Kate scoops my Oscar nomination for an unflappable performance

Kate scoops my Oscar nomination for an unflappable performance

Kate proved that grace under pressure, or in this case, grace under severe annoyance, is a wonderful skill we agents have mastered

The special art of acting up

Television viewing figures soar when any fly- on-the-wall documentary related to the travel industry is screened it seems – but I have yet to see a series on life in a travel agency.

Television producers may be unaware of the talent and drama they are missing.

In addition to their professional qualities, all travel agents have to be supremely accomplished in the acting art and Kate’s performance this week deserved an Oscar.

A woman of mature years had been calling all week to seek advice from Kate about New Zealand. The woman had said that she had been there years ago and needed Kate to update her on any changes that might have occurred since her last visit.

After giving her a lot of advice, Kate finally held an option with Travel 2 while the client finalised dates.As Kate remarked at the time – you don’t really mind making all that effort as long as there is going to be a booking at the end of it.

Kate was pleased to see her client return to the office but couldn’t attend to her immediately as she was involved with a client who had just booked flights to Australia and was now considering booking Australian Pacific Tours in advance of her holiday.

During the process, Kate left her client to get an Australian Pacific Tours brochure from the other side of the office.

While her back was turned she overheard the waiting client whisper to the client being served by Kate: “You don’t want to book tours here, it’s best to wait until you get there to book as it’s cheaper.”

At this point, a very controlled Kate interrupted and said that it wasn’t in fact cheaper and, furthermore, in addition to saving holiday time, it was better to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

She then assured the waiting client that she wouldn’t be much longer.

The woman replied: “Oh, don’t worry. Ionly came in to tell you that I won’t be needing the option that you’re holding as I saw a special offer in the paper, which had to be booked that day, so I’ve gone ahead and booked it – bye bye.”

In true old-trooper style, Kate smiled gracefully through gritted teeth and managed: “Oh, that’s alright, perhaps we can be of assistance some other time.”

What she really wanted to say was: “Thanks for wasting my time you interfering old bat!”

I always maintained that budding actors should forget drama school and do a stint in a travel agency.

When is a quote not a quote?

Are we the only agency to receive misquotations? I doubt it! There is nothing more embarrassing than to quote a price to the client (after having double-checked it with the operator while the client is sitting in front of you) then to have a reservations clerk at the other end of the phone tell you later, at the time of booking, that the price quoted was wrong and the actual price is higher.

We all make mistakes, Ihear you say, but if a travel agent mistakenly quotes a lower price to a client, the agency normally makes the shortfall up from the commission in order to retain the client.

It appears that not all operators honour the same system but thankfully there are those supervisors who accept that reservations staff are fallible human beings and do sometimes make mistakes.

As I have said to operators in the past, agents don’t pluck figures from the air, it’s the operator that quotes the initial figure.

Increasingly, when dealing with operators on the phone, we are advised that our conversation may be recorded for training purposes. Perhaps this practice should be extended to record price quotes from reservation staff to agents. I’m sure this would solve the problem of the misquote.

Shopping is in the bag

We thought we had met our match this week when a middle-aged lady popped in to enquire about “the old bag factory”. The staff exchanged the look between them, you know, the look that says we don’t know what you’re talking about but we are going to bluff it out.

“Which old bag factory would that be?” I enquired, “As there are a couple in existence.”

“Well &#8226 don’t know exactly where it is but Imet an American on a coach tour who told me that there are bargains to be had there,” she said.

Middle America seemed a good place to start so I flicked through the Indiana Tourist Board brochure. Fortune smiled upon me as Icame across a reference to the old bag factory.

Apparently it is a department store called The Old Bag Factory because in 1982, the property was purchased from the Indiana SoapCompany by the Chicago and Detroit Bag Factory.

The store has retained its original layout and is like stepping back in time, offering a novel way to shop for anything, not just “old bags”.

Some years ago I had visited a similar store in Memphis called Schwarbs, which had also retained its original counters and bare wooden floors and sold everything – both modern and antique. Perhaps some innovative operator could put a tour together with a Yesterday’s Shopping theme. I’m sure this would be an attractive prospect for football/golf widows.

Booking isn’t small beer

How do you keep smiling when clients wander in five minutes before closing time to request a holiday that you know is going to take an age for you to book?

The professional part of you gives no indication that they might have shown some forethought inconsideration of the staff and called in just a bitearlier. After all, the opening times are clearly displayed on the door.

But, professional or not, your smile fades when the client asks you to excuse the whiff of beer on their breath as they have just had a pint in the pub. And this by way of an excuse for their lateness. Cheers?I don’t think so.