Mystery Shopper was in the process of planning a trip to Thailand next spring and decided to call on agents in Basingstoke for advice on a suitable itinerary. The Thomas Cook consultant in the long-haul lounge area gave fantastic service and advice and would definitely have convinced this client to return to the shop to make the booking.
*****
Each week, Mystery Shopper will be calling on agents in different areas. Stars are awarded to agents which score for:
* Agency appearance
* Product knowledge
* Staff attitude
* Brochure racking
* Sales technique
The top-scoring agency each week receives a Travel Weekly certificate of commendation
Please note that no additional information will be given about Mystery Shopper’s visits.
Thomas Cook, Old Basing Mall, Basingstoke
*****
This agency had a long line of desks for enquiries and flight sales as well as a bureau de change.
I was immediately asked if I needed assistance and on hearing my enquiry, the consultant led me through to the back of the shop to a room furnished with a sofa, bookshelves and equipped with coffee-making facilities.
The consultant started with a whistle-stop tour of the sights around Bangkok, including the Rose Garden, the floating markets, the River Kwai excursion, the Golden Temple as well as the other main temples.
The consultant recommended that I pre-book the trips, which helps with the holiday budget. She talked about the tailors who will visit your hotel to measure you up for clothes and recommended Koh Samui for the relaxing part of the trip. She gave me Tradewinds, Thomas Cook World Wide Faraway Collection and Kuoni Worldwide brochures and advised me to make an appointment when I knew what I wanted. An excellent service from a very helpful consultant.
* Agency appearance
* Product knowledge
* Staff attitude
* Brochure racking
* Sales technique
Lunn Poly, 4 Kensington House, Basingstoke
**
The brochure racks looked empty but this was a clean, neat-looking agency.
I was served immediately by a consultant who checked if I was looking for brochures at this point. She picked out Kuoni and commented that they could tailor-make the holiday for me, and also Thomson Faraway Shores and First Choice.
She said First Choice were currently offering £50 per person discounts. She asked if I wanted to get a costing of a holiday but when I said I hadn’t decided on what we were going to do, the consultant said it was best if I took brochures away and came back when I had more definite plans.
She gave me her card and said she would do a costing for me.
* Agency appearance
* Staff attitude
Travel Choice, 1 Castle Square, Basingstoke
**
This agency was colourful and modern.
The brochure racks looked a bit bare but I was served immediately by a friendly consultant who said she would give me some brochures to take away.
She gave me Hayes and Jarvis and described the operator as very good. She also handed me Premier Holidays Asia, commenting that they specialised in the kind of holiday I was after.
I asked for recommendations on destinations within Thailand and she said Bangkok and Phuket were popular, though it was clear she was not very knowledgeable about Thailand. She said the best thing was to take brochures home with me and come back and they would do a costing of the holiday.
* Agency appearance
* Staff attitude
Going Places, 17 Hampstead House, Basingstoke
*
This was a plain-looking agency with patchy brochure racks.
Five assistants were on duty and there were no other customers so I was served immediately. On hearing my enquiry, the consultant asked if I just wanted to see some brochures at this point.
I said I was also interested in getting some advice on the destination. The consultant was unsure about Thailand and said she was not sure which brochures it was featured in. She checked Tradewinds Worldwide Holidays and asked a colleague for advice but was told they did not have any other brochures they could give me as they were waiting for a delivery. The enquiry was left there. No encouragement was made for me to return.
* Staff attitude
Tip 1: Using the opening line ‘are you just looking for brochures at this stage?’ sounds very off-putting to the client. It gives the impression that you immediately think they are time-wasting and just want to have it confirmed. Surely it becomes obvious pretty quickly that the customer is not about to book on the spot, so is there any need to say this?