OSSN E-Agent Newsletter

WOW IDEAS
By Gary C. Sain CTC

1) UNDER PROMISE, OVER DELIVER. The secret of clients for life is under promising and over delivering. Most every selling encounter we come in contact with in our daily lives delivers hype. We see it on TV, hear it on the radio, read it in newspapers, click on it via the Internet…its everywhere. Everyone has found the secret…the magic bullet to solve the problem/need. And everyone is an expert. At least they say they are. Sales personnel are more interested in selling you what you don’t want or need because they haven’t taken the time to know what you really want. Selling has become untrustworthy to many consumers. Since so much of it is filled with empty promises. The American consumer has begun to accept it as a way of doing business. We end up being more skeptical and unsure of any salesperson/sales presentation we encounter. Travel agents have the distinct opportunity to be and become a highly credible source for consumers to turn to for travel advice and expertise, providing they… 1) are product knowledgeable 2) customer/client centric 3) ability to successfully manage the expectations of customers/clients 4) deliver outstanding personalized service.

WOW IDEA #1…When dealing with clients, go the extra step with each major travel booking…not necessarily for airfare only bookings…but for more robust travel transactions. Provide something you know the client will like, however, don’t tell them. SURPRISE them. Maybe it’s a limo pick up, a welcome amenity in the hotel room or cabin, a bottle of wine in a restaurant you know they will like, an upgrade to a better hotel room/cabin, etc. The list is as long as the creativity. Find ways to delight and surprise your clients.

WOW IDEA #2…Instead of the basic travel itinerary…kicks it up a notch or two. Provide your clients more…information on the destination, where to eat, safety/security information; what activities are available for the kids, road map, special points of interest, etc. The Internet provides all of this via your fingertips. Yes, the client can also do it. The point here is the client is not expecting you to do it…that’s the surprise, which creates the WOW.

WOW IDEA #3…Whenever a prospect, customer or client makes a request, get back to them within an hour, the same day or within 24 hours, depending upon the request. If you can beat their personal expectation, you can create a discernible difference for yourself.

2) ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL. The Internet has been the single, most compelling marketing tool for companies offering personalized and customized products for their customers. Whether it is cosmetics, athletic shoes, clothes, music, furniture, travel, etc…consumers have the ability to have it their way. One size no longer fits all. Savvy consumers today demand products and services to fit their individual needs. Travel affords the largest opportunity and the ability of travel agencies to connect on a one to one relationship with their customers/clients. The Internet provides the tool to make it happen.

WOW IDEA #1…Offer travel products, options and offers based on the profile of your customers/clients. Customized the communication to your customers/clients in a personalized manner. It’s not just sending out a copy of the special cruise to the Caribbean to everyone on your database. It is systematically going thru your profiles and matching up the right offers with the right customers/clients. If your customer/client feels they are receiving a special offer just for them, the better the opportunity of a sale. More importantly, your customer/client will appreciate the perceived extra effort you devoted on their behalf, as well as, a stronger loyalty to you because of what you know about them.

WOW IDEA #2…Each and every time you interact with customers/clients, ask one qualifying question to build their customer profiles. Customizing travel products and options can only be successfully fulfilled based on an intimate understanding of the customer/client. Your most important business asset is your database. The most important byproduct of your database is one to one marketing with your customers/clients.

3) OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. Consumer purchasing behavior is erratic. Successful companies know the best opportunity to say on the radar screen with their customers is to be consistently in their face… the reason why we all receive thousands of advertising messages each day telling us to buy this, buy that. Travel agencies don’t have the advertising dollars to maintain this type of visibility. However, travel agents can be more effective in staying in touch with their customers/clients on a much more personal basis via the phone, email, personal notes/cards, etc.

WOW IDEA #1…Develop a consistent communications calendar for your clients. The goal should be a monthly contact of some type…. phone, email, in person, card/note, etc. Over a period of 12 months, the result should be 12 contacts. However, the key is to make them relevant contacts. As we said earlier, for them to be meaningful, they must be relevant and personalized.

WOW IDEA #2…Create customer/client interactions, i.e. cruise nights, Spa getaways, European vacations, Honeymoons of distinction, etc. These are events created to educate your clients on a particular travel experience. A terrific opportunity to educate your customers/clients and a sure way for you to stay in front of them. Develop creative promotions/mini-events to drive your customers/clients to your venue. Make them feel important by offering them a special value if they book on the spot.

