news comment
ttglive.com
“We shouldn’t panic at the quietest time of the year. Quality service will be paid for... without discounts”
Nicole Eaves Garstang Travel
“the wolf’s at the door” – so are putting the time to good use by having in-house staff training with no less than 12 of our travel partners. We are on a mission to impress our savvy customers with our knowledge, and focusing on training is an important part of our strategy. To give us the feel-good factor and to give the team a boost we have just replaced our uniforms. It might be an unwelcome expense at this time of the year, but it is also a necessary one – we now look the part and are ready to wow our customers. And if we’re prepared to splash the cash, we should be aware that our customers are prepared to do the same – rather than presume that every customer is looking for a discount. We recently secured a 96-night, round-the- world cruise on the QM2. The customer called us with his request and we promptly got back to him with an offer of a Princess Suite for £60,000. Unfortunately when he came in the next day with his wife to confirm the booking the suite offered originally was not available, but he was happy to take a Club Balcony at a mere £48,000. Full payment was made, by cheque, and not a penny discount was offered or asked for. So maybe we shouldn’t panic but believe in ourselves. Quality service will be paid for. On the subject of quality service, I have just
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returned from a wonderful holiday at the five- star Princesa Yaiza in Playa Blanca, Lanzarote. This hotel is independently owned and wins
18 26.11.2010
o there are only four weeks until Christmas. What a scary thought! We are entering our quietest period of the year – normally referred to as
awards for quality and service. It does not discount its prices – just adds value and special touches to its customers’ experiences to ensure they return year after year. The owners never get complacent and are always striving to improve. I was inspired and motivated by their ethos. We need to attract customers to let them
experience the service, and deciding what offers to put in the window can often be a dilemma. Last week we went with a classy Travel 2 poster advertising an Ultimate Wildlife Cruise around the Galapagos Islands. We confirmed a high value booking the same day from a passer by who had been thinking about a holiday in the Galapagos for some time, and seeing the poster in the window had prompted her. What a result! So apart from the doom and gloom we face daily in the media, there has been some good news lately – British Airways is back in the black and has reported its first profit in two years. Retailers have slashed prices early to kick-start the Christmas spending season and it seems to be the perfect time to be a consumer. Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton while on holiday in Kenya and there will be a royal wedding next summer – just the antidote for a depressed Britain and a major boost for tourism and the economy. Who knows what the next 12 months will hold for the travel industry as families plunder their savings as they struggle to meet the cost of living and have to make tough decisions about their lifestyles. There could be uncertain times ahead, so knuckle down and stay positive. We just love a challenge!
Nicole Eaves is director at Garstang Travel
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