In this assignment, I am going to be discussing the current procedures (customer facing and
back-office procedures) and information sources that are used. Plus, I will be discussing
legislation (what it is and how it affects travel agency operations) whilst applying specialist
language in cont...
Travel Agents- Assignment 2
In this assignment, I am going to be discussing the current procedures (customer facing and
back-office procedures) and information sources that are used. Plus, I will be discussing
legislation (what it is and how it affects travel agency operations) whilst applying specialist
language in context.
Customer Procedures
What is a customer facing procedure and what are some examples?
A customer facing procedure is a procedure that is seen/done in front of the customer.
One example of a customer facing procedure is dealing with an inquiry. Whilst dealing with
customers, they may be curious or anxious about certain things regarding their booking. In order to
make the customer feel confident about their possible holiday, the staff at the travel agent will
answer all questions or solve any issues for the customer. This will make the customer feel reassured
and more likely to book the holiday with the travel agent. Furthermore, some customers may need
help after booking their holiday. If the customers need help and reassuring, the staff can once again
answer all questions regarding their holiday. This will leave a good impression, making them likely to
book again in the future.
A second example is making a provisional booking. This means that a customer can go away with a
possible holiday that does not have to be booked at that time. This may make customers feel less
pressured because they can go away before committing to booking it. With a quote, an overview
regarding the holiday is given. This allows the customer to read through things such as the booking
terms and conditions, facilities and amenities provided. They then can thoroughly consider the
holiday. If the customers feel confident, they can return and book the holiday through the travel
agents. Once booked, the travel agents will make a commission, which is a benefit.
Another example of a customer facing procedure is confirming a booking. In order to confirm a
booking, permission is needed for it to go through and be accepted. However, once the booking is
confirmed, the commission is done and secured with your travel agent and the customer will go
away with a confirmation invoice. Furthermore, with a confirmed booking, the customer is also
provided with happiness as well as a sense of relief because the customers have purchased/booked
the best deal possible for them. This will leave the customer with a positive experience. This
positively effects both the travel agent and the customers.
A final example of a customer facing procedure is taking deposits. Taking deposits means that the
travel agent will allow customers to pay for their holiday bit by bit over a stated period of time whilst
also guaranteeing that the holiday is theirs. For many people, they do not have that amount of
money available, so by allowing/taking deposits, people are more likely to book with the travel
agents. This allows customers to book a holiday without paying all of it immediately. Plus, it still
means that the travel agent has secured a booking with your travel agents (as they have booked and
will eventually pay it off). This benefits both the customers and the travel agents.
, What is a back-office procedure and what are some examples?
A back-office procedure is a procedure that is done ‘behind the scenes.’ This is usually done after
the customer has left the travel agents as they are not needed for this part.
One example of a back-office procedure is invoicing. An invoice is a payment demand issued by a
seller to the buyer of goods or services after the sale (it needs to contain basic contact information,
payment details and a breakdown of the work that you have completed). Businesses, such as travel
agents, need to create invoices to ensure they get paid on time by customers. They serve as “legally
enforceable agreements” between a travel agent and its customer as it is signed by both parties.
After a holiday is booked, a confirmation invoice is kept as proof. A cancellation invoice is also made
and kept if the holiday ends up being cancelled. This means that if the customer changes their mind,
they cannot make any comebacks as the travel agent will have proof from the records kept and will
also have their signature.
Another example of a back-office procedure is recording payments. After a booking has been
confirmed, a deposit or the full price of the holiday will be paid. This means that a ‘receipt’ of the
payment will be kept in order to keep track of the payments made by the customer. This then
ensures that it will be fully paid in the given amount of time so that the travel agent receives the full
amount of the holiday. If the customer then wants to cancel their holiday and get a refund, the
travel agent has proof of what has been paid and when and therefore, the travel agent can refund
the designated amount back to them.
A final example of a back-office procedure is monitoring brochure stocks. Holiday brochures are a
way of advertising holidays that are available to book through your travel agents. If the travel agent
has a good stock of brochures, there is more available for people to take or look through. Whilst
looking through the brochure, they may find something that they like, and they may end up booking
the holiday with you. Also, brochures make it easier for the staff as the customers can look through
the brochure and show the staff the holiday that they like. By doing this, it saves time for the staff
whilst also allowing the customers to grasp an idea of what they like. Overall, brochures help
increase sales and commissions for a travel agent.
Sources of Information
Customer Reviews (TripAdvisor):
A customer review is a judgement made by someone who has purchased and had experience with a
particular product or service. Customer reviews are used by many businesses, including travel
agents. This is because reviews can allow people to see and understand others’ opinions. People
have always preferred hearing other viewpoints on something rather than just taking a chance.
TripAdvisor is an online travel website that has reviews, photographs, and information about various
hotels/resorts. It is used regularly by travel agents as they have a lot of reviews from others sharing
their experience regarding the hotels (e.g., the area surrounding, and the standard of
accommodation). By using websites that have many reviews, such as TripAdvisor, it allows travel
agents to find the best possible option for anyone who wants to book a holiday as they can use the
reviews to find a second opinion on the hotel/resort. Also, it reduces the risk of problems in the
future as the staff will have avoided things, such as the hotels, that have negative feedback and
reviews. This helps increase the sales that the travel agent has and would also make customers more
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