You have chosen to work with a travel professional to get professional advice and help with creating your itinerary as you plan your ideal getaway or destination wedding. Finding a travel agency with the expertise needed to customize and put together the best trip experience ever is the next step.
You should be aware that the majority of travel agencies fall within the category of specialists. Thus, they only concentrate on marketing a specific niche set of goods or locations in order to add the maximum value there.
Even though any competent travel agent can essentially assist you reserve anything, it is always preferable to work with a travel professional that has the background and experience necessary to get you the best price and level of service. Here are 5 criteria you can use to evaluate your agents.
1. Background Checks for Agents
Before exchanging information and beginning the research process, you should first conduct your own research on the travel agent, regardless of whether you were given their name by a host agency or received a suggestion from a friend who has previously used them. Does this travel agency have a website where you can read about the services they provide?
Does the list of services cover the kind of encounter you’re seeking for, if so? The first indication that a travel agent is not the best choice for you would probably be if they lack a professional website or other reliable outlet that provides sufficient information about who they are. They probably don’t take their business seriously if they aren’t willing to invest in properly establishing and marketing it.
2. Certification and Accreditation
You want to be sure that your travel agency is properly licensed and operating in an ethical manner. Before proceeding, make sure your travel agent has all the required legal accreditations and certifications with those local authorities, and that your agent is working under a recognized and reputable IATA Travel or Host Agency.
3. Have Your Agent Used the Product Firsthand
Although it is undoubtedly a plus when they have, this does not always imply that a travel agent who has never been to the resort, traveled to the nation, or taken the cruise would not be able to give you accurate information about the product. Personal experience consistently outperforms product knowledge seminars and online training videos. Find out if your agent has firsthand knowledge of the products you are interested in by asking them.
4. Has Your Agent Had Much Experience Selling The service?
Although an agent may not have visited the site for a site inspection or for a personal vacation, they have sold the product so frequently that they have dealt with the vendors and had previous clients who have experienced it. The value of this kind of history in evaluating an agent is equal to that of any other criterion. A travel agent with a long history of selling goods would not only possess expertise, but also connections that might be very helpful in obtaining additional benefits and favors.
5. How Well Do They Communicate?
Customer service is all about communication. Nothing else matters if the customer service is subpar; that travel agency is not the one you should use. Response times, such as how long it took the agent to respond your initial email or phone call, are early warning indicators. Do they already have any details to share with you or additional questions to ask you when they get in touch with you?
A bad travel agent will phone you or send you an email to let you know that they are working on your quote. A reputable travel agency in Sri Lanka like Arabiers would get in touch with the client first to confirm the information provided and to identify or propose any missing information. Some of them might even have advice or data that can help you make decisions. A travel agent who is good at communicating will always succeed.
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