Knowledge is sales power for agents

Knowledge is sales power for agents

Learning to sell itineraries

Psara training by Jane Archer

HANDS up all those agents who know how to dazzle clients by working out the space ratio they can enjoy on a cruise.

It is something few will know unless they have been on a Passenger Shipping Association Retail Arm level one and two training day, as it is one of the useful snippets of information passed on by general manager Bryony Coulsen.

“It is one of those things you can use to impress your clients but it is important to get the sums right,” she emphasised as some agents come out with the wrong answer.

But even if maths is not your strong point, it would be hard for agents to come away from Coulsen’s training sessions as anything but experts in selling cruising, as there is so much information put over in a very short time.

“Level one and two is all about gaining confidence,” said Coulsen. “Most agents don’t relate to either the product or the clients and the perception is that cruising is hard to sell because of the price and the number of products. It is a case of breaking down barriers.”

She takes a very honest approach, emphasising that agents must make sure that first-time cruisers are aware cabins are smaller than a hotel room, no cruise ships have full-size tennis courts and entertainment will be “fluff and feather”. “The entertainment is light and enjoyable; passengers should know not to expect anything heavy or educational,” she said.

The training sessions are also very interactive and for levels one and two training, there is also a worksheet.

PSARA, the training arm of the PSA, has a full training programme throughout the year with 30 agents attending the basic sessions. Most are held in PSARA’s London office or colleges around the UK, but where possible, they are held on ships.

“I definitely prefer the on-board training,” said Coulsen. “You don’t get you’re own equipment so it might not be so slick but agents see a cruise ship and that’s important as many have never been on one.”

&#42 PSARA training is free to members; non-members pay £56 plus VAT per level. For more information, call 020-7436 2449.

“I had not been on a cruise ship and was not confident about selling cruising. Now I have learned how toovercome objections and have had the chance to come on board a ship.”

Lorraine Drage, Travel Counsellors,Northamptonshire

“I have sold cruises, but only through my ownexperiences with Royal Caribbean and Cunard. I have never been on a cruise seminar before, or learned how to deal with objections about the cost.”

Sharon Dilley, Travel Counsellors, Stamford

“It was useful to learn how to sound more professional. Some clients know more about cruising than us. I feel more confident.”

Jacqui Collins, Holiday Hypermarket, Southampton

Fact-finding: examining itineraries

Taking it easy: life on board Fred Olsen’s Black Watch, which holds regular viewings

Training tips

1. Look professional by working out the space ratio – gross registered tonnage divided by the passenger capacity.

2. Impress clients by knowing the terminology. Refer to the fore (front), aft (back), port (left side), starboard (right side), midships, the waterline, and tender (the small boat that transports passengers from an anchorage to the land).

3. The atmosphere on a British ship will differ from that of a US cruise. Find out what your clients want and advise accordingly.

4. Know your product – ocean cruises are different to river cruises, and cruises out of the UK are different to flycruises in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Alaska and the Far East.

5. Know how to compare the cost of a land-based holiday, where there are a lot of extras, with that of a cruise where so much is included. That will help if clients cite cost as a reason not to book a cruise.

6. Try to sell up clients by quoting the extra cost of an upgraded cabin on a per night basis. It looks less expensive.

Learning curve: agents get to grips with the cruising product

Take a view to booking

EVERY fortnight during the summer, when a Fred Olsen ship is in Dover for the day, travel agents can book to visit Black Watch or Black Prince and bring along clients as well.

Key account manager Angela Flynn said some agents organise a coach load of clients to see the ship – the viewing facility is fully booked for the rest of the year – and it is not unheard of for customers to make a booking on the spot.

“We like to get both agents and clients down as seeing around the ship can push your sales up by 50%,” said Flynn.

What the agents said