Agent to Agent: Clients Gone Mad

Dear Tammy: Is there something in the water? My clients seem to be complaining about some crazy things lately.

For example, I have a client who actually complained about the spicy food in India, another who complained that there were children at a family friendly resort and a third who couldn’t understand why the online sites couldn’t make her dinner and show reservations as well. Oy.

Tell me you commiserate with what I’m going through and can provide tips on how to handle them!

MORE Travel Agent

Why Millennials Increasingly Choose Travel Agents Over...

ASTA Again Lobbies for Agent Exemptions

Registration Now Open for 2020 New York Times Travel Show

Tammy: Oh boy, do I commiserate. I’ve had clients complain about the oddest things.

For example, I’ve had clients call from the airport 45 minutes before their international flight and complain they can’t get through security faster and to their plane.

They actually said, “I’m sure it’s sitting there and it should wait for us.” (Not quite how it works!)

If you didn’t already know, your clients are always smarter than you (or so they think). They never read the small print when they are booking their trips online. Then, they have to call you to bail them out. When it comes to traveling internationally and their European trip of a lifetime, they don’t know the laws when they book online.

Then, they are calling you frantically for a visa to that particular country. (By the way, they are leaving in four days!)

READ MORE: Agent to Agent: It's Your Job to Know New Passport Laws

If you can believe it, some travelers think that traveling in Europe from country to country on a train is faster than a speeding bullet. When you tell them it’s a six-hour train ride, I’ve had clients actually say, “It doesn’t look that far on the map.”

Of course, there’s the old craziness of waiting until last minute thinking they will get better travel deals. Often, prices go up, and then they are complaining that they are paying more.  

So, yes, I commiserate.

What should you do? Listen.

Find out what your clients need help with and help them. Their stories and their comments might be off the wall sometimes, but the reality is that they are calling you because you are the expert and they need help. Once they get through this trip, talk to them about preventing whatever happened from happening again in the future.

For example, your client complained about spicy food yet traveled to India? Talk to them about their dream trips, minus the spice, and help them to make that happen. Book the clients who weren’t happy with the family friendly hotel at an adults-only resort next time.

Bottom line: Turn their complaints into sales and make them even happier the next time. That’s what we do.