Troy Smith, the owner and managing director of True Africa, shares his perspective on understanding customer needs and delivering compelling experiences to upmarket customers in the safari travel industry. Troy sheds light on the reality of delivering 5-star in the remote African bush and brings the discussion to life through some unforgettable real life experiences. Troy and show host Julia discuss how the travel industry has been disrupted and how to harness digital as a CX enabler. Julia shares her theme for May's CX Mini Masterclass episodes, which will focus on understanding customers.

 

 

 

Expert insights

It's critical for any business to understand its customers. This is something that we - as CX professionals - are constantly saying, but it's always inspiring to see this mantra in action.

 

Troy Smith, in his element on safari in Northern Tanzania

Troy Smith is the Managing Director and owner of True Africa, a company that specializes in tailored African safari itineraries to suit guests in the upper-mid range to luxury segments. Originally from Australia and having previously worked at top safari camps in both Kenya and South Africa, Troy took over the reins at True Africa 7 years ago. With a strong background in marketing and business development, Troy has combined his passion for travel in East and Southern African and built a burgeoning business in the luxury safari sector.

Troy is based in True Africa's Cape Town office, but has vast experience across the continent – everything from a ‘close encounter’ with a hippo while in a mokoro in the Okavango Delta, to exhilarating walking safaris in Zambia and watching the herds zig-zag across the Serengeti’s plains, he understands safaris incredibly well and leads his team in their efforts of matching clients with the right destination for their safari experiences. Troy and his team work with networks of safari camps, lodges, guides and ground teams to build the perfect trip for each customer.

And it's paid off. During our conversation Troy remarked that they don't do as much marketing as some of their competitors. Why? Well, it's because they enjoy a steady stream of repeat customers and referrals. His business is living proof that if you deliver a great experience, the rest falls into place...pretty much what every CX professional has been telling their executive team since the term "CX" was coined.

 

It's easy to see why Troy's team has a strong base of repeat customers

 

Key takeaways: making luxury customer experience a reality in the African bush

During our conversation, Troy and I talked about what it means to deliver bespoke 5-star safari experiences. Here are some of the highlights:

 

* Listen to customer needs, and act on what you hear - Troy's team takes the time to listen to what a customer wants and then the build an experience around that. Say that you likes elephants, and not only will he find the lodge with best herds, his team will also make sure that this theme permeates your pre and post travel communications. They also look for opportunities to deliver tiny moments of delight. Troy says that these small but meaningful additions to the experience are a pleasant surprise for any customer. One might expect that high end customers would anticipate this treatment, but he says that's not usually the case.