We are clearly ahead in online sales

TP, the world leader in digital business services (Teleperformance Performance), reveals important trends and changes in customer behavior in the online travel sector with its Global Customer Experience Trends research. In his statement to Capital magazine by TP EMEA Emerging Markets Business Development President Tolga Uçbağlar, who has been leading the way in increasing customer satisfaction in Türkiye for 30 years, the question "How are consumer trends shaped in reservations made through online travel agencies?" was sought.

Uçbağlar shared the results of the "TP Business Insight Lab" report they conducted for the global travel industry: Accordingly,

- 36 percent of participants have purchased travel, holiday packages or tours through online travel agencies in the last 12 months.

- This rate is especially high for Generation Y, and this group stands out as the most active users.

- Additionally, 49 percent of consumers have chosen to purchase additional insurance when making their reservations. Younger generations in particular are more conscious of insuring their travels, and this habit is spreading more. Those who contact customer service are twice as likely to purchase insurance through an online travel agency as those who do not.

- In terms of payment preferences, 35 percent of customers prefer credit cards in online travel agencies, 6 percent prefer direct debit, and 3 percent prefer bank transfer.

So, what is the picture of consumers’ brand satisfaction and tendency to recommend brands around the world?

- The factors that most affect brand satisfaction are reliability, product offered, service quality and product variety.

- Mexico has the highest score in brand satisfaction with 9.1, followed by Colombia and Brazil with 8.9 points.

- Turkey ranks third with 8.8 points.

- In terms of brand recommendations, Türkiye is above the sector average with 61 percent.

What are the highlights and satisfaction rates in digital channel preferences?

- Websites are the most preferred digital touchpoint for consumers, with 100%. Customers have great trust in websites for obtaining information and performing transactions.

- Application interactions on mobile devices continue to increase and are in second place with 91 percent. Social media content is in third place with 90 percent.

- When looking at general satisfaction levels, customers in Türkiye are highly satisfied with the digital channels offered by online travel agencies. Websites stand out as the digital channel with the highest satisfaction rate with 8.5 points. Mobile applications and social media content also provide very high satisfaction rates with 8.3 points respectively.

- Self-service options are slightly lower at 8.2 points, but remain at a generally positive level.

How can the problems experienced by consumers regarding digital security and the approach of brands on this issue shape the customer experience in the future?

- According to the research, 23 percent of consumers have experienced at least one security incident in the last 12 months. However, the rate of consumers who do not report these issues to their brands has reached a high level of 55 percent. One of the most important factors explaining this situation is that 28 percent of consumers think that the problems they experience are not the responsibility of the brands. In addition, 22 percent said they do not know how to report security issues and 9 percent said the reporting process is complicated. These rates show that brands need to develop more effective communication and solution processes regarding security.

- Turkey ranks 4th among countries with security issues with 24 percent. This indicates that consumers in Türkiye have more complaints and concerns about security. It seems important for brands to create more transparent and easily accessible notification processes regarding security in order to improve this situation.

What factors determine consumers’ satisfaction with their customer service interactions, and what approach should brands take in this area?

- Today's consumer turns to customer service not only to solve a problem but also to have a meaningful and seamless interaction with the brand.

- We see that the three factors that most affect customer satisfaction are professionalism, product/service knowledge and easy access to the access channel. In today's competitive environment, the real point that will make a difference for brands is not only to maintain their current customer service standards, but also to make these touchpoints more intuitive, proactive and personalized.