P3 - Know the customer service skills required to meet customer needs in travel and
tourism contexts
Understanding the customer service skills required to meet the needs of
customers in travel and tourism context
Communication skills:
When working within a travel and tourism business, it is very important that an
employee contains the correct skills at the highest standard as possible. These
communication skills used will depend on the situation and what method of
communication would be required. Customers want to have an employee there
ready to communicate with them in a manner that suits their situation.
Face to face –
For an employee to make a customer feel welcome, it is important that they are able
to show they’re willing to communicate with the customer. Face-to-face involves the
employee greeting the customer with a smiley manner. It is also important that they
are able to greet the customer by their name (if they have it) along with eye contact.
When talking to the customer, the employee must ensure they appear interested, are
able to not interrupt and listen to them in order to give an effective answer. Premier
Inn’s front desk employees use this type of communication when greeting and talking
to the customer. For example, if a customer has just arrived and needs to sign in,
then the employee at the front desk looks at them along with a smile to indicate they
are willing to assist the customer.
Telephone eg call centre –
When communicating over the phone, it is important that the employee is able to
deal with customers in an appropriate manner. Telephone calls require an employee
to be quick when answering calls (letting it ring three times is the limit). They need to
answer the call using the name of the business or their name which will need to be
stated in a clear and positive sounding voice as this makes a customer feel they are
important. When talking to the customer, they need to talk in a clear voice and
ensure they can listen to the customers. Emirates is an example of a business which
uses a call centre to assist the needs of their customers. If a customer calls, an
agent will pick up with a greeting starting with the business and then their name. To
solve an issue, they ask the customer a number of questions according to their issue
and listen carefully, transferring if it is needed.
Building rapport –
To build a good rapport with a customer, it is important that the employee greets
them and makes them feel welcome. They should also use body language as it can
be used to display the happiness of the employee. Along with being polite, having an
inviting environment is important as it helps to build up the relationship between a
business and the customer. Virgin Atlantic is an example of having good rapport.
They have achieved this by selecting the best person out of 100 candidates to
ensure they have positive and kind employees for their work force. Employees at
check-in are required to appear welcoming and happy to assist the customer. This
ensures they have a positive outlook on the rest of their trip.
Effective listening –
To be a good listener, it is important that an employee is able to focus on the
customer and listen to what they are talking about, ensuring they can find the best
solution for them. When the customer is talking, the employee is not allowed to
, P3 - Know the customer service skills required to meet customer needs in travel and
tourism contexts
interrupt as interrupting puts the customer off. 2TemptU is an example of this, they
are a travel agency which means their employees are able to listen effectively. If a
customer is looking for a specific holiday that includes luxury needs and a sunny
destination. The employee has to listen and make a mental note on key points of
their holiday idea in order to find an effective holiday that meets their needs and
budget.
Questioning –
When questioning a customer, it is important the employee is able to ask the most
appropriate questions depending on the situation. There are a number of questioning
techniques (closed, open, reflective and leading), and their use depends on the
customer. When asking these questions, an employee needs to keep good eye
contact, not interrupt, nod to show they are listening and stay focused. These
techniques help the employee understand what questions they should ask to get the
best answer in a quick and efficient manner. 2TemptU is an example of using good
questioning as they are a travel agency. Being a travel agency requires their
employees to have good questioning skills, giving them the chance to ask the most
appropriate questions in order to find the customer a holiday that meets their
standards to a high extent.
Developing a dialogue –
An employee will need to have good dialogue which is then used to ask appropriate
questions and give quality answers. Having a good dialogue will give the employee a
better chance at understanding a customers’ needs and how they need to meet
them. This gives them a chance to build a good relationship with the customer as it
makes the employee seem knowledgeable. 2TemptU is an example of a business
which uses this. Their employees require the ability to communicate effectively in
order to ask the correct questions and deliver clear answers. Good dialogue is why
they are able to easily find the correct holiday for the customer by using the correct
word choice when talking.
Non-verbal communication eg body language, eye contact –
Non-verbal communication involves an employee communicating with the customer
without having to speak. The communication can be put across on accident or
purpose. Using non-verbal communication is a good way to get an idea across in a
stronger and more impacting manner. When communicating with the customer, it is
important that they are able to keep good eye contact also. Eye-contact helps make
the customer feel they are important to the employee as well as keeping their
interest. It is a good way to make a customer feel they are being listened to and that
their needs are being considered. Maui is a campervan rental business and is a
good example. When talking to the employee at the front desk, the customer will
want to feel their needs are of interest. For this reason, the employee will keep eye-
contact with the customer in an attempt to make the customer confident that their
needs are going to be met.
Written communication –
Written communication is delivered in a manner of different ways such as letters,
faxes, brochures, leaflets, reports, documents for meetings, notice boards, posters,
timetables, and advertisements. Written communication is mostly done in a formal
setting as it involves communicating with a customer or a fellow employee. To
