How to listen, stay calm and leave no stone unturned when a client calls in a panic.

What do you do when you work from home and your phone rings at 2 a.m.? Do you answer, knowing it's likely a client in need of emergency assistance, or do you toss and turn, wondering who it was and what they wanted?

In one week alone, I received five late-night and weekend calls from clients needing everything from rerouted flights (they were involuntary bumped) to advice on how to get a visa for a particular island.

Because of an important meeting, this particular client, a Guatemalan national, had to leave a cruise on one of the islands affected by the Caricom Visa requirements put in place during World Cricket 2007 this winter. The request was a challenge, since the client called late on a Friday night and his ship was due to sail on Sunday morning. It was complicated by the fact that all of the embassies and consulates were closed on Saturday in Miami, where he was spending six hours prior to catching his flight to the Caribbean.

Regardless, I knew I had to come up with a creative solution for this extremely important client. Though there was little I could do at midnight, I slept on it and woke up early with a few ideas. For starters, I emailed my cruise line sales representative as well as the line's guest relations director, hoping that they would check their emails on a Saturday.

Fortunately, they did, and my rep called to let me know that they were attempting to contact the port director and arrange for the client to disembark and head straight to the airport. An hour later, she called me back to let me know that as long as my client had an airline ticket showing his confirmed departure from the island, he would be allowed to depart as needed. What a relief!

It occurred to me, yet again, how vital it is to maintain strong relations with the sales reps for the companies with which you do business. As long as you are sending them business, they should know who you are, as they will be more likely to offer support when you need it. This particular rep made me look like a true hero to my client, and ensured future loyalty. I know also that this is one company I can count on to help me if a solution exists.

I have learned over the past few years how important it is not to panic when a client calls in a panicked state. Even the clients that called that same week due to being bumped from their flight (for no reason other than overbooking) have called me to book another trip. I was able to get a supervisor on the phone-after sitting on hold for 40 minutes¬-and let her know that these clients had a sick child at home and that returning home as soon as possible was essential.

Miraculously, the airline was able to get my clients on the flight. I attribute this to my persistence with the supervisor and my unwillingness to hang up without a confirmation of my clients' flights home. I may not always have an immediate answer on how to fix the problem, but it's essential to stay calm and assess the situation before coming up with a plan.

"The most important part of helping a client in a panic is by listening to them," says Judy Nidetz, a Chicago-based agent affiliated with Raleigh, N.C.-based Travel Experts. "A lot of times, the clients are very worked up and just need a place to vent."

Nidetz and other home-based agents stress the importance of persistence when it comes to assisting clients in a sticky situation. For example, some of Nidetz's clients checked into a hotel, only to be told that the inclusive plan stated on their prepaid vouchers had changed and that they would have to fork over additional funds for meals. Nidetz had done her homework in advance, and had made sure to keep copies of all bookings and correspondence stating exactly what was to be included. She immediately contacted the tour operator and the hotel, and the clients did get what they had paid for, despite resistance from the property.

Says Nidetz, "You have to learn not to take ‘no' for an answer, and to leave no stone unturned in trying to resolve an issue. Even if it cannot be resolved, if the client sees you did everything in your power to help, they appreciate your efforts and remember it for the next time."