Hello, again agents! We hope 2023 is going great for you so far.
In today's edition of The GRN Newsletter, we dig into the onboarding process agents have for new clients. Specifically, we explore a list of questions you can ask to ensure you are taking on clients that are a good fit for your agency.
When you're done, don't forget to check out our "Join the Conversation" section, where we share posts from other LinkedIn members that we felt are useful to you as a travel agent/advisor or were the start of an interesting conversation about the travel industry.
10 Questions Travel Agents Ask To Improve Client Onboarding
Every agent has their own process that they use to onboard new clients. But we have learned that there are certain questions travel agents ask to improve that process. Asking the right questions can help you figure out if a new client is the right fit for your agency, and whether or not planning their trip is something you feel you can do. After all, we can’t all specialize in around-the-world family vacations or Hawaiian Agri-Tourism.
That’s why we compiled this list of questions travel agents ask new clients. Whether you are just starting out, or have been planning dream vacations for years, we believe this list can help you improve your onboarding process and get that much closer to landing your next client.
Have you used a travel agent before?
If the answer to this is yes, follow up by finding out why they are switching agents. If no, find out why they have chosen to use an agent this time. Understanding how this client has booked trips in the past gives insight into their planning process. Additionally, it will ensure you meet their expectations. It can also serve as an opportunity to spot any potential red flags, such as a client who may take up a lot of time and not use your services in the end, or a client who is difficult to please.
Where do you want to go and when?
The client may be planning to travel to an area that you don’t have a lot of expertise with, so it is important to find out the answer to this question early, so you can refer them to someone else quickly if need be. It also gives you a good idea of the type of experience the client is looking for. Planning a trip for aclient who definitively knows when and where they want to go is going to be different from planning for a client who is more open and flexible.
What research have you already done on this trip?
Similar to the previous question, this will allow you to understand how flexible your client is. It also helps you to understand what sort of budget they might be working with.
How many people are coming and what are their ages?
This is good to know for a number of reasons outside of the obvious. If you know there are elderly people going on the trip, the accommodations you book and the itinerary would be different than if it is a family with young children. It will also help you to know whether to look for things like senior discounts.
Who is making the decisions?
If you are planning a trip for a larger group, you don’t want to end up in a situation where you are trying to communicate with several people about the plans and working to please everyone. It’s best to establish one primary decision-maker and clarify that you will primarily work with that person.
Are you celebrating anything special?
If the client is traveling to celebrate a birthday or wedding anniversary, you can use this information to plan a few special touches to make their trip more memorable. Whether this means arranging to have a bottle of champagne sent to the hotel room, or informing the host when you make dinner reservations, going the extra mile is sure to turn the client into a repeat customer.
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What did you like or dislike about your last vacation?
Try to get as many specifics as possible with this question. You may have to ask quite a few clarifying questions to do so. This is where you will find out what sorts of things a new client really enjoys so that you can incorporate as many of them into their trip and really up the "WOW" factor.
What are your expectations from me?
With this question, you want to learn how hands-on the client wants to be, but also how they prefer to communicate. Some clients will want you to text them in the mornings and never in the evening, while others will prefer an afternoon phone call. Figure out what they want from this process and make sure it will work for you as well.
If budget wasn’t an issue, what would your dream holiday be like?
Sometimes, clients get so caught up in what they can afford, that they allow themselves to dream bigger. But if you know what sort of trip they dream of, you may be able to arrange a few perks to make their trip more enjoyable while staying within their budget.
What is your budget?
Finally, you want to establish what their actual budget is. This is an essential aspect of trip planning and it allows you to know if they are worth taking on as a client and if the trip they are hoping to take is something you can reasonably plan for them.
Once you have completed this list of questions with a new client, you should have a good idea of what sort of client they are, what kind of trip they want you to help them plan, and whether or not you want to work with them.
Pro Tip: Not everyone who contacts you is going to be a good fit for your agency. That’s why it is always helpful to know a few agents who specialize in areas you don’t, so you can refer clients elsewhere when needed. Networking with other agents on a regular basis will ensure you have a handy list.
Do you have questions you ask new clients during the onboarding process? Would you add anything to this list? Comment below with what the question is and why you have found it helpful.
Join the Conversation
Are you interested in talking with other travel industry professionals about these and other trends on LinkedIn? Check out this list of posts we found this week!
Gilad Berenstein shared an article from Skift and specifically draws attention to how things have changed for advisors post-pandemic. We definitely recommend checking out the comments section because there is a lot of good information coming out of this post.
PAXnews.com shares an interview they did with Brian Hopkins, who has been a travel advisor since 1994. We love his number one piece of advice!
Natasha Angotti is celebrating 7 years in the travel industry and she shares the things she loves most about being a travel agent. We'd love to know if you agree with her.
And Geraldine Ree is kicking off a new series where she is sharing tips on how you can make 2023 your best year ever! If you go, let us know what your favorite tip from her first seminar is.
Did you see anything interesting as a conversation starter on LinkedIn in the past two weeks? Share the link in the comments section so we can "Join the Conversation" as well! And don't hesitate to tag us in future posts as well, so we can be sure to feature the best of the best here in our newsletter.
That's all for this edition of The GRN Newsletter. We hope to see you again in two weeks when we will be doing an overview of the topics to be covered at SATTE 2023.
