TRAVEL CONSULTANT ROLE & THE SALES PROCESS

What is Travel

• Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of transport from one location to another.

• Travel is most commonly for recreation (as part of tourism or to visit friends and family), for business or for commuting; but may be for numerous other reasons.

• A travel agent is the professional who assists you with your travel plans”.

Travel Consultant

• Travel consultants assist clients in making travel arrangement for both business and holiday purposes.

• They help provide quotes to find the best value options available and make bookings for transport, accommodation, sightseeing activities and other travel related activities a client may need.

Corporate Travel Consultant• he main duty of a corporate travel

consultant is to help companies map out travel arrangements for their employees. This can include booking flights, arranging transportation to and from the airport, and booking hotel rooms.

• Corporate travel consultants also help companies keep their employees' visas and work permits up to date for the locations they need to travel. In some cases, consultants help employees relocate to a new city, state or country.

• A travel consultant must not only love travel but also working with people.

• A travel Consultant spends much of his/her time talking with clients on the phone or meeting with them in person.

• A professional, polished appearance is also imperative for a travel consultant.

• Make yourself a competitive standout in your industry by becoming a specialist on a particular part of the world. If African safaris are your passion, show it off with pictures on your desk and computer desktop. If you're a cruise lover, make your customers feel the cruise experience through your offshore mementos proudly displayed on your desktop.

Travel Consultant

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A travel consultant needs:• to enjoy working with people• good organisational skills with an attention to

detail• to have travelled widely• to be able to work in a fast-paced

environment• a strong sales focus• strong communication skills.

Role

• Travel Consultants are hospitality industry professionals who help customers plan travel experiences.

• Travel Consultants do not just book airline tickets, cruises and all-inclusive vacations; the modern travel agent is a consultant who may specialize in particular regions of the world and has an intimate knowledge of the industry.

• The consultant advises customers on prices, options and must-see attractions in parts of the world. Like a well-trained real estate agent or other sales professional, travel agent consultant gets to know their clients and learn their needs.

The Consultant Experience

Make your clients feel

welcome via face-to-

face, email or

telephone

WELCOME

This will be given in terms

of ongoing training, staff

meetings, one-on-one

meetings with the branch manager

SUPPORT

Build a rapport with your customers and give them travel advise

RECOMMENDATION

With your clients, team

members, branch

manager, various

suppliers

INTERACTION

Book your customer their dream

holidays and offer the highest

customer service and they will be

customers for life! Once a

customer receive not just good

but excellent service they will

return over and over.

BOOKINGS

INTRODUCE THE SALES PROCESS IN A TRAVEL

AGENCY

Remember !!

"Sales is a Process - Not

an Event"

Two different types of sales

Retail sales

when the customer

comes to your business

Outside sales

when the you go to the customer

e.g. as a sales representative

Retail travel agency how does the customer or client choose to come to your agency? The main reasons will be:– recommendations from friends or relatives– you offer better prices or value for money– or your window display or your office looks

more inviting

Selling to a client going on a holiday,

you must ensure you remember you are part of the "total

experience" for the client's holiday

Total Experience

The "total experience" includes everything they see, hear, touch, smell or feel from the time they

start planning their holiday until they return

home

You will need to appeal to their emotions when selling by speaking with enthusiasm, using descriptive words e.g. majestic views and telling them about your own experiences (may as well be from what you’ve read or saw on TV such as documentaries etc)

7 Steps Sales ProcessSAY HI

QUALIFY THE CUSTOMER

IDENTIFY

PROPOSE

NEGOTIATE QUALIFY THE CUSTOMER HANDLE OBJECTIONS

CLOSE THE SALES

FOLLOW UP

Sales Process

smile and greet customer; acknowledge if on the phone or with another client; say you’re your name and ask theirs; ask how you can help; answer phone within 3 rings

research - using listening and questioning skills; build rapport; ask at least 5 open questions about what they want; listen and reconfirm needs; do not make assumption; show interest and excitement

1.Say Hi

2. Qualify The Customer

Sales Processopportunities - choose suitable products including "preferred" products and using up-selling and add-on selling techniques; make recommendations; help customers visualize being there; explain features and benefits of the product; use sales tools (brochures, suppliers, atlas, maps etc)

suggest a holiday/itinerary, can be verbally or written - will include travel details, costs and supplementary information e.g. visas, luggage

3. Identify

4. Propose

Sales Process

clients will raise any objections e.g. cost, type of hotel - ensure you recommend products which match their requests and emphasis benefits

should be easiest step - ask client for the sale - Shall I go ahead with the booking?; explain booking conditions and payments methods; ask for deposits

5. Negotiate Qualify The Customer Handle Objections

6. Close the Sales

Sales Process

after client has returned from holiday, either phone, email or visit to obtain feedback on their experiences

7. Follow Up

Sales Process Question Using open question : e.g. what, when, who, why,

how

'Active listening' is ensuring you are listening with understanding, either by using positive body language or using minimal encouragers such as "right" etc

When making a proposal, your selling skills will be of great importance. You need to be able to distinguish between features (e.g. the facts, specifications or inclusions of a product - a hotel room has air conditioning) and benefits (why a feature is useful or relevant to the client - what's in it for them?? - the air conditioning will keep them cool in the hot climate)