Outsourcing Call Center Services in Hospitality Management

In the hospitality business world, every moment with a customer counts: from the first phone call to the hotel answering service to the outbound call center follow up after departure. Every interaction will make a difference for your business: between a one-time client and a recurring customer. 

And here is exactly where Virtudesk's call center services for the travel and leisure industry make a difference with tailor-made solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency simultaneously.

Call center services for the travel industry when integrated within the management system will augment operational agility to the hotels and airlines, from managing bookings to handling customer inquiries. Operational agility, in this industry, means that your staff is free to concentrate on delivering great experiences while the business service provider takes care of all the complexity that comes with handling the customer communication, including income and outbound calls to cover all hospitality and travel call center services needs.

Cost Effectiveness of Travel and Hospitality Call Center Outsourcing Services

Hiring customer support in hospitality and travel call center services gives you the competitive advantage of providing the quality of customer service your business requires without having to deal with huge investments in technical resources, and recruiting and training staff. Moreover, you know that any business in the hospitality arena undergoes ups and downs. During certain times you have an excessive demand for services with constant incoming calls, while during some other months, you have to set up offers and promotions to attract clients and adopt telemarketing practices. 

Now, imagine if you were dealing with an in-house call center instead. You would have the labor and maintenance cost, plus the hassle but at lower ROI. This is something you can avoid by business process outsourcing.  It will be the service provider the one adapting to the ups and downs of your business needs . 

At Virtudesk, our call center pricing models are highly competitive and transparent (yes, no hidden or unexpected costs); our call center operations are designed to be scalable and are suitable for businesses with different needs, making this type of quality customer service outsourcing available to all sectors within the hospitality industry.

The Strategic Advantage of Outsourcing Call Center Services and Increased Customer Satisfaction

Think of a caller who, after hours, would like to make changes in the reservation they have with your hotel, or a frequent flyer who requires immediate assistance to change their flight. With 24/7 contact center support, when these kinds of inquiries are professionally and quickly addressed the guest feels valued and taken care of. 

For a traveller, whether on vacation, for work, or even for medical reasons, an immediate response from the customer support service for the airline industry or hotel reservation call center is crucial for a good experience despite the issue or doubt that might have arised

Undoubtedly, in the hospitality industry, customer satisfaction depends on the quality of service provided by the travel and hospitality call center services at every point of interaction. 

Here are some aspects that explain how call center solutions for hotels or overall call center services for the travel industry improve customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry: 

24/7 Support: After-hours support of call services for hotels ensures that even after business hours, your guests will solve any doubt or issues, whether it's a late-night room service request or a last-minute flight change.

Personalized Service: Trained call center representatives have detailed information of every aspect of your business and count on advanced tools such as specific call center software for travel and hospitality companies that let them provide personalized responses that solve your clients’ issues or concerns with professionalism and empathy without delay. 

Complaint Resolution: Call center agents will provide prompt and effective handling of complaints and issue-solving. This will usually convert dissatisfied guests into recurring customers, that will most likely spread the word about your business. 

Operational efficiencies that hotels and airlines achieve by integrating call center services

Integrating call center services streamlines operations and boosts efficiency in several areas, to mention just a few: 

Better and Centralized Communication: Centralizing communication through a call center for the travel industry helps manage guest inquiries more efficiently, ensuring that nothing is lost in translation between multiple departments. For instance, it’s not the same to have a hotel answering service as having the people at the reception handling your coming guests while answering phone calls at the same.  

Focused Staff: With call centers handling routine inquiries, on-site staff can dedicate more time to improve your guests’  experience directly, which is a must in the hospitality industry.

Cost Management: Outsourcing call center operations reduces the overhead associated with staffing, training, and managing in-house customer service teams, particularly during fluctuating demand. You pay only for the services you use regardless of the ups and downs. 

How do call center services contribute to cost-effectiveness for hospitality businesses?

Outsourcing call center operations can lead to significant cost savings for businesses in the hospitality industry. The following are some of the key financial advantages:

Reduced Labor Costs: By outsourcing to specialized providers like Virtudesk, hotels and airlines can avoid the expenses associated with hiring, training, and maintaining an in-house call center staff. Most call center companies hire and train their teams from countries such as the Philippines or India where hourly rates are way lower than in the USA. As a result, they can offer you top professional services at noticeably reduced costs. 

Scalability: As mentioned above, outsourcing allows adjusting easily to seasonal fluctuations without the financial strain of maintaining a constant full-time staff.

Technology Savings: Utilizing a call center service provider also cuts down on the investment needed for complex call center software for travel and hospitality, infrastructure, and constant technical support. Your business cannot afford any disruption!

Common concerns hospitality businesses have about outsourcing call center services, and how Virtudesk addresses them

Quality Control: Businesses often worry about maintaining high service standards. A reliable outsourcing customer service such as Virtudesk ensures superior quality through rigorous training programs and continuous performance monitoring.

