Revitalising customer engagement through data science, strategy and technology | B2B Travel

A leading travel company sought to revitalise its partner rewards programme. After experiencing significant disruptions in global travel from 2020 to 2022, the company noticed a sharp decline in engagement, with fewer active participants and lower levels of loyalty among travel agents. Their existing rewards programme was struggling, and they didn’t know which agents to prioritise or how to tailor rewards to suit varying agent preferences.

In addition, the company faced challenges with database management, segmentation, and the lack of a structured communication strategy. The technology they used lacked structure, with multiple disparate platforms and systems that made it difficult to track customer data, engage effectively with agents, or run targeted marketing campaigns.

Recognising the need for a more data-driven, structured approach, the company approached us to help them to create a customer engagement strategy and revise their technology ecosystem.

The Challenge

The company faced several critical issues:

• Declining Engagement: The global travel disruptions caused a decline in agent engagement and a reduction in active participants. The company lacked insight into which agents were the most valuable and how to properly engage them.
• Lack of Targeted Segmentation: The company had limited knowledge of agents' preferences, claiming behaviours, and transaction patterns. Without segmentation, it was difficult to know where to focus their efforts and how to optimise engagement strategies.
• Disparate Technology Systems: The company’s technology platforms were underutilised, fragmented, and lacked integration, making it challenging to track agents' behaviours, personalise communications, and activate insights for targeted marketing.
• Inefficient Data Management: The lack of a structured database and clear communication plan resulted in missed opportunities and difficulty in managing the programme effectively.

To overcome these challenges, the company needed a robust, data-driven strategy to segment agents effectively, personalise communications, and enhance their technology infrastructure for a seamless experience.

The Approach and Implementation

The travel company turned to us for help, recognising our expertise in data analysis, segmentation, and CRM strategy. Our team was tasked with providing a comprehensive solution to revitalise the rewards programme, starting with advanced data analysis and leading to a fully integrated technology stack for long-term success.

We devised a phased plan that would bring clarity to the company’s data, streamline their systems, and ultimately create a more effective and engaging rewards programme.

Our solution was delivered in three key phases:

1. Phase 1: Data Analysis & Segmentation
   We began by conducting a comprehensive audit of the existing agent database, which spanned six years of transaction and engagement data. This included detailed analysis of transaction patterns, agent engagement levels, and reward claiming behaviours. We utilised machine learning clustering models to identify distinct agent segments, allowing us to create an actionable segmentation framework based on value, engagement, and claiming behaviours. To add depth, we supplemented the data analysis with social science research to understand the underlying motivations and attitudes of each segment.
2. Phase 2: Strategic Planning & Engagement Strategies
   With the agent segments identified, we then developed targeted marketing and engagement strategies tailored to each segment’s unique characteristics. This phase focused on developing tactical recommendations to address the specific needs of each group, enabling more personalised communication, rewards strategies, and prioritisation of agent engagement efforts.
3. Phase 3: Technology Enhancement & Integration
   In the final phase, we designed a technology blueprint to improve data management and communication capabilities. The company’s disparate systems were unified to create a single customer view, allowing the travel company to track agent activity, activate personalised communications, and monitor performance more effectively. We integrated the existing CRM and martech platforms, incorporating live segmentation tagging and periodic methodology reviews to ensure continuous optimisation of the rewards programme.

For the travel company to see results, it was essential that they adopted the new strategies and embraced the integrated technology system. We encouraged leadership to fully implement the data-driven segmentation framework, use the newly integrated platforms for more personalised agent engagement, and refine their communication strategies based on real-time data.

The call to action was clear: to drive long-term success, the company needed to shift from a broad, generic approach to a more targeted, data-informed strategy that would optimise their partner rewards programme.

Outcomes

The results of our approach were immediate and impactful:

• Clear Agent Segmentation: The segmentation analysis revealed nine distinct agent segments with varying characteristics, behaviours, and engagement levels. We identified key segments contributing significantly to revenue, as well as those requiring targeted interventions.
• Improved Engagement & Retention: The targeted strategies enabled the company to focus resources on high-potential segments, while also engaging underperforming segments with tailored communications.
• Data-Driven Insights for Personalised Communication: The segmentation framework provided actionable insights into agents’ rewards preferences, enabling the company to tailor incentive programmes that resonated with each segment. This personalisation enhanced agent loyalty and improved programme participation.
• Optimised Technology Stack: The integration of the company’s CRM, rewards, and martech platforms created a unified system that allowed for real-time tracking of agent behaviours and seamless communication. The introduction of live segmentation tagging would ensure that the company could continuously refine their engagement strategies based on evolving agent preferences and market conditions.
• Increased Revenue: The segmentation analysis showed that less than 10% of agents were responsible for over 40% of revenue, highlighting the importance of these high-value partners. With targeted engagement efforts, the company could prioritise these agents, ultimately driving revenue growth.
• Long-Term Programme Success: With the integrated technology and data-driven engagement strategies in place, the company was poised for sustainable growth. The segmentation framework provided a solid foundation on which all future marketing and engagement strategies could be built, optimised, and scaled.

This case study highlights the transformative impact of data-driven segmentation in revitalising a partner rewards programme. By understanding agent behaviours, preferences, and value, the company was able to tailor engagement strategies and optimise technology systems, driving higher retention, stronger relationships, and increased revenue. The integrated approach replaced generic, one-size-fits-all methods with precision marketing tactics, positioning the company to maximise returns on their partner investments and build stronger, more loyal partnerships.