Agent to Agent: Handling Your Clients’ Refund Challenges

Dear Tammy: I have a few clients who have requested refunds from both airlines and tour operators a while ago, and they still haven’t received anything yet. What do I tell them?

Tammy: Great question. While many travelers are still holding on to their reservations, as they understand that this virus will one day pass and things will get back to normal, there are others who are requesting refunds. These clients are likely requesting refunds due to the recent rise in coronavirus cases, which are going to lower once everyone gets on board with what needs to be done to stop the spread.

It’s completely understandable that clients are getting frustrated as the pandemic continues. But asking for a refund is not really going to solve anything, as we all will one day be able to travel anywhere we want to once again. (I recently traveled to host a TASK Live Event.) I feel it’s best for travelers to not ask for refunds, and instead patiently wait until those in authority relax or remove current traveling restrictions.

For clients who have already decided that they definitely want a refund, respectfully tell them the truth. Tell them all you can do is contact the airline or tour operators with hopes of finding out any updates on their refund. Tell them that you fully understand that they’ve been promised a refund from their tour operators and/or airlines. Tell them that sometimes it takes two or three billing cycles to process a refund, and tell them it’s taking longer due to the current coronavirus crisis.

I realize that it can be difficult for travel agents to know what to do regarding certain situations, and refunds are one of those situations. Handling refunds is especially difficult because it’s not the travel agent's fault when refunds don’t get processed in a timely manner. It’s the fault of the tour operators or airlines, as they are the ones that have dropped the ball.

Unfortunately, this makes travel agents look bad, and all we’re doing is trying to help the client get their refund processed as quickly as possible. This is why it’s so important to let clients know that you’re not the one in charge of processing the refund and that you’re doing everything possible to have their money returned to them as quickly as possible.

The last thing travel agents want is to get bad reviews over something they have no control over. Your job is to keep your clients long-term, and you can do this by keeping in close contact with them, even if you're not getting the updated refund information you need.