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Travelogger

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.

How To Get Better Service, Part 2

June 12, 2007 By Camica

In my last post, I gave several tips to get better service from your travel agent. I had to cut it short, since my post was getting quite long. As I promised, here’s the rest of them:

* The customer is always right, but not in all cases. First of all, that’s the reason you’re asking a travel agent to book for you, right? Because you need help. We don’t want to make things more complicated as well. So please, believe us when we tell you this is the best option we can give. Also, let me just say for the record, that as travel agents, we can help you plan your trip, and book it for you. We don’t control the airline, or the hotel, or the rental car, or the cruise. We can help facilitate and coordinate with them if something goes wrong. But all final decisions still depend on these providers.

* The best way to minimize problem calls: make sure to plan your trip well. Feel free to obsess and to triple-check everything. And never assume. I’d rather receive a call from a passenger with a hundred pre-trip questions, than to get a call with problem that’s already beyond our help. I once got a call from a passenger who was already at the airport, and was denied boarding. She didn’t bother to check to see if she needed a passport, which she did.

* If you’re booking online, please double-check the times, dates and the names. Also be sure to check the rules & regulations regarding cancellations or changes. This is especially essential when booking a flight. Airlines are very strict when it comes to passenger’s names, and changes to times or dates will usually cost you anything from $50-$200+ in penalties.

* I’m sure your time is valuable to you, so please make sure you have all the facts and information we might need from you when you call. Not only will we be able to help you faster, there’s also less chance of errors or mistakes. On the other hand, I’m also asking if you could be more patient if something seems to be taking a long time. Coordinating with airlines, for example, can take more than a few minutes, especially if they’re also experiencing a high volume of calls as well. I once had an airline agent put me on hold for almost two hours!

* If all else fails, feel free to ask for a supervisor or a manager. As your travel agent, we really do try to solve your problem as best as we can. But there are some things that are, admittedly, beyond our power, which our manager might be able to help you better with. But please don’t ask for a supervisor immediately on your first call, give us the opportunity to help you first.

I hope these tips can help to create a better relationship with your travel agent. Happy trip!

Filed Under: Features, Tips, Transport, Travelogger

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