Why More Travel Companies Are Outsourcing Customer Support (And Why It Actually Makes Sense)
- Let’s Start with Something Familiar
- So, What Is Customer Support Outsourcing?
- Why It’s Picking Up Steam in the Travel Industry
- 5 Reasons Travel Brands Are Going the Outsourcing Route
- The Channels That Matter Most
- Real-Life Example: An OTA That Turned It Around
- What About the Common Worries?
- What Should They Know Before Going Live?
- How Do You Know It’s Working?
- What’s Changing in 2025?
- Don’t Miss These: The Underrated Details
- Conclusion
Let’s Start with Something Familiar
You’re at the airport. It’s late. Your flight just got canceled, and now you’re standing in a long line with no idea what’s going on. You try calling the airline no answer. You tweet at them. Still nothing.
Frustrating, right?
That’s the kind of moment where customer support makes or breaks the experience.
For travel companies, offering great support isn’t just nice it’s necessary. But let’s be honest: doing it all in-house? It’s hard. Expensive. Exhausting.
That’s why more travel brands are outsourcing their support. And it’s not about cutting costs (although it helps). It’s about delivering better service, all day, every day, without burning out your team.
So, What Is Customer Support Outsourcing?
It’s pretty simple. You partner with an external team usually specialists who handle your customer service. They answer calls, respond to emails, jump into chats, and reply to messages on social media.
They work as your support team just not inside your office.
Why It’s Picking Up Steam in the Travel Industry
Travel doesn’t follow a 9-to-5 schedule. Customers are booking trips, missing flights, changing hotels… at all hours.
After the pandemic, the industry had to get lean and flexible. That’s when many travel brands realized: outsourcing gave them the ability to stay available 24/7, across languages and time zones, without the headache of managing it all internally.
According to Statista, the outsourcing market is heading toward $114 billion by 2025. Travel’s a big part of that.
5 Reasons Travel Brands Are Going the Outsourcing Route
1. Support That Never Sleeps
People travel across time zones. They need help in the middle of the night, during layovers, or while stranded abroad.
Outsourced teams offer round-the-clock, multilingual help so no one’s left hanging.
2. It Saves Money
Hiring and training an in-house team costs a lot. Outsourcing cuts those expenses by up to 30% (Deloitte says so), and you still get trained professionals.
3. They Already Know Travel
Good outsourcing partners specialize in the industry. That means they know how to handle rebookings, delays, last-minute changes you don’t have to teach them.
4. It’s Easy to Scale Up for Busy Seasons
Got a holiday rush coming? Outsourced support teams can grow with you fast. No panic hiring, no overtime stress.
5. Your Team Can Focus on Growth
While the external team handles support tickets, refunds, or itinerary fixes, your internal folks can work on big-picture stuff like launching new packages or building partnerships.
The Channels That Matter Most
| Channel | Best For |
|---|---|
| Phone | Urgent changes, last-minute cancellations |
| Confirmations, detailed requests | |
| Live Chat | Quick questions while browsing |
| Social Media | Complaints, public feedback |
| Chatbots | Basic FAQs, 24/7 instant replies |
Real-Life Example: An OTA That Turned It Around
One mid-sized online travel agency had a problem too many tickets, not enough agents. Their team was exhausted. Customers were waiting too long.
So, they outsourced.
- Resolution times dropped from 10 minutes to just 3
- Customer satisfaction increased by 40%
- Agent burnout? Way down
They didn’t just fix their support they improved their entire customer experience.
What About the Common Worries?
1. Is My Customer Data Safe?
Yes if you choose the right partner. Look for firms that use end-to-end encryption, follow GDPR, and have clear security protocols.
2. Will They Sound Like Us?
They can if you train them right. Share style guides, tone examples, and do regular QA. Most good providers want to match your brand voice.
3. What If They’re in a Different Time Zone?
That’s actually a benefit. While your internal team sleeps, the outsourced team handles night shifts. You get 24/7 coverage without running your own graveyard shift.
What Should They Know Before Going Live?
| Training Area | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Destinations & Tours | Helps answer common booking and trip questions |
| Emergency Handling | Deals with flight delays, lost bookings, etc. |
| CRM Tools | Navigates your support and ticketing platforms |
| Cultural Sensitivity | Prevents miscommunication with global customers |
How Do You Know It’s Working?
Keep an eye on a few key metrics:
- First Contact Resolution (FCR) – Are issues getting solved the first time?
- Average Handle Time (AHT) – How long are calls or chats taking?
- CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) – What are customers saying after interactions?
- NPS (Net Promoter Score) – Would they recommend you?
- Call Abandonment Rate – Are people hanging up before they get help?
These numbers tell you if your outsourced team is actually delivering.
What’s Changing in 2025?
1. Smarter AI
Chatbots are learning fast. They’re now handling complex queries and freeing up human agents for bigger issues.
️2. Voice Tech
Think voice assistants that can rebook your flight or find your hotel all by talking to them.
3. Seamless Channel Hopping
Customers don’t care what platform they’re using. They might start on Facebook and finish on live chat. Your support needs to keep up.
4. Personalization
Support based on past trips, loyalty tiers, preferences it’s no longer a bonus. Travelers expect it.
Don’t Miss These: The Underrated Details
1. Cultural Sensitivity
One word can make or break a conversation. Agents trained to understand different customs = better support for global travelers.
2. Proactive Updates
Don’t wait for customers to chase you. Let them know about flight delays, gate changes, or cancellations before they ask.
3. Flexible Workflows
Your support process should fit your brand not force you into a template. Good partners will customize it with you.
4. Honest Reporting
Ask for regular reports, scorecards, and QA reviews. Transparency builds trust and helps you improve.
Conclusion
Outsourcing customer support isn’t about losing control. It’s about gaining consistency, coverage, and peace of mind without stretching your internal team thin.
Done right, it makes travelers feel taken care of. And when travelers feel supported, they come back.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re growing, scaling, or just overwhelmed yes. It’s worth exploring.
Absolutely. With the right onboarding and SLAs, many brands improve their support.
Choose a partner who follows GDPR, encrypts everything, and has tight access controls.
Most companies see 20–30% cost savings, plus faster service and higher CSAT.