DO most independent travel agents find that despite how professionally you book reservations, support from airlines and principals is lacking, leading to adverse feelings between customers and the office?
For example, a father made a flight booking for his son, asking for a discounted fare. We secured this with Sabena, explaining to the client that as this was a reduced price ticket, no change or refund would be allowed. The client abruptly stated that there would be no change as his son had to travel.
The mother then contacted us saying that the dates were wrong and wished to alter the booking. She knew that her husband had got it wrong but still blamed us.
After a lot of time and effort talking to the airline, we were told ‘you know the rules’ and under no circumstances could this be altered.
We explained this sympathetically to the client but then made our mistake by suggesting that the she should ring the airline if she was unhappy.
We received a phone call the next day from Sabena saying that as the client had been very upset, they had changed the reservation. They didn’t see that this reflected badly on us.
As far as the client is concerned, she felt we had done nothing to help and in her words would never use our company again, when in reality we were only doing our job professionally. Do other agents have the same problem?
Colin Chapman
General manager
Tomorrows World Travel
Leicester