Cultural Fit: There's the concern that outsourced agents may not fully understand the business brand’s identity and ethics. At Virtudesk, we ensure that all your assigned staff members receive in-depth brand training and regular updates on company policies and guest expectations as well as cultural intelligence. A study conducted in the Philippines showed that although language skills are important, cultural intelligence, which refers to the ability to engage with people from different cultures is equally important. 

Security: In the hospitality industry, businesses are constantly handling private information. This naturally raises security concerns. Virtudesk adheres to strict data protection regulations, we train our agents on the matter and take care of where we store and back up the information. 

Do not hesitate to spend time doing proper research before hiring a service.

 In fact, the study The Effectiveness of a Customer Relations Call Center in Recovering Hotel Guests explains that a phone survey indicated that customers’ positive reactions to call center interactions may hinge on how their complaints are handled and whether they feel their issues are resolved or not.

At Virtudesk, we have all your needs covered and, with us, you will find a team tailored to your needs. 

What criteria should hospitality businesses consider when choosing a call center service provider?

These are the key factors hospitality businesses should consider when evaluating a service provider:

Experience in the Hospitality Industry: Seek a provider with proven experience in the hospitality sector. There are many companies offering business outsourcing services, but you need to make sure you choose a provider with specific experience, they are more likely to understand and meet the needs of hotels, airlines, or other related businesses.

Technological Capability: Your provider should have the capability to integrate advanced technology to support seamless customer interactions. At Virtudesk, our customer support in the hospitality travel call center uses systems designed to cater for the needs of the hospitality industry. It’s not the same hotel call center outsourcing than retail or education call center outsourcing.  

Language and Cultural Alignment: Since hospitality often involves international or intercultural interactions, depending on your business, choosing a provider with multilingual agents who can culturally resonate with your guests should be considered.

Flexibility and Scalability: The provider should be able to scale services up or down based on demand without compromising quality or response time.

Research supports the benefits of call center services in the hospitality industry

Implementing inbound and outbound call center services can significantly enhance customer service delivery and operational efficiency in the hospitality industry. But let’s data enlighten us further. 

Improved Customer Satisfaction: According to a report by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), hotels, car rentals, and airlines among others that invest in customer service technology, including advanced call center solutions, experience an average increase in customer satisfaction scores by up to 10%. 

Cost Reduction: A study by Hospitality Technology shows that hotels that outsource their reservation and customer service functions to specialized travel and hospitality call centers can reduce costs by up to 30%, mainly due to decreased labor and training expenses. Explore the study on Hospitality Technology

Cybersecurity: Back in 2018, the Global Outsourcing Survey found that 95% of companies had cybersecurity risk measures in place. Fast forward to today, and only 52% of executives feel ready to tackle their cybersecurity challenges. Cybersecurity and data analytics have become top outsourcing priorities. According to the Deloitte Global Outsourcing Survey 2022, 81% of executives use third-party vendors to support their cybersecurity functions, but less than half of these organizations feel prepared to handle this challenge.

Increased Efficiency: Data from a Deloitte analysis indicates that hospitality businesses that integrate outsourcing companies offering call center services experience a 25% improvement in operational efficiency. This improvement is attributed to streamlined communication processes and faster response times. View Deloitte’s insights

Enhanced Revenue: A research by the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration found that hotels utilizing professional call center services report an increase in booking rates by 15% compared to those handling it in-house, due to more effective upselling and cross-selling techniques. Read the full report from Cornell

What differentiates Virtudesk and makes it a trusted partner in the hospitality sector

Virtudesk stands out as a leader in providing call center services tailored to the hospitality industry due to several distinct advantages:

Customized Solutions: Virtudesk offers services that are specifically tailored to the unique needs of each client, ensuring that all aspects of customer service align with the hotel or airline’s brand standards.

Proven Track Record: With a history of successful partnerships with major players in the hospitality industry, Virtudesk has demonstrated its ability to elevate customer experiences and improve operational efficiencies.

Commitment to Quality: Virtudesk’s rigorous training programs and continuous quality assessments ensure that every customer interaction is handled with the utmost professionalism and care.

Innovative Technology: Leveraging the latest in call center technology, Virtudesk provides clients with powerful tools for managing customer interactions, analytics for performance monitoring, and seamless integration with existing systems.

Conclusion

Integrating call center services is more than a convenience—it is a strategic necessity in today’s hospitality industry. From enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency to ensuring cost-effectiveness, the benefits are clear. 

With Virtudesk, hospitality businesses can meet and exceed the expectations of their guests.

Our commitment to quality and our focus on specialized solutions for the hospitality sector make us your ideal partner if you are looking to elevate your customer service and operational success.

To learn more about how Virtudesk can transform your hospitality services, visit our website, schedule a Free Consultation or call us at  +1 (800) 470-8136. You will be our most welcomed guest!