Use a consumer’s bad experience to your advantage

ALTHOUGH consumers
are becoming
increasingly techsavvy,
their online bookings
can still go wrong, in which
case, they turn to agents
for help.
 Some agents say
they refuse to do the
consumer’s dirty work,
while others view
consumers’ botched online
bookings as the perfect
opportunity to snatch new
clients.
Even though she finds it
very frustrating, Rachael
Penaluna, business
manager of Sure Maritime
Travel, often helps with
fixing incorrect names
and dates or too many
stopovers booked on air
tickets online. She says
it’s the perfect way to show
travellers how much value
agents add.
Travel Counsellor
Siobhan Nel often has new
clients approach her to
help fix online bookings,
particularly tickets
booked through loyalty
programmes.
“For example, new clients
will phone saying they
booked a flight online and
would like to upgrade using
their miles but cannot get
through to the call centre.”
Instead of turning them
away, Siobhan says she
is always happy to help
because 70% of the time,
these clients will either
refer her or book with her
in future.
“It may not be immediate
business but it is definitely
business.”
She believes referrals are
how agents should grow
their businesses.
During the recent strike of
SAA cabin crew members,
Siobhan had an existing
client whose wife had
booked a flight online
to join him on a trip to
Tanzania.
Her flight had been
cancelled due to the strike.
She called Siobhan, who
then ensured her ticket
was revalidated, allowing
her to fly a few hours later.
The client’s wife was
so impressed that she
told a group of people
at the airport about the
impeccable service.
The next day, the PA of
one of the people who’d
heard about Siobhan’s
service the previous day,
contacted her to book a
business-class flight to
Bremen later that month.
Ryan Charls, travel
consultant and flights
manager of Perfect Africa,
recently helped a US client
who had botched a safari
booking online.
The client miscalculated
the dates of his lodge
booking when booking
flights out of Europe.
Since the incident, the
client has recommended
Ryan to several people who
have consequently booked
with him.
“If you can convince a
client it is better dealing
with a human than the
Internet, you will have a
client for life,” he says.
However, Taryn Agliotti,
consultant director of Sure
Travel 24-7, warns that
there is a fine line between
helping a client and doing
their dirty work. “Agents
need to draw the line if the
same client keeps booking
online and only returns so
that you can help them
with their problems.”