WOW IDEA #3…Create several PR story opportunities for the hometown paper. Become the local expert on travel security, international travel, vacation packages or cruises. Get to know the feature editors, especially the travel editor. If you are a good resource…they will always come back to you for future story opportunities. By being the “travel expert”, your can be positioned as a credible and trustworthy authority. This builds consumer awareness for new prospecting opportunities. It informs your current customers/clients your community importance and this reinforces their brand loyalty.

4) NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL SOMETHING IS SOLD. Delivering WOW is only possible after a sale has been made. The sales process is as critical to building long term customers/clients for life as delivering outstanding service. In fact, during the sales process, your customers/clients are evaluating these interactions as part of their overall travel experience. The travel experience actually starts at the beginning of the consultation cycle. The skill of travel agents to present travel products customized for their customers/clients individual needs is part of the overall travel experience. Travel agents who master the art of being a personal travel concierge for their customers/clients vs. a transactional booker will certainly increase first time sales, repeat sales, and strong word of mouth referrals. However, it all starts with being proactive…not reactive.

WOW IDEA #1…Send two hours per week at home in creative thinking, planning and working on sales opportunities.

WOW IDEA #2…Ask your customers/clients for sales leads/referrals. If you are delivering WOW, this will be the easiest way to increase your customer base. In fact, you won’t even have to ask…they will be calling you. As we stated earlier, there is such a lack of WOW, just by delivering it will create new sales opportunities for you.

WOW IDEA #3…Sell value, not price. Anyone can sell discounts. The basis for long-term customer/client loyalty is not based on providing the lowest price. Remember the new value equation. It’s more about providing customized travel solutions and saving your customers/clients time and energy. Yes, price matters, however, your travel/product knowledge, your ability to customize travel options/offers, and your commitment to delivering WOW is more important. You will never move customers to clients by selling just price. With every potential selling opportunity, think quietly about what extra value you can offer to not only close the sale, but also strengthen the customer/client relationship.

WOW IDEA #4…Develop a yearly marketing plan. How will you grow your business if you don’t have a roadmap on how to get there? This can be a simple exercise…it doesn’t have to be a 100 page document. Simply state your financial objectives, the marketing objectives to reach your financial goals, the strategies in support of the marketing objectives, tactics to support the strategies and finally, a budget. This doesn’t have to be more than 6-8 pages. Simplicity is the key. One final note…the tactics are most important. This is where you establish responsibilities, due dates and outside resource support.

5) BE A PROBLEM SOLVER. Consumers buy solutions, not products. They have a need to solve a problem. Travel agents can be great problem solvers. In today’s stressful environment, the need to escape is huge…to recharge the batteries and reinvent oneself. In essence, travel agents aren’t really selling a product…they are evaluating the needs of their customers/clients and offering solutions to fulfill those needs. The ongoing customer/client relationship is based on how well the travel agent can offer travel experiences that satisfy the psychological, emotional, and physical needs of their customers/clients. In addition, being a problem solver is dealing with complaints as well. Too often, sales people disappear after the sale is made. They don’t want to be bothered. The money is in the bank. If a complaint comes in…it’s someone else’s job. Delivering WOW is based on the premise the sale is never made and that all complaints are resolved immediately. As stated earlier, if the goal is customers/clients for life…the sales job is never done. The commitment of solving problems, and in a timely manner, is the foundation for service excellence.

WOW IDEA #1…Solve all problems/complaints within 24 hours. If you do, as stated above, 95% of customers/clients will do business with you again. This should be part of your overall service standards.

WOW IDEA #2…Develop a quick questioner you can use with your customers/clients to qualify what their psychological, emotional, or physical needs may be. For example, if a customer/client has a need for total relaxation due to the demands of their career…what you offer as a travel option should be reflective of the need. No sense offering a bike trip thru France if a spa resort in Arizona is the more appropriate solution.

Gary C. Sain CTC
Executive VP/Partner
Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell
gary_sain@ypbr.com

WOW IDEAS By Gary C. Sain CTC

WOW IDEAS
By Gary C. Sain CTC