BY THE WAY ( A PSA )
NAVIGATING CLIENTS ’ CHANGING BEHAVIORS
Travelers ’ booking behaviors tend to change over the years , and not always for the best . Here are a few tips for working through these new patterns .
WORDS / CODIE LIERMANN
VIKTORIIA HNATIUK / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM
Travel advisors who have been in the business a while can attest to the changing behaviors of clients over the years . For example , travel agencies used to be a one-stop-shop , but the evolution of the internet has sparked interest in people wanting to do their own planning . Additionally , numerous catastrophic events have encouraged an increase in clients purchasing trip protection . Lately , younger clients tend to inquire about far off exotic destinations due to the rise in TikTok influencers sharing their experiences . Sometimes it ’ s for the better , sometimes for the worse , but one thing for certain is that clients ’ behaviors change over time . In this current post-COVID climate , new habits have evolved , and we have a handful of tips to consider for keeping up with the changes .
CONSULTATIONS ARE KEY When you work in sales , it ’ s easy to fall into the trap of taking on every potential lead that comes your way . More clients equal more money , right ? Well , this isn ’ t always the case , especially after devoting hours of time and energy into a new client only to find out they plan to book on their own . The time could have been better spent working with someone who means business . Although this has been a trend since the internet helped make it so easy , the pandemic has made even savvy travelers want to first seek the advice of an advisor before booking a trip on their own .
Setting up a system to vet prospective clients is a great way to avoid this . Maybe it ’ s a short phone call asking a few questions about their intentions or maybe you take it a step further and create an online form for them to fill out . This can be used to both figure out what the person is looking for and educate them about the services you provide . Having a consultation plan in place is sure to weed out some of the not so serious inquiries , leaving you with more time for the people you can count on .
20 / THE COMPASS / WINTER 2022 vaxvacationaccess . com / thecompass