The Nine Principles of Customer Service for the Travel Industry©
If you want to learn how to get your clients to do your selling for you
through excpetional customer service, read on. Learn customer service
secrets from tourism professionals, apply them to your business and
prosper. 1. Be a Good Listener ? Most important, listen to your
customers' concerns and complaints, as well as their praise. Discover
what it is they want. Your guests are your best source of information in
assessing your services and performance. Well-written guest surveys
are invaluable for getting feedback, testimonials, and referrals. Help
prospects qualify themselves before signing up. Make sure they
understand the rigors, responsibilities, and dangers, as well as the level
of exertion, entailed in the experiences you offer. 2. Exceed Expectations ? Under-promise and over-deliver on a
consistent basis with exceptional service. This is what they'll remember
and tell their friends about. It is amazing how small details can make a
big impression. You work hard and spend big money to get qualified
prospects to call your office or e-mail you. How professional, informative,
and timely is your response? That first contact can set the tone and
significantly impact a purchasing decision. 3. Practice Safety - Clients want to know the destination and
activities are safe. They will feel more at ease during real or perceived
risks if they have been educated about their new activities or
environments in advance. Unfortunately, if most human beings' fears or
worries are not addressed, their minds will grow weeds, not flowers.
Advise on plant, animal, and natural resource cautions. Let them know
that there is generally nothing to worry about if they respect the
environment and heed your advice. Brief guests on your safety
procedures for any excursions without staff away from home base. 4. Provide Great Food - Guests must eat well, never be hungry,
and have adequate water and drinks. Fresh food with ample portions
served at a scheduled time can make any adventure more memorable
and satisfying. If meal service is going to be delayed, provide a little
snack to tide guests over. 5. Cater to Sleep Needs - Guests need and want comfortable
and peaceful sleep. Make sure everyone is comfortable with his or her
bedding. Cater to individual needs by offering single accommodations.
Charging an extra cost is okay. Provide easy access to bathrooms with
safety procedures for nighttime use. Separate late evening social areas
from sleep areas by distance and/or trees or a hill. Hand out earplugs if
necessary. 6. Think Comfort - Provide first world standards when possible.
Bathroom breaks and bathing is important on a regular basis. Give
people every opportunity for comfort: hammocks, beach chairs, portable
toilets, whatever you can provide. Never go too long between bathroom
breaks. Some guests may have weak bladders and need more frequent
breaks to feel comfortable and relaxed. Make sure everyone has
adequate water, as well as appropriate clothing and footwear. 7. Be Sensitive to Capabilities - Never exceed physical or
mental capacities of guests. Always ask groups and individuals if they
are comfortable with the activity and exertion level before and during the
activity. Be sensitive to the slowest as well as strongest in the group.
Splitting the group into two smaller groups is a good option. Rest as
needed. I believe in a trip rating or difficulty system that allows guests
and outfitters to jointly participate in selecting the most appropriate trip. 8. Be Fun - Be friendly, helpful, courteous, and fun! Make sure
your staff is there for the guests and not for themselves. Good
storytellers, jokesters, and musicians can distinguish your staff and
company from other companies. Be sensitive with humor and with
families with kids. If you cater to kids, employ staff that loves kids. Guests
sometimes need encouragement or guidance to try an activity. You are
the guide and activity director combined. Discuss activities or mini-
classes in advance so guests will know what is happening and when.<
br> 9. Provide Information - An informed guest is safer and more
relaxed, and has more fun. Our guests are educated and want to learn
about their new environment. Assume that guests know little or nothing
about their surroundings. Look for opportunities to provide a minimum of
three details about each type of surrounding element during any outing.
Be prepared to talk about the plants, animals, birds, trees, rocks,
geological formations, fish, marine mammals, and shells. Include
information about local culture, economy, and history, too. The more we
can share, the more value we are providing our guests. Like other businesses I know and have worked with, you, too, will
experience more repeat clients and referrals by applying these details of
great customer service. Your business, in time, will prosper like never
before! Since 1994, Tim Warren and Adventure Business Consultants, has
helped dozen's of travel business, destinations, tourism Assn. and
boards with customer service training, consulting and creating
exceptional marketing material. Click Here For Free Bimonthly E-zine ?
Tourism Business Success - http://www.AdventureBizSuccess.com
News, tips, tools and specials that you can use to increase your travel
business success.
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