Setting the Stage for Exceptional Customer Service
Most travel consultants recognize the “sale” is not over until the client is back home in bed: there is no end to the sales and marketing process. We have a tendency to artificially divide the process of working with a client into a marketing phase which moves into a sales phase and on into a service process. The truth is, however, no such clear markers in the process of working with a client exist. We are always marketing ourselves, we are always selling and re-selling our services. Intuitively and intellectually understanding the comprehensive nature of the business relationship is important to the travel consultant wanting to move beyond isolated transactions to customer loyalty and repeat business.
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Commit right now to going way beyond the norm, to every day renewing your vows to your travel practice. When you entered into the travel industry, you didn't say "Some day I'm going to be SO average!" No, you vowed to be the best at what you do. Recommit to that vow.
Great customer service ensures the client remains happy in their relationship with you and there is not a more important concept than being totally client-centric. Your clients and there needs must be the motivation for your every action and undertaking in your business life. To the extent client needs are at the heart of your business, their appreciation for your work on their behalf should be and remain strong enough to ensure they will work with you each time they think about travel.
To begin, it makes sense to pause and ask an important question: what kind of clients do you want? To some, the question might seem a bit strange. After all, many of us are pretty happy to take clients as we find them. Yet, if it’s true that relationship is really at the heart of every sale, then it behooves us to choose our relationships carefully since we will be spending a lot of time with our clients.
Most would agree that the best travel planning experiences happen with the best clients. It is true and no coincidence. Good clients have a sense of humor, a sense of adventure and a passion for travel. They understand what you bring to the table and they know that price is only one component of the entire equation that goes to make up value. The converse is also true – aggravating clients inevitably experience less than satisfactory travel. You cannot make them happy; in fact, bottom line, it is even hard to trust them. I’m told life is too short to be spending a lot of time with people like these.
You do well to choose your clients. Actively seek out the type of clients you really want. “Everyone” will not, should not, meet the criteria for your client demographic. Fire the bad ones and train the good ones. Your clients will be happier and so will you.
Customer service. Everybody talks about it, but the fact of the matter is, good customer service can be pretty difficult to find. Think about your day-to-day transactions and how often the companies and businesses with which you deal let you down by failing to deliver even a base-line degree of good customer consideration.
Are you giving good customer service? Here’s the test: how many of your clients:
If a high percentage of your clients are both repeat traveling with you and referring others, congratulations! If either of those percentages are looking a bit anemic, however, the following pages provide simple prescriptions and putting them into place will help to ensure your repeat business and referrals will begin to climb.
Great customer service ensures the client remains happy in their relationship with you and there is not a more important concept than being totally client-centric. Your clients and there needs must be the motivation for your every action and undertaking in your business life. To the extent client needs are at the heart of your business, their appreciation for your work on their behalf should be and remain strong enough to ensure they will work with you each time they think about travel.
To begin, it makes sense to pause and ask an important question: what kind of clients do you want? To some, the question might seem a bit strange. After all, many of us are pretty happy to take clients as we find them. Yet, if it’s true that relationship is really at the heart of every sale, then it behooves us to choose our relationships carefully since we will be spending a lot of time with our clients.
Most would agree that the best travel planning experiences happen with the best clients. It is true and no coincidence. Good clients have a sense of humor, a sense of adventure and a passion for travel. They understand what you bring to the table and they know that price is only one component of the entire equation that goes to make up value. The converse is also true – aggravating clients inevitably experience less than satisfactory travel. You cannot make them happy; in fact, bottom line, it is even hard to trust them. I’m told life is too short to be spending a lot of time with people like these.
You do well to choose your clients. Actively seek out the type of clients you really want. “Everyone” will not, should not, meet the criteria for your client demographic. Fire the bad ones and train the good ones. Your clients will be happier and so will you.
Customer service. Everybody talks about it, but the fact of the matter is, good customer service can be pretty difficult to find. Think about your day-to-day transactions and how often the companies and businesses with which you deal let you down by failing to deliver even a base-line degree of good customer consideration.
Are you giving good customer service? Here’s the test: how many of your clients:
- repeat travel with you more than twice; and
- refer other people to you?
If a high percentage of your clients are both repeat traveling with you and referring others, congratulations! If either of those percentages are looking a bit anemic, however, the following pages provide simple prescriptions and putting them into place will help to ensure your repeat business and referrals will begin to climb.