I remember that moment that truly sold me on the importance of great customer service. When purchasing a pair of shoes online, the entire process was smooth - from selecting my size virtually to checkout. It may not have seemed like much, but this simple endeavor meant that this retailer went above and beyond to ensure the customer had the best experience.
Creating that trust with customers
At Klook, I apply a similar vision when it comes to customers, with trust at the core of it. Planning a trip can be quite time-consuming and stressful, and we want Klook to be that one app customers can rely on, and make it as seamless to use as possible. Customer trust is key to any business, and their personal experience when using the app can make or break their relationship with it. Especially in the travel context, it’s important to provide reasonable and competitive pricing to give customers the best value.
What I’ve found helpful is putting ourselves in our customers’ shoes, understanding their problems and creating the most effective and efficient solutions and services that not just meet but go beyond their expectations.
Building the customer journey, and then more
As a travel platform, we have to think beyond the experiences we offer, and that includes the planning process. Take the JR Pass: it’s an extensive product with wide coverage for cross-Japan travel, but it can be difficult for customers to digest information from each individual operator when they plan. We built a tool on our platform to help customers find the right JR Pass. They tell us where they want to go in Japan, and we can help combine and recommend the most suitable combination of products.
We’ve also looked at simplifying the entire booking and redemption process by improving digitalization. In the case of some transportation passes like our Nikko Pass, we’ve created a digital version that can be accessed directly in-app for added convenience, to save customers a trip to the rail offices for physical redemption.
A constant work-in-progress to cultivate customer-centricity
Klook’s product innovation has been progressive over the years. Our aim has always been to stay one step ahead by anticipating customers’ needs even before they realize it. When building products for Klook, an important reminder is to create products that I would personally like to use while catering to the various customer profiles.
Klook AI (or K.Ai) was developed to help customers in making travel decisions, as an assistant that helps travelers plan trips through interactive Q&A
Klook AI (or K.Ai) is one of the ways we’ve innovated using generative artificial intelligence (AI), providing customers all the information they need to make informed decisions. We’ve seen great success in this, having reached a higher increase in the accuracy of responses to our customers and managing up to four times more queries coming in.
Why AI? While previously seen as a limitation and threat to businesses, it’s now widely embraced. We use Klook AI to enhance our customers’ experience, marrying both predictive and generative AI for a more intuitive experience. The key for businesses to unlock the full potential of AI to revolutionize travel is user-centricity, when it’s applied with customers and even employees in mind.
Forging ahead in the future of travel
Looking to the future, the travel landscape is evolving rapidly, and so are our customers’ expectations. We’re witnessing a shift in tourism, given the new generation of travelers are seeking more unique experiences. Travelers typically book a flight and hotel once every trip, but can book as many experiences as they can fit into their itinerary.
It’s all about collaboration with our partners and suppliers to transform the future of the experiences sector. Though this sector is still largely offline, we’re constantly finding ways to digitize and enhance the customer journey, while ensuring it’s intuitive for our partners to work with us. Anticipating travelers’ needs, we’re venturing into hotel and experience bundling, such as through the Taylor Swift concert in Singapore, to enhance their overall adventure.
And as we look to the future, our vision remains steadfast in shaping the customer experience - to be the go-to travel app that customers can trust and rely on for all their in-destination travel needs.
