NB: This is a guest article by Carin Van Vuuren, chief marketing officer at Usablenet.
It’s no secret that travel and mobile go hand in hand. In fact, business travelers were the earliest adopters of using the mobile web to book reservations and engage with brands on the go.
And now more than ever, travelers are using their smartphones and tablets to book flights, locate nearby restaurants, and reserve hotel stays.
According to a recent Nielsen study, mobile activity has a significant effect on travelers’ path to purchase as 46% of mobile travel researchers ultimately make a purchase, with 33% intending to complete a transaction within a day.
In the UK, it has been reported that travel sites’ mobile traffic has doubled in a year from 10.2% in August 2011 to 20.5% in June 2012.
This strong mobile purchase intent among travelers reinforces the need for travel brands to create unique mobile experiences that encourage conversion.
To do so, travel brands must tailor the mobile experience to the customer by making it easier for them to research and book on-the-go.
It’s no longer enough to offer today’s tech savvy travelers a mini version of the desktop website; instead they’ve come to expect unique experiences across channels that support their intended actions.
Let’s break down the ways in which travel brands can step up their game and exceed customers expectations on mobile and other channels.
Mobile
We are seeing a major shift among travel and hospitality brands as they recognize the need to deliver distinct experiences across all mobile channels.
Customers expect unique mobile experiences that take into account what they are trying to do in the moment and at that particular stage of their journey.
This is especially true among travelers, who expect a mobile experience that includes geo-targeted information, special offers and recommended restaurants or attractions in their destination city, and high quality image galleries with tap-zoom functionality.
Further, mobile is the channel of choice for social, forcing minimum requirements on mobile now to include deep social integration to enhance the mobile experience and enable users to share favorite products and purchases with their networks as part of their shopping experience.
Google Think Insights reported that 45% of personal travelers and 54% of business travelers have made plans based on reviews and experiences of others.
Additionally, 40% of personal travelers and 46% of business travelers use social networking to share their travel experience.
Travel brands should take this into account when creating mobile experiences by allowing users to easily share bookings, trips, and favorite destinations across their networks.
The Ritz-Carlton is an example of a travel brand that takes a strategic approach when it comes to developing and delivering unique mobile experiences to its customers.
The luxury hotelier launched a robust mobile app earlier this year that demonstrates its commitment to engaging users at all stages in their journey: from booking the reservation, to their stay and beyond.
Designed for on-property engagement, the app instantly recognizes when a guest has arrived at a Ritz-Carlton property and uses push notifications to serve them location-specific advice and attractions.
It also enables users to scan QR codes to learn more about the activities and amenities offered at their specific hotel.
Tablets
According to Travelocity, 55% of all its mobile bookings are now coming via tablet devices, with mobile-exclusive deals generating a good percentage of hotel bookings.
As the tablet continues its mainstream adoption, we can expect to see more and more travel brands investing in this lucrative channel.
In doing so, the key is to recognize tablet as a distinct channel, and create relevant and unique experiences that connect with the “on the couch” mindset of the tablet user. Today’s savvy consumers have come to expect more than a minimized version of the desktop on their tablet.
Rather they are looking for a tailored experience designed specifically for the tablet that delivers high-quality images, an easy to use interface, exclusive tablet offers, dynamic catalogs, and more.
In many ways, tablet devices are still a ‘blank slate’ for the travel industry, allowing ample room for innovation.
We’re seeing consumers turn to their tablets when they are in a comfortable state, lying on the couch in front of a movie or traveling on a long train ride. Across all verticals, we see that 72% of tablet owners use their device while they are at home.
This means that a brand’s tablet experience must be technologically intuitive to the user, visually appealing, and most importantly, offer consumers a unique experience different from desktop and mobile.
Design for the experience
Whether creating an intuitive mobile app, a tablet site offering special mobile-only deals, or a mobile site that offers customers the ability to share content with their social networks, travel brands must make customer experience the main focus that shape all multi-channel decisions.
NB: This is a guest article by Carin Van Vuuren, chief marketing officer at Usablenet.
NB2:Mobile globe apps image via Shutterstock.