Location: Watford, Hertfordshire
Shopping for: A trip on the Rocky Mountaineer train in Canada for a family
The agencies
Thomson
5 Charter Place, Watford
Score: 47%
After about a minute an agent asked me if I needed any help. I explained I wanted to take my two young children to Canada and asked her if she would recommend the Rocky Mountaineer train.
She said the children would probably not enjoy it and the trip would be “hard work”. The consultant then picked up a Thomson brochure and read out the details about the train from there.
She opened the brochure to another page and suggested I have a look at some of the destinations there. She then went to pick up a brochure for me to take away but they did not have any in stock so she suggested I call back in a few days.
First Choice
118 High Street, Watford
Score: 67%
After waiting more than 10 minutes a staff member finally became free and offered to help.
When I told her I was taking my two children on holiday she asked how old they were. She told me that, personally, she would not take them on the Rocky Mountaineer because they would get bored and it might be too much for them but that “on a professional level” she would definitely recommend it.
She asked what else I wanted to do on the holiday and told me I could visit Niagara Falls or go shopping in Toronto. She offered to get me some brochures to take away so I could plan things to do.She then told me to go back at any time if I had more questions or wanted to make a booking.
Flight Centre
116 High Street, Watford
Score: 79%
As soon as I entered the shop a friendly, smiling agent greeted me and offered assistance. I mentioned the Rocky Mountaineer train and asked if she would recommend it.
She asked how old my children were and said she would need to check whether they were old enough to go on the train. She then confirmed they would be allowed on board and told me she thought it was a good idea as there would be lots for them to see and do.
The consultant then gave me a brochure and told me to have a look through it to see what there was to do in Canada. She told me to call her if I had any further questions or needed prices.
She was very helpful and knowledgeable. I would recommend this store to others.
The winner
Global Travel
7 Station Approach, Watford
Score: 80%
There was one member of staff in the store and she was talking on the phone when I entered.
She immediately asked me if I needed any help and I asked her if she was on the phone but she told me she was holding so could help me. Before she could answer my enquiry, the customer she was talking to returned to the telephone so I waited for a few minutes while she concluded the conversation.
She said the Rocky Mountaineer should be okay for children as the trip involved a stay in a hotel, which would break up the journey. She then told me there were plenty of other things and places to see and do, such as Niagara Falls, Toronto and whale watching.
She then gave me two brochures and told me to contact her again at a later date to calculate a price. I would recommend this shop.
Prize
Congratulations, Global Travel, Watford. One of your agents will be staying at Long Bay Beach Club, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, courtesy of Elite Island Resorts, after coming top in this week’s Mystery Shopper.
Long Bay Beach Club, Tortola, British Virgin Islands This adults-only hotel is a romantic boutique hideaway. It offers a low-key ambience. Accommodation is in 50 suites, and guests can enjoy water sports off the beach or unwind in the hotel spa.
Every week for the next year the travel consultant who gets the highest Mystery Shopper score will win a seven-night stay for two people at an Elite Island Resorts property. Flights are not included.
Selling tips
Tip 1: Assure customers that train travel in Canada is remarkably easy, comfortable and family-friendly with all the country’s main sites accessible by train.
Tip 2: The Rocky Mountaineer train is a great way to explore the Canadian Rockies and soak up the great outdoors, with three two-day routes to choose from.
Tip 3: The Rocky Mountaineer joins the three-hour Whistler Mountaineer service, which links Vancouver and the popular winter sports resort of Whistler and takes in the dramatic coastline of British Columbia.
Tip 4: As well as dramatic scenery, the Rocky Mountaineer takes in cities such as Calgary and Vancouver, where kids can explore the dinosaur museum and Vancouver Aquarium, with its ever-popular beluga whales.
Tip 5: Offer clients the GoldLeaf Service on the Rocky Mountaineer, which includes seating in coaches with full-length dome windows, offering panoramic views of the scenery. GoldLeaf passengers are served gourmet meals in the lower-level dining room.
Mystery Shopper scoring system
- 60% Advice and product knowledge
- 12% Customer service
- 8% External/internal appearance
- 7% Welcome
- 7% Farewell
- 6% Staff presentation