Your Perception of role of a travel consultant
Sep 4, 2000, 9:05 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: YYZ
Posts: 1
Your Perception of role of a travel consultant
I am new to this board and I just started being a travel agent. I love this site and I wanted to know "What qualities does someone need to make a good travel consultant ?" I thought this would be a good place to ask since a lot of you travel a lot.
Thanks,
Sarah
Thanks,
Sarah
Sep 5, 2000, 6:47 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: (SMV) St. Moritz, Switzerland
Programs: LH SEN, AA AAirpass, IC Ambassador Platinum, *wood Gold
Posts: 1,343
Welcome-
This may not be the detail that you would like, but I would summarize the task as understanding the customer's preferences and identifying opportunities to meet those preferences. That is increasingly more difficult to do because much of that information is to be had via the internet for those who have the time to search for it.
The other opportunity to add something of value, is to save time / create a unique combination.
This may not be the detail that you would like, but I would summarize the task as understanding the customer's preferences and identifying opportunities to meet those preferences. That is increasingly more difficult to do because much of that information is to be had via the internet for those who have the time to search for it.
The other opportunity to add something of value, is to save time / create a unique combination.
Sep 5, 2000, 7:05 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Monkeyville
Programs: Island DOs, very sticky toffee pud w vanilla ice cream n multi-coloured velvet pillows enthusiast
Posts: 4,647
i personally think a good travel consultant should first, love to travel, and second, be well travelled.... 
Sep 5, 2000, 7:47 am
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: NJ
Posts: 3,335
Optimally, a travel consultant should know more about the options available to a traveler than the traveler is aware of. That goes for 1) ways and prices to get there; 2) places to stay when you are there; and 3) things to see when you are there.
I am not a travel consultant, but I keep a file of magazine articles (Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Travel Holiday, newspaper travel section, etc.) of places I want to go, places I want to stay, etc. I frequently will lend a friend my Italy file, for example. Most people find it immensely helpful. You should read these types of things too, so that the next time a person asks you--"where can I stay in Italy that would be really great?"--you have some great ideas for them. That's the type of travel consultant that I would use again and again.
Djlawman
I am not a travel consultant, but I keep a file of magazine articles (Conde Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Travel Holiday, newspaper travel section, etc.) of places I want to go, places I want to stay, etc. I frequently will lend a friend my Italy file, for example. Most people find it immensely helpful. You should read these types of things too, so that the next time a person asks you--"where can I stay in Italy that would be really great?"--you have some great ideas for them. That's the type of travel consultant that I would use again and again.
Djlawman
Sep 5, 2000, 10:03 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,725
Sarah, welcome to the board and thanks for your query. A really good travel consultant is very difficult to find. I would distill the qualities I am looking for down to three categories.
1) You know more about travel logistics than I do. I am weary of explaining to "travel agents" what a four-digit codeshare flight number signifies, or that Gatwick and Heathrow aren't the same airport, or that Northwest doesn't fly SEA-LAX.
2) You're good with details. You confirm my reservations and enter the appropriate FF numbers so I don't have to. I spend a considerable amount of time rectifying the omissions or mistakes of my corporate travel provider.
3) You respect and pursue my agenda, not yours. I don't like being read a limited list of options because you're being "spiffed" to lead clients in a certain direction. The days when a travel provider could prosper by concealing information from clients are long over.
For these reasons I prefer to make all my own travel arrangements, business and leisure. But let me know where you're doing business.
1) You know more about travel logistics than I do. I am weary of explaining to "travel agents" what a four-digit codeshare flight number signifies, or that Gatwick and Heathrow aren't the same airport, or that Northwest doesn't fly SEA-LAX.
2) You're good with details. You confirm my reservations and enter the appropriate FF numbers so I don't have to. I spend a considerable amount of time rectifying the omissions or mistakes of my corporate travel provider.
3) You respect and pursue my agenda, not yours. I don't like being read a limited list of options because you're being "spiffed" to lead clients in a certain direction. The days when a travel provider could prosper by concealing information from clients are long over.
For these reasons I prefer to make all my own travel arrangements, business and leisure. But let me know where you're doing business.