Context
NexTravel is a Travel Tech company. It simplifies business travel by controlling costs, streamlining bookings, and providing a seamless user experience on a single platform and mobile app.
Challenge
NexTravel’s back-end integrates complex technology and feeds. “Everything we work with is really complex,” explains Holly Hou, Manager of Customer Service Operations and Analytics at NexTravel, “Our agents need to be highly trained in travel inquiries and technical support, across all channels.”
The tech leader struggled to find customer support agents who understood the complicated Sabre GDS (Global Distribution System) tool, could operate NexTravel’s booking platform and could provide empathetic support to stressed-out travelers. They also needed a flexible support partner who was agile enough to handle their changing workload…especially when COVID hit.
Solution
We increased our training and onboard approach to six weeks of detailed training, four weeks of nesting, plus ongoing weekly coaching to stay on track with important KPIs and frequent platform updates.
Enshored helped NexTravel create level one, level two, and web support (manager level) agents.
We defined agent KPIs – customer satisfaction, problem-solving efficiency, and proactively addressing negative customer feedback.
“Enshored works hand-in-hand with me to set up processes together, then managers train the rest of the team,” Hou explains, “Enshored are specialized, have the excellent critical thinking, a good attitude, and work hard in terms of their technical skillset.”
Impact
90%
customer satisfaction rating, one of the highest ratings in the industry
Increased
customer support to 24/7 phone, email, text, and chat
Recruited
the right support team members with travel backgrounds, deep technical knowledge, and critical soft skills
Flexible
support during uncertain times
5-star ratings
consistently
True Partnership in COVID
Due to rapid growth, the team grew to 42 agents. In March 2020 when COVID-19 began spreading throughout the U.S., NexTravel faced a rollercoaster when it came to workload and agent count. Enshored decided to do whatever was necessary to support the company throughout the pandemic.
“When the pandemic first hit, our volume was seven times more than normal. The Enshored team volunteered to work overtime to help us get through. This was the flexibility we needed,” explains Hou,
NexTravel’s needs changed multiple times. The team downscaled from 45 to 15. “Their flexibility is extremely valuable. The team is open-minded and willing to take on tasks outside of their normal duties. I feel like they’re my teammates and partners,” Hou says, “Our engineering team was amazed by how much detail the agents poured into new tasks, and that really adds a lot of value to our company.”
Ian Jackson, CEO of Enshored, adds. “We know that once the pandemic is under control NexTravel will be back to rapid growth. We have deployed all of the demobilized NexTravel team. We absorbed the salary costs and maintained training during the last year so that when NexTravel needs us we are ready.”
“The team is responsible and works above and beyond with a really good attitude. With their knowledge and contributions, Enshored is worth way more than the fee.”
Holly Hou | Manager of Customer Service Operations and Analytics at NexTravel