Because of the nature of the travel business, clients encountering problems is inevitable whether it is a mistake we have made, or a problem incurred with the vendor.  We are the first line to handle these situations as they are our clients.  This is a great opportunity to fix the situation and prove what value we bring to them as their travel consultant!  The philosophy of the company is that the customer comes first, and they are always right (even if they are not!) All customer complaints should be discussed with the owner/manager immediately.  We encourage strong dialogue and rapport between the customer and sales agent.  Try to be sympathetic and avoid getting defensive.  Don’t admit or deny fault during the initial contacts with the client, but really give the assurance that we are very concerned about their situation.   We prefer to settle all disputes without management intervention when possible, and support agent efforts.  This is not always possible, however, and must occasionally be settled by a third party.  Whether problems are settled by the agent or with management, the owner/manager should always be briefed from the first hint of a problem.   It is critical that you remain in constant communication with the client so they feel that you are working on the situation. It is also important that the situations get resolved in a timely manner.  If the booking agent is not able to resolve the situation, then the branch manager should become involved.   If the situation is still not handled, please get in touch with the Director of Sales and Customer Service or an owner and let the client know that you will be speaking with them and someone will be getting back to them promptly.  Do not send the client directly to the owners without going over the situation in detail first with the owner, so that we are not caught off guard. 

Here are some tips to handling this situation for the agents and managers. 

1.     Fix your clients first.  Focus your first efforts on their feelings.  The problem that they encountered created valid emotions that must be addressed.  Reassure them that you are on their side and that you share their frustration. 

2.     Listen. Offer them the opportunity to vent.  Resist the temptation to give them a logical explanation. At this point, that isn’t what they need.  Many times that will be enough compensation for them, just a sympathetic ear. 

3.     Acknowledge your client’s feelings.  Let them know you understand and express agreement with valid complaints.  Unreasonable demands can be handled later, when emotions cool.

4.     Ask for details.  As they begin to feel you’re on their side, get clarification of any points you’re unclear about.  Then summarize the problem to be certain you really understand what went wrong. Ask the client what they are looking for?  Sometimes it will be less than you think if you put the ball in their court. 

5.     Propose a solution.  In most cases, if a supplier is at fault, you’ll need to contact it to help craft an appropriate solution.  Let your clients know that you’ll make finding a solution a priority. 

6.     Thank your clients.  You want them to know that you care about the quality of the products you recommend, and that their complaints actually have been valuable to you and your business.