27 reasons why your travel business needs a CRM system

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is the number-one tool for organizing and storing customer data.

The overall benefits are twofold. A CRM system will increase work efficiency in marketing, sales, and customer service… but it will also help you deliver better customer experiences.

The CRM system is the modern replacement for spreadsheets that no ambitious travel agency can do without. Here are 27 reasons why: 

• CRM software usage is booming with 12.6% year-on-year growth.  Since 2017, it’s become the biggest software market and is expected to hit $80 billion by 2025. This explosive growth shows how valuable CRM systems are for businesses worldwide. (Gartner) 
• A CRM system can increase revenue per sales rep by 41% by streamlining workflows, boosting conversion rates, and keeping customers happy. CRM is a proven path to growing your travel agency’s profits. (FounderJar) 
• 77% of sales professionals say CRM helps reduce administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on clients. (McKinsey & Company) 
• When properly implemented, a CRM system’s ROI can exceed 245%. No one ever wants to spend money, but CRM software is a classic “you have to spend money to make money” situation. (IBM)
• 91% of companies with more than 11 employees use a CRM system. (GetBase)
• CRM can help you boost the profits generated by each sales representative by 41%. (IBM) 
• When CRM is used in sales, it boosts revenue and improves lead conversion rates by over 300% by decreasing spending by 23%.  (Salesforce) 
• Nearly 44% of travelers ignore generic sales pitches and expect personalized communications. (Savage Global Marketing) 
• 33% of all travelers express that receiving too many calls and emails confuses them.  For these reasons, travel agencies need CRM software to understand the customers’ specific needs and make every interaction count. (Savage Global Marketing) 
• 80% of customers are more likely to make a purchase from a company offering a personalized experience. (Epsilon)
• CRM is among the top three tools and technologies for creating personalized customer interactions to foster loyalty and better marketing ROI. (HubSpot)
• 54% of salespeople use CRM to build stronger relationships and close more deals within a limited time. (Salesforce) 
• The top three problems companies want to solve with CRM adoption are contact management (50%), sales management (33%), and lead generation (33%). (SelectHub) 
• Travel agencies should invest in a CRM because it goes beyond sales. 46% of marketing teams use it for targeted campaigns and 45% of customer service teams use it to improve client communication. (biltrix24) 
• CRM raises customer satisfaction by up to 47%. With thorough insights, a CRM helps you deliver unparalleled customer experiences at every stage of the customer journey. (WebEngage) 
• 74% of travel companies said their CRM system gave them improved access to customer data to curate personal trips for each customer. (Software Advice)  
• 61% of the customer service agents in the travel sector using CRM software found it boosts their productivity and increases customer satisfaction. (Resco.net) 
• CRM streamlines data access, shortening the sales cycle by 8-14%. (Nuclear Research) 
• 20% of CRM users switched their generic CRM systems to travel-specific CRM because they found their CRM is not industry-specific. (Folk.aps) 
• Forget generic emails! Travel agencies with CRM can send personalized emails and offers based on client preferences. Studies show an 82% increase in open rates for these targeted promotions. (Agentivity) 
• 50% of all sales reps make calls on vacation, and a third close deals at social events. A mobile CRM keeps the sales rolling in the travel sector. (Oracle) 
• Cloud-based travel CRM dominated the travel market with a 56.1% market share in 2022 and is expected to grow by 16.1% CAGR by 2030. (Grand view) 
• 64% of businesses find a CRM system business-critical. (LinkedIn)
• Employees using a CRM reported 17% higher job satisfaction than before they had a CRM system. (LinkedIn) 
• 32% of companies have upgraded their CRM system, showing the travel industry demands modern CRM for better client management and growth. (Software Advice) 
• 68% of customers decide to leave a business due to perceived indifference towards them. A CRM system will help overcome this challenge and deliver relevant, personalized communications and service every single time. (Bloomtools)
• Effective sales organizations are 87% more likely to be consistent users of CRM. (Nutshell)