TRAVEL agents often have
to put out fires, and the
more a supplier can help
them do this, the more they
value the relationship.
In a TNW poll among 79
travel agents, 44% said their
supplier sales rep’s ability to
help them when they had a
problem was what they valued
most about their relationship.
Sheryl Medhurst, travel
professional of Travel Manor,
says the after-hours
assistance agents give clients
is their biggest selling point
and this makes it important for
sales reps to be available too.
However, it can sometimes be
a problem for agents to find
help after hours, especially
from airlines and car-hire
companies. When dealing with
car-hire companies, you are on
your own and, with airlines, you
often deal with a foreign and
ineffective call centre, says
Sheryl.
Communication is also vital.
Lezane Willemse, consultant
at XL Bay Travel, says if an
agent contacts a rep who is
unavailable, they should let the
agent know when they will get
back to them.
The poll also showed that
33% of agents valued short
visits where reps brought
useful information and 15%
of respondents valued reps
who understood their business
needs. Only 4% valued visits
that took the form of informal
chats over coffee and similarly,
only 4% appreciated freebies
and promo gifts. One agent
says unannounced visits
should always be kept short
and reps should have useful
information to share.
Reps should be mindful
of supporting agents,
especially those who bring
them significant amounts of
business. For example, if an
agent has worked out a quote
and would like confirmation
that it is correct, the rep
should be willing to help out,
says Sheryl.
