Customers are become increasingly anxious about travelling, believes Aito Agents chair Gemma Antrobus
Wow, what a busy peaks period we’ve had. I’m sure that you have all been experiencing high levels of enquiries and conversions from clients, both loyal and new – but have you noticed that clients have become increasingly anxious about travelling?
Anxiety around travel appears to have undertaken a major shift. It is really challenging to grasp exactly when this happened, and why.
Immediately following the pandemic, of course, clients were asking many more questions – about country entry requirements, passenger locator forms and Covid testing – but all of this felt quite formulaic, with answers or solutions readily available.
While the information was out there in abundance, it was possible to wade through it, and for a travel professional (us!) to advise clients accordingly.
Now, though, customers’ concerns seem to be very different, and require a different skill set. It’s not the case for every client, of course, but more now are letting the minutiae of their booking cause them concern – with the anxiety sometimes starting months before departure.
One of the greatest challenges seems to be flight seats. I can’t tell you how many clients are completely hung up on the allocation of their flight seats.
With the notable exception of the low-cost carriers, where specific seats can be organised at the time of booking, the majority of airlines now charge considerable sums of money for pre-allocating seats.
Frustration and resentment
The added frustration for clients comes when seats can only be booked – and then only directly with the airline – once the tickets have been issued.
To aggravate matters, clients are often then surprised to discover that they must pay quite a lot more for the ‘privilege’ of pre-selecting seats. This can cause considerable resentment.
Unfortunately, with the continuing airline schedule changes that we face, these prepaid seats can then disappear from the booking, especially if there is an aircraft change or a significant time alteration, resulting in the client having to request a refund and rebook their chosen seats. It’s extra hassle for everyone, and more uncertainty for the client – and this could happen more than once.
As an agent, we always try to help with this process, even if it’s just reassuring the client that they are clicking the right buttons and paying for the correct services.
Special requests
In other instances, to help calm clients before the point of departure, I’ve taken to writing helpful guides on subjects – including how to use the apps for cruise lines and major theme parks. Many holidays now require an understanding of how to navigate this technology to get the best experience.
The adoption of technology is viewed by many as beneficial. But, for some, not knowing how to utilise technology in the most effective way can cause anxiety.
Some would argue this is not my responsibility, but I disagree. My clients have entrusted me with their precious time and money and, if I can help the process in any way, then that’s what I will do.
The general worry about travel is now far more apparent than before. I hear more and more about clients not wishing to fly; not wishing to stay in hotel rooms more than a few floors high; putting strict conditions on their bookings regarding the facilities in their rooms; and requesting certain amenities in situ before they arrive.
While we have always handled special requests, I don’t recall them ever having been so prevalent.
The services of a travel agent now go far beyond our customer skills and destination knowledge – they border on those of a counsellor. Knowing what information to provide to a client without overwhelming them takes practice. Knowing how to alleviate their concerns and calm their fears takes skill.
It’s something that I feel we need to develop. Perhaps there is a training session that we should all consider building into the development of our business – I know that I would like to learn more.