Enhancing Customer Engagement in the Travel Industry

• Industry - Travel

• Tools used - SFMC

Key Deliverables

• Dynamic Emails:

• Customizable email templates that adapt to user data, providing a personalized experience for each recipient.
• App Download Promotions: Targeted emails encouraging customers to download the app for different brands. These emails are specifically aimed at users who do not have the app installed.
• Destination Guides: Emails providing information about available destination guides for cities where travelers are currently on their trip.

2. Landing Pages:
   
   • Creating banners on web pages to launch offers that support marketing campaigns and drive user engagement.
3. Push Notifications:
   
   • Personalized notifications for customers who have saved items (e.g., properties). If a customer has saved one item, the notification includes the property's name. If the customer has multiple saved items, the notification highlights the destination name.
   • Notifications that enhance the travel experience by providing information about activities and destination guides available in the visiting city.
   • Additional push notification strategies to engage customers at different stages of their travel journey, from booking reminders to post-trip feedback requests.
4. Target Segments:
   
   • Segmentation of customers based on geographic location (e.g., USA and the rest of the world).
   • Identification of customers who have recently shown interest in certain properties or visited them.

Solution - 

We prepared different solutions based on the client’s requirements.Here are some examples of the push notifications created - 

1. Saved Items Notifications:
   
   • Scenario: A customer saves a property they are interested in.
   • Push Notification Example: If they have saved one item, the notification might read: "Check out your saved property: [Property Name]. Book now before it's gone!" If they have multiple saved items, it might read: "You have saved items in [Destination]. Don't miss out on booking your perfect stay!"
2. Travel Experience Enhancements:
   
   • Scenario: A customer is traveling to a new city and wants to explore activities.
   • Push Notification Example: "Explore the best activities in [City]. Discover top-rated tours, restaurants, and more to make the most of your trip!" Additionally, "Check out our destination guides for [City] and plan your perfect itinerary."

‍Along with assisting with customized emails we also performed A/B Testing for Email Campaigns.What is A/B Testing? A/B testing in Salesforce Marketing Cloud involves creating different versions of an email to determine which version performs better. This can include variations in subject lines, preheaders, and email content.Example:

• Versions Created: Different subject lines, preheaders, and headlines in emails.
• Setup: A test with 25% or 50% holdout groups to see which version customers are more interested in.
• Objective: Identify the most effective email content to maximize customer engagement.

Results - Vrbo Host Cancellation Incentives LaunchOne recent campaign focused on launching host cancellation incentives for Vrbo. To incentivize affected customers, the campaign offered $30 One Key Cash (OKC) to those whose bookings were canceled by a host more than 30 days before the trip start date. This campaign targeted customers who met the following criteria:

• Bookings were canceled by a host more than 30 days before the trip start date.
• Excluded those eligible for the "Book with Confidence Guarantee."
• Customers who did not rebook their trips.

Objective: To provide these customers with incentives to rebook, enhancing their experience and retaining their business.Expedia - $20 OKC Flight Attach IncentiveAs part of our ongoing efforts to enhance customer engagement and drive incremental growth, we launched the $20 OKC Flight Attach Incentive. This initiative aimed to incentivize travelers who booked flights on Expedia to make an additional booking within 30 days by gifting them $20 in One Key Cash (OKC).Key Details:

• Dates: August 20 - 28, 2024
• Audience: Travelers in the United States actively searching for flights.
• Mechanism: The incentive was promoted through a targeted banner message on the Flights Search results page, expected to be seen by 50% of the traffic. Additionally, travelers were alerted about this incentive through a follow-up email sent 24-48 hours post-booking.
• KPIs: The initiative aimed to improve the Unique Purchase Rate and generate approximately 2.2 million in incremental gross profit.

This campaign was a collaborative effort involving teams across Analytics, Finance, Product, and Incentives, with significant contributions from team members.Conclusion - Expedia’s commitment to enhancing the customer experience through personalized marketing has proven to be a strategic advantage in the highly competitive travel industry. By leveraging dynamic email campaigns, tailored push notifications, and targeted app download promotions, Expedia successfully engaged its audience, driving higher conversions and customer satisfaction. The integration of A/B testing allowed for data-driven decisions, optimizing content and maximizing the impact of each campaign.This project demonstrates the power of personalized marketing in building stronger connections with customers, ultimately fostering loyalty and driving business growth. As Expedia continues to innovate and adapt its marketing strategies, it is well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of travelers, offering them tailored solutions that enhance every aspect of their journey.