As an independent travel advisor, it's essential to equip your clients with the tools to navigate potential service issues. They may encounter issues during their stay at a hospitality, hotel, or resort and feel the need to lay a complaint.
To assist your client, they simply need to follow the correct route and you can do much to help them resolve it.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how your travel clients should handle a complaint politely and effectively:
Step 1: Clearly Document the Issue:
- Note the specifics of The Problem: The client should clearly outline the problem, including correct dates, times, and the names of individuals involved.
- Gather evidence: If possible, they should collect the receipts, take photos, or ask for some witness statements to support their claim.
- Communicate calmly and clearly: If possible before returning home the client should try and resolve the issue on site. They should explain the problem to the relevant staff member, such as a hotel manager, tour guide, or airline representative.
- Request immediate resolution: Often hospitality managers will try and resolve a problem promptly before it escalates. Thus the client could ask for an on-the-spot solution, such as a room change, refund, or compensation.
- Document the interaction: Note the name of the staff member involved, the exact date, time, and the resolution, if any were offered.
- Contact the company directly: In some instances the on-site resolution may be unsatisfactory, and in this case they contact the company's customer service department.
- Be persistent: Clients must do everything possible to follow up on their complaint until it's resolved, and as your client try and assist where you are able.
- Consider written communication: It is useful to send a formal letter or an email detailing the issue and desired resolution and copy the necessary personnel involved.
- Involving You as a Travel advisor: Clients may always try and resolve problems quickly on site but this does not always happen. If the issue remained unresolved, you as the clients travel advisor must step in for support.
- Utilize social media: Clients will share their experiences on social media platforms to garner attention and potentially pressure the company. Assist them and respond when you need to showing your support as their travel agent
- Contact consumer protection agencies: If all else has failed and the issue has become serious, then in these extreme cases, consider contacting relevant consumer protection organizations.
- Complete online reviews: Travel clients will share their experience on review platforms to inform other travellers. Recommend they share how you gave them support is possible.
- Provide constructive feedback: As the travel advisors offer suggestions for improvement to help the company address any future issues.
- Remain calm and professional: Clients must always be polite and having an assertive approach is more likely to yield positive results.
- Know your rights: As a travel advisor help clients familiarize themselves with consumer protection laws and regulations.
- Keep copies of all correspondence: As mentioned above it must be stressed to maintain a record of all interactions for future reference.
Remember to emphasize to clients the importance of clear communication, documentation, and persistence.
