When a customer walked into Colchester Travel asking for a safari holiday, consultant Vicki Wood felt sure she had made a sale.
Vicki’s excitement and enthusiasm rubbed off on the customer, but strangely, a few days later, she had heard nothing from them despite following it up by phone.
It was only when she opened Travel Weekly that she realised that the customer was Mystery Shopper, who had scored Vicki 90%.
“I had no idea I was being tested by Mystery Shopper. When I opened Travel Weekly I said: ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe it’. I was so shocked to have won that week.”
Mystery Shopper wrote about the visit to Colchester Travel: “I would rate this agency as being in first place. Everybody I met there was full of enthusiasm and very friendly.”
The agent who receives the highest score from Mystery Shopper every month wins the use of a black Porsche Boxster S thanks to Elite Island Resorts.
In October, the winner was Paula Edwards from Thomson in Wisbech, who scored 97%. Unfortunately, Paula was unable to take up the prize, so it went to the second highest scoring agent, 26-year-old Vicki.
Elite Island Resorts UK training manager Graham Hawkins said: “Vicki was a delight to meet and showed the personality, enthusiasm and energy that is needed to impress Mystery Shopper.
“Her work colleagues, the shop manager and the owner of Colchester Travel were there to congratulate Vicki on winning such a superb prize.
“It is always a pleasure when I meet agents like Vicki and the happy team at Colchester Travel as they play an important role in helping us secure sales in today’s tough trading climate.
“It’s good to know that there are travel agents like Vicki who deliver a first-class professional service to customers and the industry,” he added.
- Read more on 2009’s Mystery Shopper stars at Elite Island Resorts’ TWacademy page