With online travel bookings not going anywhere, it’s more important than ever for agents to emphasise their points of difference and value propositions.
After all, we know human experiences will always trump OTA service. But how can agents truly emphasise their value?
According to Spencer Travel Group’s Penny Spencer, it’s all about personalisation.
We had a chat with Spencer to find out what Spencer Travel is doing to WOW their clients and as always, she did not disappoint.
She told us it’s important to remember that travel is a people business.
“We work hard to attract and retain great people,” she said.
“Not simply so they can take orders and process bookings, but so they can be extraordinary, creative and human. We deploy best-in-class technology, not to replace people, but to free them from the drudgery of process and be their brilliant selves.”
For Spencer, WOWing clients is about doing whatever it takes.
“If we’re not WOW-ing our clients every time, then we’re not upholding our end of the contract,” Spencer said.
“We recently had a client leave a laptop overseas. So we arranged for someone to fly over and retrieve it.
“Another client had a dramatic romantic emergency, so we arranged for a delivery of 600 (yes, 600) red roses to his hotel room.
“Our consultants nurture genuine relationships and connections with hotel managers all over the world which helps with red carpet treatment for our clients as they travel.”
For agents to keep up, Spencer said the experiences they provide should come from an almost un-Google-able place.
“We know our clients sometimes better than they know themselves,” Spencer said.
“We try to think like them and walk in their shoes to pre-empt every reasonable issue and iron out any wrinkles even after they’ve returned home.
“You’d be surprised, for example, how much a busy executive appreciates fresh milk, butter and their favourite crusty loaf waiting for them at home after a business trip. Sometimes more than 600 roses.”
