What You Say to Clients is Just as Important as the Products You Sell Them

In my 24-year career in travel, I have seen several successful travel professionals. I am always curious as to what makes them successful. I like to find out what they are doing that makes them the best. To that end, I have assembled a list that I hope will help you.

Let’s start with some good advice from Bill Marriott of Marriott Hotels, who is aware of the power of words and came up with several phrases to emphasize best practices in business. These help illustrate the best practices of successful travel agents.

The six most important words: I admit that I was wrong.
It is so much better to be truthful with your clients. If you did something that turned out wrong, admit it, and commit yourself to avoiding the mistake in the future. The best travel agents are honest with their clients.

The five most important words: You did a great job.
If you see an outstanding performance, mention it. If it is a fellow employee, it will be good motivation. If it is a supplier or res agent, let him or her know. Every time I get a compliment from a travel agent, I remember it for years. Good agents are proactive in rewarding those who have given good service to them. Too often only the negative goes forward, but it is the positive that has more staying power.

The four most important words: What do you think?
The best agents are good at qualifying their clients. They ask clients what they want in a vacation and listen well. Start with open-ended questions to get the discussion moving, such as, “What did you like about your last vacation?” By doing so, you will get valuable clues as to what to recommend. As you collect information, move to close-ended questions such as, “Does the Oct. 14 or Oct. 21 seven-day cruise sound better?” Think in terms of the customer. When you share clients’ excitement, they feel you are a valuable partner, and will return again and again.

The three most important words: Could you please?
Ask for business. Successful agents are not afraid to ask a client for a credit card and close the sale. It is not a hard demand but the necessary means to making clients’ dreams come true. Showing enthusiasm when you review the needs of clients and make your sale is a great way to reinforce that you have the best recommendation for their next trip.

The two most important words: Thank you.
I found out that only one in five clients return to the same agent after a trip. The best agents follow up within two weeks after a trip ends. When clients do not hear from their agent, they assume that the agent does not care and move on to another. Successful agents follow every client and lay the groundwork for the next vacation.

The most important word: We.
The best agents create a feeling with clients that they are together in the transaction. The agent has made the best recommendation by listening and making sure clients have purchased the right product. If an object comes up during the selling process, good agents immediately show empathy and say such things as “I understand” or “I know what you mean” before launching into an explanation. If a client says, “I am worried about being seasick,” respond with, “I understand. I was also worried before I went on my first cruise. Cruise ships today are like floating resorts and are calm at sea. There are remedies, such as seabands or medications.” If you are able to get on the same wavelength as clients, you will turn around any objection and close more sales.

The least important word you can use is “I.” The best agents use their personal experiences only to affirm that they have recommended the right trip. It is the client taking the trip, not the agent. Good agents know that their favorite trip may not be the favorite of a client. It is always best to think in terms of the customer.

I hope you can see that successful fintravel agents use the right words to d what is important for their clients.