National Travel Associates

Transcription

1 National Travel Associates Handling documents and delivering tickets to clients Guidelines As a travel agent you will receive several sensitive documents that are attached to a reservation: 1. Confirmation of booking this is NOT a secure reservation. This is only a confirmation. Please note that until the clients payment is processed this is subject to change. Never tell a client they are booked until the payment has been officially processed. This would happen with Air bookings mostly. Please read over the confirmation to ensure all of the information is correct: name spelling, birthdates, gender, travel dates, location etc. You only have 24 hours to make a change with a supplier without penalty. 2. Supplier Invoice This is for your records and should NEVER be given to a client. They will list NET price, commission and GROSS amount due by the client. This will be helpful when you are invoicing in Client Base. You may receive several invoices from a supplier in the event payments are being applied to the reservation. Keep them all in your client file. 3. Electronic Tickets and Vouchers These will be issued by the supplier aprox 21 days prior to departure if not sooner. You should these to your clients immediately AND print off a hard copy to send in the mail to your clients with a thank you card. As soon as you receive the tickets them to your client and have them open up the file. Read over all of the details with them immediately to ensure there are no discrepancies upon arrival at the airport or destination. If you can meet with your clients in person that is even better. You can have them initial each portion of their tickets to make sure they are in agreement and understand them. High Light pertinent parts of their tickets such as flight times, transfer information, hotel name etc. 4. Hard copy tickets these are rare. Some cruise lines and Disney will send hard copy tickets. In the event they are sent to head office we will forward onto the agent immediately.

2 When starting your communications with a potential client we recommend setting up a system that will keep you organized. We realize that in the beginning you may only have a couple of clients however your business will grow quickly and being organized right from the beginning is imperative. Office tools and suppliers recommended: Printer Filing Cabinet with a lock feature File folders Printer paper High Lighters Date Book use a daily ledger type. This allows you more room to note things to do. Several copies of Client Check List on hand. Now you will begin the process of setting up your client files to work with: When you begin communicating with your potential client you will open a client file. Take a file folder and put the client name on it. Open a client check list and again, put the clients name on it. Take a blank piece of lined paper and place it in the client file for notes. Document everything that you discuss with your client: dates, destination, preferences, etc on your lined piece of paper simply put the date and indicate in short form what you did on that date. Example: June 27, 2012 opened client file. Sourced specific packages and ed quotes. June 28, 2012 reply from client they indicated the price was too high. I sourced additional packages and provided client alternative options and ed the quotes July 2, 2012 client ed and indicated they were pleased and would like to book. I confirmed their passports were still valid and updated passport information in file. July 3, 2012 client booked. Confirmation sent to client. July 24, 2012 electronic tickets received. ed clients a copy and set up a time to review. July 25, 2012 Went over electronic tickets and confirmed everything is in order. Mailed hard copy to clients via Canada Post NOTE by outlining all of the details in short form you are able to handle any discrepancies should they arise. This should be a business practice implemented by ALL agents. Steps to the booking: Create your client file either hard copy OR in your Client Base Rez Card

3 Go over the Terms and Conditions as per the supplier with client especially the cancelation and change portion of their reservation. People think that they can cancel and get a full refund. This is NEVER the case. Inform the client that there is a $50.00 per person agency cancelation fee on all reservations once the booking is processed in addition to the supplier penalties. Complete the booking Confirm ALL information on the booking confirmation is correct Inform your client that insurance protection is recommended. If you hold a current license you can discuss this with them. If you do not please direct them to our website where they can purchase the protection. If client does not purchase insurance immediately please provide them with a liability release form. EVEN if client indicates they will purchase later you must provide them with the document now. Should they have a situation when they leave your office or hang up the phone they can say you never offered them protection. This places you in a liable situation. Do not put yourself there! Update your client rez card and/or invoice the booking in Client Base File your confirmation and supplier invoices in hard copy in your client file. Print them off upon receipt. Receipt of electronic tickets client a copy, print off hard copy and mail to client. Update your client file Steps to applying payments (no electronic tickets are issued until a reservation has been PAID IN FULL) Confirm with client the preferred method of payment. NOTE, no reservation is confirmed or price guaranteed until the payment either in full or a deposit has been applied. Have client read the credit card information to you and read back to confirm. In the event a credit card authorization form is required this should be completed prior to the booking being completed. Confirm the cc information back to the client. Indicate the FULL amount being charged to their credit card and confirm they have the adequate funds available. You are NOT required to have a merchant account. All credit card payments are processed directly with the supplier. If you are making a deposit only booking make a note of the final payment date in your datebook and in client base. Inform the client of the final payment due date (please tell client it is 2 days prior to the actual due date in the event there are any payment issues that need to be resolved). Contact the supplier to apply future payments or use revnet if you are comfortable. When you receive a supplier invoice please note that NET payment due is only the portion required by the supplier. GROSS amount due is the actual amount due by the client. This amount includes commissions. Agents are not permitted to sell travel packages to clients at NET rates. In the event this is done the agent will be required to pay the agency the agency

4 portion of the commission. This does not apply to agent discount travel as approved by the office. Changes or customer service issues with a reservation. It is your responsibility to handle your client files and manage the complete portfolios. Once your client reservation is in place several issues may arise. Please handle any/all within 24 hours and keep the clients advised of the progress. Flight time changes this happens frequently. Hotel or resort changes supplier will advise agent with options available to client. You must communicate these changes to client immediately and handle accordingly. Client cancelations If client has RBC insurance you can start the claim on their behalf with RBC. In the event client does not have RBC protection you must contact the supplier immediately and begin the cancelation process. Advise client of all penalties. Client credit card declined contact client immediately and advise them their credit card was declined and NO reservation is in place. Advise client that you will have to rebook at the current rate. In these situations the rates may be higher and you are unable to book at the lower price. This is why it is imperative to communicate price with client and ensure they have adequate funds available at the time of the original booking. Client has issued while on location have them meet with the supplier onsite representative while on location. Try to have the issues resolved while there. In the event a client could not have an issue resolved you will then have them send you a detailed description in writing of their issue. You will then communicate these concerns directly with the supplier. Responses and outcomes are solely based on the supplier and the agency has no control over such issues. Client issue in transit. Communicate directly with the airline to get the client rebooked on the next available flight. In the event there are no alternatives and client needs accommodation s, confirm with client that they would like you to do this. Get pricing and confirm payment information. In the event they have RBC trip interruption coverage you may start the claim. Inform clients they must save all receipts for reimbursement. Please DO NOT expect head office to handle your client issues. You are the booking agent and it is your responsibity to handle these. In the event a client calls the office we will direct them back to you. If you do bookings after hours and have issues please be advised that there is nothing you/we can do until the supplier opens in the morning. Prices will NOT be guaranteed and you must advise the client of this. We recommend trying to complete your bookings during supplier hours in the event there is an issue. You can them call them immediately and complete the booking for the same price and availability as on your screen.

5 Agent Disclaimer: (This should be included on ALL of your quotes to clients) Please note your reservation is not confirmed. This quote is based on current availability and published pricing. Price, availability and dates are not guaranteed until your reservation is confirmed and payment is applied and received by the supplier. Travel agents nor our affiliates have any control over flight changes and adjustments made to reservations by the suppliers. Insurance protection for your travel investment is strongly recommended. You may view pricing and product information on our website: National Travel Associates