Customer experience is the heartbeat of a successful business strategy, defining how customers perceive and interact with your brand, and it's the key differentiator in a crowded market. We sat down with Aavii CEO- Francis Cheong, who just returned from Danang,Vietnam and we talked about how he crafts a memorable customer experience throughout the journey.
Can you share what is the first thing you take into consideration, while organizing an Incentive Travel trip? In terms of customer experience.
Francis: For me it’s the micro-moment or personalized touch. Understanding the preferences, interests, and expectations of your client is the most important part of the customer experience’s journey. Do things that make them feel warm and touched. You can do personalized welcome gifts. Greet clients with a customized welcome gift waiting in their hotel room upon arrival. You can tailor these gifts based on their preferences, like local specialties, branded merchandise, or personalized keepsakes. It doesn’t have to be costly. Personally, I wish hotels would give me a bottle of sparkling water instead of champagne, simply because I don’t drink (well, at least not for another 10 months) – Because that shows you pay attention to your client’s details.
In your opinion, how to create an exclusive personalized opportunity from a trip? Can you give some examples?
Francis: Exclusivity elevates an incentive trip from great to unforgettable. Access to experiences those participants wouldn’t be able to book on their own—not just because of cost, but because of unique access or personalization—can leave a lasting impression. Think private tours at Golden Hand, Bana Hill or intimate dinner. I found this gorgeous local restaurant in Hoi An and it’s a perfect place for a private gathering. Oh, I also want to add on that I think organizing a smaller group is more efficient because it offers a range of benefits that contribute to greater efficiency and effectiveness in incentive travel programs. Name it, from personalized attention and enhanced networking opportunities to increased engagement and cost efficiency, smaller groups can help organizations achieve their goals while delivering a more rewarding experience for participants. And yes, this is also a part of the micro-moments and travelling in small groups also supports eco-travel.
Last but not least, talking about eco-travel how do you incorporate ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) into personalized travel and create a micro-moment from it?
Francis: I would say immersing participants in the local culture is one of the ways to incorporate ESG into incentive travel. This could mean anything from traditional dining experiences or local entertainment. For instance, instead of having your group dining at a big, franchise restaurants, opt for dining in at a local restaurant, just like I did in Danang, because you are supporting one— local workers, two— farm to the table movement, which is a social movement where restaurants source their ingredients from local farms, usually through direct acquisition from a farmer. Engaging with the local culture and people adds an enriching layer to the travel experience, making the customer’s experience more memorable.
Creating memorable customer experiences through incentive travel requires a blend of personalization, exclusivity, and emotional engagement. By focusing on the individual needs and preferences of the participants, organizations can ensure that their incentive travel programs are as impactful as they are unforgettable.
Aavii is a fully integrated Meetings, Conferences, & Incentive Travel company with over 20 years of experience in crafting meeting themes to elevate audience engagement globally. Our subsidiaries, Apxara Travel & Events is a partner of a Global Event Agency, BCD Meetings & Events based in Chicago, Illinois, USA whilst Accucap owns a full range of events technology.