‘A great peaks’ has almost come to an end, but a few things are still bugging The Travel Snob’s David Walker, a Not Just Travel homeworker
So, a great peaks has almost come to an end. In January, I completed over half a million in sales and more than 60 bookings. It wasn’t my best-ever month, but I must admit I didn’t think it was going to be as good as it was. However, a few things are still bugging me.
Why are there still so many schedule changes? And why are clients still making so many additions and demanding so much before and after they depart – calling me about possible upgrades, moving the dates or simply to ask a crazy question about virtually anything? All this does is waste my time in the busiest period of the year.
Why are there still so many schedule changes? And why are clients making so many additions and demanding so much before and after they depart?
But the biggest nightmare for me in January was booking seats for one family in particular. It would be wrong for me to name the airline, but I must have spent over 50 hours trying to secure seats – on the phone, on their website, on the app, on live chat and via a call to the agent site I booked it with – but to no avail. Then, after all that, I revisited the airline’s website and, voilà, it worked! Four flights, five seats on each flight and almost £400 down, but the family finally had seats booked.
Chasing suppliers
All of that was going on while I was up to my eyeballs making bookings, trying to get quotes from suppliers when they weren’t available anywhere online, chasing suppliers for quotes and invariably chasing them again. Then, I’d finally get the quote I had been after, only to find the flights were from the wrong airport, so I’d have to wait another two days for a new quote.
I would say I’m pleased it’s February, but this month is usually even bigger for me as it’s when December flights are released
Oh, and there was also plenty of running through quotes with clients, setting up Zoom calls with them and making changes to said quotes. Then, bingo, the client would book, so I would call the supplier to finalise the booking and hold on the phone listening to ‘80s Europop for two hours – only to find the price had gone up. In such scenarios, I have no choice but to take the £400 hit to commission!
All in all, what a month it was. I would say I’m pleased it’s February, but this month is usually even bigger for me as it’s when December flights are released – and we all know how important it is to grab those premium seats before they get snapped up.
Rock and a hard place
I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but clients don’t seem to quite understand that getting back to them with a quote takes longer than usual when it’s this busy.
There were plenty of requests to price-match throughout the month. I’d tell a client I would get back to them within 48 hours as I was snowed under; in the meantime, they would see an advert on TV or in the newspaper, get fidgety and find something online instead. They would think they were doing me a favour and would ask me to book it for them!
Clients don’t seem to quite understand that getting back to them with a quote takes longer than usual when it’s this busy
That kind of situation puts us agents between a rock and a hard place, as if we don’t make the booking, the customer thinks we’ve been ripping them off for all their previous bookings. In the wake of this happening to me on a few occasions in January, I’ve made a note to get back to customers even quicker to avoid it happening again…
Please put us in it to win it
I love a good competition or incentive – after all, who doesn’t enjoy the thought of winning a voucher, box of chocolates or case of wine?However, I’m sure I’m not the only agent who rarely has time to fill out a form to enter them, especially during peaks when we’re all so busy.
Instead, wouldn’t it make more sense if agents who make a booking are automatically entered into the competition in question? I might be wrong, but I imagine suppliers can see which shop or consortium has made the booking and trace it back to the agent so they can be entered?
I’m sure I’m not the only agent who rarely has time to fill out a form to enter them, especially during peaks when we’re all so busy
I have no issue with suppliers running such promotions, but I do feel our lives would be made a little easier were this change to happen. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed…