Travel agents have hailed the value of overseas reps after trying the job for themselves in Majorca.
Nine agents won the chance to work as a rep with Classic Collection as part of the operator’s Be Our Rep, Be Our Guest promotion.
So far three agents have spent three days on the Spanish island with Classic’s overseas operation. A further four are due to go in October.
Their duties included assisting with airport meet-and-greets, welcome meetings and hotel visits with Nigel Vickers, Classic’s overseas regional manager for Spain.
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Designer Travel managing director Amanda Matthews was impressed by reps’ knowledge and their responses to clients’ issues.
“Lots of companies don’t provide a rep service and have a phone number instead, so to see reps doing their job well makes you understand their importance,” she said.
During her stay, Matthews witnessed reps organise a doctor for one ill customer and, for another, ask a transfer company to arrange a taxi to drive on quieter roads to the airport after learning the client had a fear of motorways. “The rep took the initiative unprompted,” she said.
Matthews urged operators to use reps’ knowledge more effectively to sell via agents. “Operators that employ reps have got this amazing resource they can tap into to sell more holidays to agents,” she said.
Brilliant Travel homeworker Steve Friend said spending time with reps had given him an insight into how Classic operated, boosted his sales confidence and demonstrated the importance of reps.
Be our rep be our guest
Since returning to work, he said he had been able to give clients more specific information, such as who would look after them on a Classic trip.
“On fam trips you visit hotels, but on this you get to the real heart of it – meeting clients as they arrived at the airport,” said Friend. “Someone left their jacket at a hotel and asked the rep to collect it. It was an eye-opener.”
Classic’s director of agency sales and marketing, Si Morris-Green, said the promotion was part of an “open-door policy” to share information with agents.
“As well as reassuring agents, it reinforces the strong customer service aspect,” he said. “It can help agents not just to increase sales but also to retain customers and reap the rewards of high-value bookings.”
After shadowing a rep, agents enjoyed a three-night stay at the Hotel Bon Sol in the resort of Illetas.
More: Classic Collection chooses nine agents to ‘be our rep’
Agents offered chance to see both sides of holiday in Classic Collection initiative
