Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
Shopping for: A week’s holiday in Tenerife, somewhere upmarket
The agencies
Worldchoice Abbey Travel
3 New Lane
Score: 57%
I was acknowledged straight away with a pleasant smile as the consultant asked to help at this well-presented agency.
She invited me to take a seat and asked details about destination, board basis, preferred airport and what I wanted form the holiday – she didn’t ask about budget.
She searched the computer and quotes included Costa Adeje Palace Hotel from £465 per person. I was given a brochure and a printout of the hotel’s holiday details on a compliments slip.
It seemed as though I was doing all the talking and she didn’t use her computer screen to share information with me, as all the other shops did.
Co-op Travel
14 Market Place
Score: 94%
The agency was bright and holiday offers attractively displayed. The agent who assisted me was friendly and polite and asked lots of questions about my requirements and had enough knowledge to meet my needs.
She narrowed her recommendation down to two hotels, Esmeralda Playa Hotel costing £975 for two and Paradise Park in Los Cristianos. She mentioned travel insurance, car hire and airport car parking. She took care to establish my requirements and I felt valued as a potential customer.
The consultant tried to close the sale, but I said I needed to discuss the options with my husband first.
Thomas Cook
8 Market Cross
Score: 95%
The branch was rather busy, with all agents serving. I was acknowledged and told someone would be with me in a moment and left to browse.
After three minutes I was served, with the agent detailing my requirements. She considered various choices and decided the best one would be Iberostar Torviscas Playa Hotel, costing £1,187.75 for two.
She gave me printed details of the holiday and asked about insurance. She also gave me her contact details and said she would ring me in the next few days to follow up my enquiry. I didn’t get the impression I was rushed, even though the branch was busy.
The winner
Thomson
2 Gowthorpe
Score: 96%
The agency looked good and I was the only customer. The agent asked for details such as destination, budget, preferred departure airport, board basis, size of party and whether there are any special features I wanted.
She recommended Riu Buena Vista costing £1,380, but offered a £70 discount. As a second option she recommended a family room at Fanabe Costa Sur. She asked if I wanted to pre-book car hire and tried to close the sale.
She gave me her business card and suggested she ring me over the weekend to follow up. I was given the Thomson Sun brochure and a travel planner which included details of the destination, dates, airport and flight times, and insurance.
- “Are your clients interested in what you’re looking at, even if it’s Viewdata? Do you show them?”
Community editor Emily Ashwell blogs about this week’s Mystery Shopper…
Selling tips
Tip 1: The south of Tenerife tends to be busier, hotter and have a desert-type landscape, while the greener, north of the island offers more arts, culture and heritage, but the weather can be less predictable.
Tip 2: Resorts such as Los Gigantes would have suited this week’s Mystery Shopper, according to Gazetteers.com it is ‘relaxed and low key, for more discerning couples and families’.
Tip 3: If Mystery Shopper was looking for an upmarket experience, Tenerife boasts some great spa hotels. The Aqua Club in Costa Adeje boasts Europe’s largest spa complex, while at the Mare Nostrum Resort there is a vast thalassotherapy spa.
Tip 4: Now is a great time to get clients a good deal at an upmarket hotel in Tenerife as according to operators such as Classic Collection Holidays hoteliers are starting to offer discounts.
Tip 5: To get more product knowledge about Tenerife visit Gazetteers.com. The site also contains photos of resorts and hotel reviews from fellow travel agents.
Mystery Shopper prizes
Each month’s highest scoring travel agent gets the chance to drive a Porsche Boxster S courtesy of Elite Island Resorts. More at www.travelweekly.co.uk/elite
Mystery Shopper scoring system
- 60% Advice and product knowledge
- 12% Customer service
- 8% External/internal appearance
- 7% Welcome
- 7% Farewell
- 6% Staff presentation