Value & Service Are Keys to Success
In Travel, Upgrades Are Good Too
The Signal - Business Section, September, 2005
Whatever you’re selling, from electronics, real estate, fashion or travel, the yellow brick road to success is all about how you treat your clients. Value and service are golden and precisely what keeps them coming back for more. Okay, free stuff, upgrades and travel credits work too. But the ultimate dealmaker is the value of the proposition.
There is a difference between price and value, often a huge spread when it comes to travel planning. Take college student John for example. He is trying to book a flight home for the holidays and is on a limited budget. What motivates him is a low ticket price, even if it means taking a red eye flight and stopping in Dallas to change planes. But for $40 more, he could book an afternoon departure that flies non-stop to his destination, saving him hassle and layover time. There you have it, price versus value.
Ann is traveling alone with her three kids all under the age of 12. Does she realize that some hotels offer complimentary breakfast buffets to guests? To her, any extra convenience is a giant value-add, even if the room rate is slightly higher.
So how do you figure all this out when interacting with a computer screen that shows only the price tag? You don’t. This is where you rely on your experienced travel consultant for help narrowing down the countless options and discerning price versus value. Working with a real-life person is certainly a lot more, well, personalized so you get the professional attention you deserve.
Like many service-related businesses, travel is about relationships. However, in our fast-paced, high-tech world we accomplish everything we possibly can online or by phone and often forget that people are still part of the mix. If we could go to the hairdresser or visit the dentist without leaving our desks, we probably would.
But when booking travel, it’s the people who make the difference. These skilled travel consultants know how to guide you to the best-educated decision for the travel purchase you need to make.
Another misconception is the traditional travel agency in your local community is a thing of the past. Go and figure, agencies not only still exist, but are thriving in this post 9/11 economy. People are traveling now more than ever and require the value that a knowledgeable travel professional brings to the table.
Industry relationships between travel consultants, vendors and other preferred accounts can mean the difference between a room with a bed and a suite with a view for the average traveler. This is sure not a point-and-click option available on a discount travel website.
Adding value whenever we can is the icing on the cake for us, and our clients. From limited access to distressed pricing inventory, cruise ship upgrades or shore excursions, and promotional products from resort vendors offering luggage or DVD players for travel purchases, you can thank your travel consultant. They are the ones who help make it happen.
Even though we go about conducting business in a modern way, attracting and retaining our clients still gets right back to the basics. People, value and service are what keep them coming back. At least until we’re all replaced by robots with great personality, travel knowledge and insider connections.
Commentary provided by Eric Maryanov, president and founder of All-Travel.com, the Los Angeles-based travel management company with an office in Valencia. He can be reached at 661.775.7511..
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