“Every day when you wake up, Instagram gives you FOMO. And if Instagram is giving you FOMO, you feel like traveling everywhere,” says Neil Patil, capturing the spirit that drives Veena World.

In the world of travel and tourism, brands cater to a universal and timeless desire called wanderlust and hope to deliver great, memorable experiences that when the bug bites again, they are back checking destinations and packages at Veena World.

Under Neil Patil’s (Founder & Director of Veena World) leadership, the brand has experimented with cutting-edge technology and deep market insights to continuously improve the customer experience before, during, and after their trip or journey.

So how do they keep up? What is their secret to retention?

Let’s take a look.

Understanding and Fulfilling the Individual Needs of Travelers with Precision

“Look at the Indian market; we have a huge population, and everyone is a different type of traveler. There is a traveler who wants bhindi masala on their holiday every day. There is a traveler who does not eat vegetarian food at all.”

Neil adds, “We research a lot. Like the destination or travel product team, our product team researches a lot.” This intensive approach ensures that each traveler’s unique preferences are precisely catered to.

It’s one thing to have a deep understanding of your customer base, but it’s another when this segment is diverse.

Offering personalization at scale is tricky in travel.

Under Neil’s guidance and leadership, the team started deeply researching customer preferences and behaviors using surveys, direct feedback, and engagement metrics across digital platforms.

Then, with CRM tools and data analytics, they segment that audience into detailed personas and customize travel packages and their communication and marketing messages.

For example, a family looking for summer vacation packages will be reached out more often during common school holidays.

Take also, for example, why people travel.

From cultural immersion to adventure, luxury, and even familiarity, Veena World can tailor its communication and product offerings to meet specific desires and expectations.

Their ability to customize at scale has us intrigued about its impact on retention.

And where does AI fit in here?

While using AI and machine learning to predict customer preferences and suggest trips and destinations, Neil mentions how it eventually should enhance the human element of travel planning, where Veena World’s travel experts can provide more recommendations.

Post-Pandemic Precision: Streamlining Strategies for Marketing and Customer Journeys

“Someone might find something in their soup at a restaurant in Kathmandu, right? Someone might not like the AC that is there in a car somewhere in Assam. These things are not in our hands, but we want to ensure that whenever a problem arises, we are there for you. And that’s why our marketing plans have also evolved accordingly.”

The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed global travel, introducing new challenges and traveler expectations, which Neil explains they focussed on understanding deeply.

Reflecting on the changes brought by the pandemic, Neil says, “Before 2020 at Veena World, we were doing many things in a very traditional way… Now, the pandemic gave us time to reflect.”

Neil explains that travelers are now more informed and demand more from travel platforms based on their desire for safety, flexibility in modifying their plans, and personalized experiences.

Whether it’s a family adventure packed with activities, a relaxing solo retreat, or a culturally immersive experience, customers are keen to enjoy travel exactly as they envision it.

Living up to such expectations becomes pivotal to retaining these customers.

Veena World responded to this growing audience need by streamlining its marketing strategies and customer journey processes to emphasize flexibility and safety.

The company then redesigned its travel packages and communication channels, ensuring they remained relevant and valuable to customers at different points in their browsing window.

Navigating Funnels: Crafting Communications and Tech-Powered Personalization

“Circling back to the question that you asked about how we came up with these niche segments and all of that, I guess it’s a lot of listening, a lot of observing, a lot of trying to understand why someone is feeling the way they feel on holiday or before their holiday.”

This principle of asking ‘why’ five times helps create a strong customer engagement strategy, allowing Veena World to successfully navigate complex customer conversion funnels without giving up on personalization.

The travel industry is expected to intrigue and capture people’s imaginations and then guide them through booking their dream vacations.

But this journey is no longer linear. Keen travelers access a complex network of touchpoints and travel companies, from Instagram posts and YouTube vlogs, personal blogs, and reviews of fellow travelers before finalizing their vacation plans.

“Forget SEO as the primary guiding force for crafting content,” Neil says, “and instead think about what stage your visitors are in their journey.”

Only then can you start to ensure your customers are getting the right message at a relevant moment; for example, for those who are curious about a destination, Veena World leverages targeted email campaigns with cultural insights and detailed itineraries to solidify that intent.

As one inches closer to booking, it becomes critical for that communication by brands to be clear and concise.

Mobile apps for seamless bookings and readily available customer support through live chat and WhatsApp are also key to reassuring customers enough to confidently plan their travel in the future with Veena World.

CDPs: The Secret Weapon for Personalized Marketing

A Customer Data Platform, or CDP, works as a central hub for traveler data.

By collecting information from various sources, such as website hits, email interactions, and past booking details, CDPs create detailed profiles of customer segments.

Categorizing travelers based on interests and demographics, such as adventure seekers, budget backpackers, and senior citizens, informs their marketing community and helps create future products.

This, in turn, helps acquire new customers and retain existing ones since Veena World provides a wide range of travel options, ensuring market visibility in a very competitive space.

For travelers who previously enjoyed their experience with a past booking, the brand encourages them to research and explore other options for their next trip.

By being able to cross-sell and up-sell different types of travel experiences, customers associate Veena World with positive recall across different travel needs.

Neil remarks, “We have a separate team that handles this. You might find it funny, but everyone has a travel bucket list. So we often ask our travelers, when will you complete 20 countries? When are you going to complete 30 countries? When are you going to complete 50 countries?”

By engaging customers through their aspirations, Veena World effectively uses CDPs to tailor their marketing communications and build long-term relationships with travelers.

Shrinking Interlude: Using Reduced Time Between Trips as a Retention Metric

“Retention has always been key because when someone has booked the first time with you, they have trusted you. If all that goes well, they will get back to you and give you a second chance. And if not a second chance, they’ll give you first dibs on planning their next travel plans.”

Veena World focuses on a specific retention metric: the time gap between successive trips made by a customer, also called the ‘shrinking interlude.’

Especially as travelers, Neil says, are keen to travel again quicker, and frequent trips result in higher CLV (Customer Lifetime Value).

With stable and predictable booking patterns, revenue can be forecasted, and long-term business decisions like revenue management and resource allocation can be made.

Wrapping Up

Under Neil Patil, Veena World has transformed the experience of browsing and engaging with vacation planning to meet modern travelers’ expectations.

By focusing on strategic customer retention built on exhaustive research into their customer segments, the company ensures their users are happy and continue returning to planning future trips.

Watch the full podcast to learn more key ideas of their retention strategy.

Curious to learn more about how you can lower your churn rate? Check out more State of Retention podcasts here!