving as a personal vault for their essential documents like passports, visas, and travel insurance. Customer portals on travel websites ensure easy access to important documents while travellers are on the go.
10. TRAVEL ALERTS AND NOTIFICATIONS
Customer portals on travel websites keep travellers in the know with travel alerts and notification features.
Travellers can customise their preferences in their account, and just like that, they can receive updates and alerts via email and mobile notifications. From flight statuses, travel advisories and often weather alerts, customers can be informed of any changes that could affect their travel plans with custom notifications.
11. SOCIAL SHARING
Customer portals on travel websites give travellers the ability to share their epic adventure plans and experiences directly with their friends, family, and colleagues, as well as on their favourite social media platforms. By posting the travel website's links on social media, they can ask for recommendations and even encourage others to use the site to plan their own vacations.
WRAPPING UP
Overall, customer portals enhance the travel experience by offering convenience, personalisation, information access, and support, fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Travellers who have the option and ability to interact with a customer portal on a travel website will feel empowered with the ability to self-manage their experience.
Travel companies benefit hugely as their customers have a higher degree of customer satisfaction. The technology of the customer portal somewhat replaces the need for support and back office staff, resulting in reduced costs and increased efficiency.
At Elemental, we’re passionate about developing custom travel websites and web applications based on our clients' unique requirements. Customer portals are often part of the requirements of travel websites that we need to design and develop.
Do you need help developing your travel website or customer portal? Get in touch with us, and we'd love to see how we can help you.
