A regular client, who I’ve booked for years, opts for a nice family holiday in August for herself, her husband and their two children.
Deposit paid and a nice commission. Everyone is happy.
A few days later, she emails me to tell me her friend, who I have never met, would like to come on the same holiday with her husband and her two children and can I email the friend a quote?
No problem at all.
Quote is dispatched within the hour. A thank-you email is returned, along with a few questions: Who are the flights with? What are the flight times? etc.
These requests are replied to right away and now we wait…
As it happens, I don’t have to wait long as, that evening, I meet a friend who’s over from Spain in the local beachfront pub.
The sun’s out and all is well… until I hear a conversation between the couple that’s just sat down at the table behind me.
“Yes, so I have the prices for the holiday,” she tells her other half.
“And I managed to get all the details. So the local agent was £3,022 but, looking at the online agents, I have managed to get it down to £2,915.”
I realise, as she reels off the holiday particulars, that it’s the lady I sent the quotes to earlier.
I almost say something but decide against it as they start booking the holiday on their phone.
Same flights, basic room, coach transfers… A clink of glasses confirms the deal is done.
Back in the office the next morning, I upgrade my regular client to a private transfer – rather than the 90-minute coach transfer with an hour wait before it sets off – and switch them to a sea-view.
It all costs me to do it, but I still make a profit and, as they are regular clients, I know I will easily make this back on future bookings.
Just a shame I won’t be there to see her friend’s face when she sees my regular client gets the benefit of booking local…
Read more Secret Agent anecdotes here
The post Tales from the Secret Agent: The one about the sea view appeared first on Travel Gossip.
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Deposit paid and a nice commission. Everyone is happy.
A few days later, she emails me to tell me her friend, who I have never met, would like to come on the same holiday with her husband and her two children and can I email the friend a quote?
No problem at all.
Quote is dispatched within the hour. A thank-you email is returned, along with a few questions: Who are the flights with? What are the flight times? etc.
These requests are replied to right away and now we wait…
As it happens, I don’t have to wait long as, that evening, I meet a friend who’s over from Spain in the local beachfront pub.
The sun’s out and all is well… until I hear a conversation between the couple that’s just sat down at the table behind me.
“Yes, so I have the prices for the holiday,” she tells her other half.
“And I managed to get all the details. So the local agent was £3,022 but, looking at the online agents, I have managed to get it down to £2,915.”
I realise, as she reels off the holiday particulars, that it’s the lady I sent the quotes to earlier.
I almost say something but decide against it as they start booking the holiday on their phone.
Same flights, basic room, coach transfers… A clink of glasses confirms the deal is done.
Back in the office the next morning, I upgrade my regular client to a private transfer – rather than the 90-minute coach transfer with an hour wait before it sets off – and switch them to a sea-view.
It all costs me to do it, but I still make a profit and, as they are regular clients, I know I will easily make this back on future bookings.
Just a shame I won’t be there to see her friend’s face when she sees my regular client gets the benefit of booking local…
Read more Secret Agent anecdotes here
The post Tales from the Secret Agent: The one about the sea view appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
