Selling Travel and Vacation Planning
Working with Clients
Your relationship with your client will be one of the most important parts of your business’s success. Agent-client relationships can be a wonderful, long-term, productive association, but like any important relationship, it’s not always easy. Sometimes it takes work.
Treat each client as if they were your one and only focus. Be patient and understanding of their wants and needs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions to get the information you need and to know your clients better. Ask them if they are frequent travelers? Where have they already visited? This will give you an idea of what they are used to. Are they traveling for a special event? Birthday or anniversary? Do they have any food allergies, disabilities?
As a travel agent you are responsible to know important details that are impact your clients vacation experience. When is the rainy/hurricane season? When is peak tourist season? Any health or safety warnings for that location? You also need to know when your clients need a passport, transfer options and basically everything your client needs to know to have an enjoyable vacation.
It is a best practice to never give your clients more than three choices. Otherwise, they are overwhelmed. If you do your job and LISTEN, then providing three excellent choices will be easy.
Be prepared for some clients to change their minds a several times. Often, they do this because they often aren’t always sure what destination, resort or cruise is the best fit for their individual wants and needs. That’s why they called you.
A successful vacation and happy clients are more likely to use you again or recommend you to others. Be sure to keep in contact with your clients after they’ve returned from vacation. Send them a Thank you note when they return. Remember special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries. Send monthly emails with new specials or promotions that have surfaced. Send out Holiday cards. Chances are they will travel again and when they do, you want them to remember you.
Listen First
Remember, collecting information and asking the right questions can help you best understand what the client is looking for.
Before making recommendations, make sure you have a strong sense of what the client is looking for. When making recommendations reiterate what they have told you to show that you have listened and understand their wants and desires.
By listening to demonstrate to the client that:
- They are important to you that
- You can fulfill their wants and needs because you understand those needs and you have knowledge of the suppliers and what they offer to meet those needs
- That you’re preparing customize proposal just for them
Always use great listening skills. Then offer specific products and services that will make the guest experience more magical. For example you could say:
- “Let me make sure I understand what you are looking for.” Then reiterate what they have said.
Then name what you are suggesting or inquiring about (pools, meals location, events)
- “Based on what you have told me ________ “
- “Because you said you were looking for a ______ and ______ I would recommend______”
After listening to your clients interest’s and suggesting up to three options ask the client “How does that sound?”
New client questionnaire form:
Use this form to gather information on a new client who is interested in a quote. It includes reminder questions to ask you client. Click here to go to the download section.
Handling Objections
Remember client objections are a sign of active participation in the buying process and this is a good thing. When the client has objections they are thoroughly engaged in conversation and communicating what they need and want in a vacation.
The more involved the sales agent gets in helping the client meet a need, the more persuasive a sales agent is.
Objection to Price
If your client objects to the vacation price restate what they are receiving for that price.
- Customizing their vacation plans by offering to make changes that will lower cost.
- Make sure the guest understands the difference in price
- I have “x” and “y” based on what you have told me which one would you prefer?
Think like the client:
Focus on the guest’s point of view. Everything you say and do should be valuable to the guest. A good sales agent always asks what’s in it for the guest.
Closing the sale
First, remember that you are in this to make money. Don’t be shy about asking for the sale.
Often times, some clients will contact travel agents to pick their brain for inside information and then go and make the reservations themselves. Avoid this by only giving out enough information to wet their appetite but saving all the good stuff for after they book with you. With experience, you’re quickly learn which clients are serious and those who are not.
When your client shows interest in a package you have presented offered to put it on a courtesy hold. You can simply ask, “May I hold (or reserve) this vacation for you? Availability always is changing and I would not want you to loose this.”
By placing it on a courtesy hold you are ensuring the availability and the price of this vacation for your guest. Remind your clients that prices are not guaranteed until a deposit has been made.
- 75% of clients who do not leave a deposit eventually do not book the vacation.
- Putting a vacation hold suddenly put this in a different mindset for the client where they are not just browsing but they are starting to make a commitment.
- Clients are more inclined to move forward with you if you have put something on hold for them.
Inform clients that it is only a small deposit to book the reservation and that it is fully refundable until they make the final payment which is due 30 days in advance. This often gives guests a sense of comfort knowing they will not lose their deposit if something changes. But they are also ensuring that they’ve got the dates and accommodations that they want.
Be sure to inform client that if a better deal comes out even after they’ve booked you will work to try to get them the best deal available. However, never guarantee that you can get them the better deal because it is always based on availability and there are often certain limitations and black out dates that will apply.
When the vacation is over, it is not the end
When your clients vacation is over your job is not done! It is very important to keep in touch with your clients from time to time. Be sure to touch base with them afterwards to see how everything was.
In addition to keeping your clients on an e-mail list where you can contact them monthly with updates and specials, try to remember them at other times of the year. For example, Send them Holiday Cards or remember Birthday’s and Anniversaries. Drop a short email wishing them well on their special day, let them know they can celebrate the magic at any Disney Destination in the future, or “Give The Gift Of Disney” by purchasing a gift certificate to give to a loved one! Consider instituting a loyalty program or a referral program where they’ll get some sort of a monetary reward for repeat business or if they refer someone to you who completes a trip.
Keeping in touch with former clients is important. You don’t want to nag, or to clog their inbox with annoying emails. You want to keep in touch in a way that makes you valuable, and your emails welcome. This usually means providing information such as Disney Destination Specials, fun facts and travel tips.
But as children age or families want to explore new destinations you can still be there to provide those services for your existing clients. Perhaps it’s a cruise, an all inclusive Caribbean vacation, or even a European trip. As you gain more experience you can branch out and provide services to many other destinations. As many families have a lawyer, an accountant, or other professional service provider, you want to be that travel provider that is with them and their family for life.
Special Needs Clients
You can be sure that your client has a more positive travel experience through careful research and planning. You can take care of the travel details so your clients have a stress free vacation with all their needs met.
Be sure to always let the supplier as well as the airline know that there is a “special needs” traveler. Most suppliers have separate departments to accommodate an array of special needs when booking travel for these clients.
Whenever contacting the supplier whether it be for payments, changes etc. on any reservation, be sure to always review with the agent that all special needs are noted on the reservation.
Special dietary needs
If your client has dietary needs, be sure to notify the resort so that they can note this on your clients reservation and alert the restaurants at the resort. Most chefs will personally come out to your clients table to discuss their menu and how they can make your clients Dining experience one they will enjoy.