"We will improve the process of handling incoming telecommunications from customers / suppliers to be the most professional and customer-responsive travel agency, and achieve a higher customer satisfaction level."

Telephone Answering Procedures

     The success of our business is very dependent on having quality telephone communication between customers and associates.  Quality Communication is equally important for internal as well as external communications.

     Spears Travel's company policy provides for answering the phone by the third ring.  The receptionist has primary responsibility with all employees being used as back-up.  In offices without a receptionist, all employees are responsible for answering the phones.

     Please use the following proper greeting when answering the phone, "Thank you for calling Spears Travel Leaders.  This is ___________, how may I direct your call?"  Remember to smile when you answer the phone.  Believe it or not, your smile can be heard in your tone of voice just as well as a frown.

Call Transferring

     When a phone call is for another associate, standard procedure dictates that the caller be placed on hold.  The objective would be not to have to take a message unless the caller has an emergency or simply does not wish to wait.  Try to get people to hold if at all possible.  Before placing the caller on hold:
1) Identify the caller by full name, 2) Ask for company name.  Once this information has been obtained, the following procedures need to be followed.

          1.  Caller wishes to HOLD.
          2.  Transfer call
          3.  Stay on HOLD
          4.  Take a message
          5.  Go back to caller after one minute
          6.  Ask if someone else may help them

     Above all, do not forget the caller.  It is everyone's responsibility to answer ring backs, whether it is your call or not.  At all costs, try to use the caller's name when greeting a ring back.  For example, "Mr. Smith, thank you for holding -- Gary will be right with you."  Keep in mind that people (including yourself) do not like being forgotten or ignored in "Hold Land".  If a phone is ringing back and you do not know who it is, please answer with the following greeting, "I apologize for your having to wait.  May I ask for whom you are holding?"

     When transferring a call, please confirm associate's ability to accept the call before releasing.  Some phone systems have paging capability and it should be utilized whenever possible.  Use the caller's full name and who they are with.  Even if the agent/staff member does not greet the caller by name, it gives them and idea of who they are dealing with.  In some cases, the caller may be asking to speak with the wrong person.  Screen administrative calls more thoroughly to be able to route them to the proper person.  If unsure, please refer to the Contact Directory.

Message Procedures

     When taking a message becomes necessary, please include all of the following items at all times; accuracy is essential:

          1)  Full Name
          2)  Date
          3)  Time
          4)  Company Name
          5)  Phone Number......Accuracy is critical!
          6)  Your Initials
          7)  Message (i.e., Please call...will call back...meet him for lunch at...
               returned your call)

Callback Policy

     Throughout the company, standard callback time is 30 minutes and callback is defined as a response to a telephone message from the customer.  This applies to both internal and external customers.  It is Company Policy to respond to a customer request on the same day or communicate to him that you will call him back the following day.  If you are unable to respond to the request within the appropriate time, notify your branch manager.

Corporate and Leisure Calls

     All administrative or non-reservation oriented (i.e.,  vendors, personal calls, airline representatives, etc...) should be directed to the front lines and given front line hours.  The 800/888 numbers should not be used by vendors or other administrative callers or for personal calls.  Corporate lines and corporate 800/888 numbers are for the use of selected corporate accounts and are non-published numbers.

800/888 Numbers

     Inform your clients of 800/888 numbers available during office hours when they are out-of-town and need assistance.  Listed below are the 800/888 numbers of each office:

          BVO DOWNTOWN     (800) 688-8031 (Leisure)
                                        (800) 688-4836 (Corporate)
          BVO MALL                (800) 688-8032
          ETON SQUARE          (800) 688-8033 (Leisure)
                                        (800) 688-8034 (Corporate)
     

Message Distribution

Microsoft Outlook has been determined to be the most efficient way of distributing messages within and between offices.  Refer to the following for instructions on the use of Microsoft Outlook.  Please utilize this electronic communication between offices whenever it is not an urgent situation.  The back-up system to Microsoft Outlook e-mail for distributing messages within offices will be compete handwritten messages.  Verbal messages are not allowed.  Each associate is responsible to turn on your Outlook "Out of office assistant" or assign a back-up to monitor messages when he or she is out of the office.

Processing E-Mail

It is important to check your E-Mail frequently.  Also, log-in and out at least once each day in order to re-set your system and keep it functioning smoothly.

                                                 E-Mail Suggestions

Subject Line:  Be specific.  This draws the readers attention to it.  
                     Example:  Meeting vs. December 4th Finance meeting.

Don't use all capitals:  It tends to "SHOUT" at the reader (Tone) and it is hard to read.

Make hard copies when pertinent:  Saving all emails in the computer takes up memory BUT, making copies of all e-mails can be wasteful.

Be careful of tone:  Sometimes e-mails can come off abrasive if you're not cautious.

Sign your name at the bottom:  It is simply common courtesy

Be aware of a possible 2nd Audience:  Sometimes e-mails can be too casual and even inappropriate.  Before you "cc" someone you may want to check with appropriate people to see if it is okay.  Example:  When you are sending an e-mail to your supervisor but you "cc" her supervisor.

Contact Directory

Have you ever received a phone call and did not know whom it should be directed?  A Contact Directory has been developed to give you an idea where the call should go.  It is a listing of different departments or services our company offers, who is the primary contact or person responsible and who is the secondary contact or backup person.

Personal Phone Calls

Personal phone calls should be for messages or appointments only.  While the company recognizes the need for associates to make or receive personal calls, such calls should be held to as short a duration as possible.  When an associate is on a personal call it causes a retraction from professionalism and costs the company time and money.  Due to the high cost of phone lines each office has a limited number of lines for incoming client calls and outgoing business calls.  We can not afford to have these lines busy with non-business related calls.  It is the associates responsibility to instruct family, friends, and personal acquaintances of our company policy, and also to keep each other accountable for this as we are all on the same team working towards the common goal of better service to our customers.  Please do not take advantage of your co-workers or the company by tying up company phone lines or time with personal calls.

Long Distance service or 800/888 number lines should not be used for personal calls.  Please advise management in case of emergency if long distance or an 800/888 number is used for a personal call so as to reimburse the company for the expense.