This week we are talking about travel planning. Yes, my job can be simple and it also can be very challenging. Especially in our current economic climate. What do I do that you can’t do? Why should I book with you? Why would I pay more to work with you when I can get the better deal on my own? The answers to these and many more questions are on the way. There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that happens for travel agents. My favorite shirt says Be Calm, Call a Travel Agent.
I am a travel agent, and I sell travel. Today, it is about service when customer service seems to be a thing of the past. Something happens on your vacation or business trip like a missed connection, you can bet, I know before you are even landing and I am already working on change for you to ensure you get where you need to go as quickly as possible. I know we all have the reservation/customer service hotline, but I have dedicated teams that help me as a travel agent to ensure that your vacation is what it is supposed to be. I know the person on the other end of the phone is there to help me get everything back on track and make it right. I have connections at properties and cruise lines who will help me make something happen.
You can always bet that the reason people do not want to use a travel agent is price. I do not cost extra. My services are free when you book with me I make sure we are getting you all that you want and need based on your budget. You can pretty much bet that I have checked several resources to get you the best pricing and availability. You may be getting a better price on your own, but you can bank we are not comparing apples to apples. I have price matched for clients, and to be honest it has only happened twice in almost 11 years. The difference in what you are getting versus what I am getting is because of category. I can assure you that you are not traveling with a 12-hour layover unless you plan it that way to enjoy another city for a bit. You will not be staying in a property that I would not stay in myself, or overlooking the trash dumpsters. You will have perks or access to specials because I make sure that you get every possible feature available within your budget.
As travel agents, it is our goal to make the process of travel less stressful for our clients. Our clients are our most prized possessions and we work hard to make things happen for them with the least amount of stress. The airline will never have your telephone number because I will be the one getting that 3 am phone call to alert me of a flight delay. I will get things fixed and send you a text when completed. We want you to pack your bags and just travel happily and enjoy your vacation. I work 60-70 hours per week. From training, sales, and customer service I work all those hours to make your life easier. When people say we booked it on our own and we cringe it is not because we lost a sale. It is because we don’t want you to have issues, and if by chance you do have issues, we know that we are unable to help fix them because you booked online.
Remember your travel agent for any trip big or small, because you are the best part of our business. This is one of the few industries where clients become friends or family.