The Challenge: Friction in the Online Travel Booking Journey

A leading online travel agency (OTA) was facing critical challenges in customer experience, impacting both booking confidence and support centre efficiency. Through extensive research and first-hand testing, two major friction points emerged:

• Lack of clear cancellation policies, leading to uncertainty and negative customer feedback.

• Overloaded support centres, resulting in long wait times and frustrating customer interactions.

To maintain its competitive edge and support future growth, the OTA needed a strategic approach to AI integration and UX design to create a seamless and efficient booking process.

AI Strategy: Rethinking Customer Support with Generative AI

To address congestion in the OTA’s support centre, we conducted research and proposed a multi-layered AI-driven approach to reduce dependency on agents while improving personalisation.

Key Findings from Research & Testing

• 73% of 1-star TrustPilot reviews cited support centre congestion, refund delays, or unclear cancellation policies as the main pain points.

• First-hand testing revealed a 40-minute wait time for sales inquiries and a 4-hour wait for customer support callbacks.

Proposed AI Solutions to Streamline Customer Interactions

• AI-Powered Chatbot
  A self-service chatbot enabling customers to add, change, or cancel bookings, reducing reliance on human agents.

• Agent-Assisting AI Tools
  AI-generated response prompts to help support representatives provide more accurate and efficient service.

• AI-Driven Personalisation
  Leveraging customer data to provide tailored travel recommendations and support interactions.

UX Research: Building a More Intuitive Booking Experience

Identifying Core Customer Pain Points

Through TrustPilot reviews, competitive analysis, and mystery shopping, we identified how different traveler types experience booking friction.

Key Personas & Their Booking Challenges

• Anxious Anna – Needs clear cancellation details to feel confident booking.

• Careless Claire – Rushes bookings to secure deals, often missing refund policies.

• Frustrated Fred – Prefers phone support but finds long queues unacceptable.

• Savvy Sally – Comfortable booking online but wants on-the-fly booking modifications.

  
  

Proposed UX Enhancements to Address These Needs

• Cancellation Policy Modal
  A clear, always-accessible feature displaying refund policies throughout the booking process.

• Enhanced Self-Service Booking Management
  Enabling users to make changes independently, without needing to call support.

• AI-Powered Travel Assistant
  Providing personalised recommendations and real-time support for booking modifications.

Impact: AI & UX Driving Measurable Improvements

By combining AI-driven automation with customer-centric UX enhancements, the OTA would see significant improvements in both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction:

• Lower support centre congestion, allowing agents to focus on high-value inquiries.

• Higher booking confidence, reducing disputes and negative feedback.

• A frictionless booking experience, leading to increased retention and positive brand perception.

Key Success Metrics (if implemented):

• Reduction in 1-star TrustPilot reviews related to cancellations and refunds.

• Decrease in average customer support wait times.

• Increase in repeat bookings and customer referrals.