When it comes to customer service, travel agents know they need to meet and almost always exceed their clients' expectations.
Sometimes, being there for a client means listening to what's happening and simply providing a solution that the customer is too emotional to consider.
For example, a nervous honeymoon couple called Helen Prochilo from their trip in Hawaii to discuss a tour operator who was not able to deliver the tour they paid for.
"They were supposed to go on a Jeep tour, and it had been raining," said Helen Prochilo of Promal Vacations in Long Beach, New York. "The tour operator wanted them to book something else with them for that day and cancel their luau that they had booked for the same evening with a different tour operator. The tour operator told them they could simply schedule another luau in Maui when they got there. They didn't know what to do."
Prochilo advised them to get a refund for the Jeep Tour, which they did.
Lynn Belles was on Facebook when she received a message from her client, who was about to sail with Holland America Line on the Koningsdam in Northern Europe.
"A couple of weeks ago, I received and forwarded on to her a last-minute upgrade offer from the cruise line," said Belles, of Lynn & Rob Belles Cruises Inc. in Rockford, Illinois. "They were offering her a BC Category Vista Suite for an additional $1,398."
Belles' clients declined the offer but wanted to know if the price had dropped. Before checking, Belles asked what the price would be for the upgrade that the clients would agree to.
"She came back at me with '$800 with a little wiggle room,'" said Belles.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Ask a Travel Agent[/READMORE]
So Belles contacted Holland America and received a new quote for $500, even less than what her client said they would pay.
"In less than five minutes, my client was off to celebrate over lunch with her husband and I took care of the rest," Belles added. "Facebook messenger is amazing because desktop computer people can chat from their keyboard, and clients can message you from anywhere! Great service is all about communication, and Facebook makes it easy!"
Jeannette Candau agrees that technology lets you communicate with almost anyone in the world from the comfort of your office. However, sometimes nothing can replace being there in person.
She recently received an urgent request from a return client who wanted a private tour of the Amalfi area for June 2018.
"It's August in Italy, so, of course, getting a call-back from our vendors proved to be a great challenge," said Candau, co-owner of European walking tour specialist, The Blue Walk.
"Since we live in southern Italy and the destination is only two hours away, we drove out there to do the research ourselves, spoke to our vendors personally and got our proposal to our client within a week of their request. We can't always provide this kind of service, but we will always do our best."
[READMORE]READ MORE: Working With a Travel Agent for the First Time[/READMORE]
Some of the best customer service happens when the true emergencies hit.
"With all the crazy weather in Texas and with us having a smaller airport in Amarillo, our agency really watches flights for cancellations and delays," said Samarah Meil of the Amarillo Travel Network.
"Sometimes going the extra mile, like setting your alarm for 2:30 a.m. to make sure your client's 5 a.m. flight is still departing, is part of what you do."
Recently with Hurricane Harvey, Meil checks on clients while they are traveling, ensuring their transfers are there to pick them up and the resorts know they are coming later than scheduled.
"It helps clients deal with the stress of traveling," she said.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
