Sharon
SharonAndrea diary diary
A Jennifer ndrea
Jennifer MattMatt
& Ashley Helen Ashley Helen
Clare
Clare
FRONTLINE
CLARE DUDLEY managing director, Ponders Travel, Cambridge
I hope January was as prosperous for
you as it was for us. The surge in demand was remarkable, but what was more exciting was the newfound confidence our clients started showing. More than ever, travellers
are coming to us with ambitious itineraries and a real appetite for adventure. It’s energising and gives us the chance to collaborate with specialists who can bring these extraordinary journeys to life. I often have to remind myself how far the market has shifted. When I first started in travel, selling a summer holiday felt like an achievement – and discounting was almost expected. How different things are today. In our shop, discounting has become the exception rather than the rule, and our focus is on inspiring clients to explore the world in ways they may never have considered. The most transformative change we’ve made since Covid has been reshaping our marketing to reflect this shift. By showcasing richer experiences and aspirational travel, we’ve attracted customers with big dreams and the budgets to match.
TOP OF THE CLASS As we navigate the busiest period of the year, I want to pause for a moment and extend a heartfelt thank you to the tour operators who consistently deliver outstanding service, from the very first enquiry
26 19 FEBRUARY 2026 AGENT
Some operators’ documentation is crystal clear but others’ leaves a lot to be desired
to the journey back home. We all know a holiday isn’t defined solely by the moment it’s booked. What truly matters is the confidence that every detail will be handled with care throughout the booking and travel experience.
A special thank you goes to
Saga, Kuoni, Up & Away Holidays, Tui, APT, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, If Only, Jet2 and easyJet holidays. These partners continue to set the benchmark for accuracy, efficiency and reliable support. Their documentation is consistently clear, complete and correct – a standard that makes an enormous difference to both agents and customers.
COULD DO BETTER Unfortunately, however, we are seeing a growing number of confirmations, invoices and tickets with errors or missing information. We follow a thorough checking process before anything reaches our clients, but we are having to spend valuable time flagging discrepancies, requesting corrections and chasing missing vouchers. In some cases, the documentation is difficult to navigate, even for us – let alone for customers. I know we have to rely on
back-office systems to pull through information to help produce documents, but surely there is a better way to send simple itineraries and the like with every booking. This final stage of the holiday sale is every bit as important as the initial booking. Clear, accurate and complete documentation isn’t just administration; it’s part of the customer experience. When it’s done well, it builds trust. When it’s not, it creates unnecessary stress for everyone. Errors and incorrect information cause the client (and us) to feel nervous about the operator. As we continue through peaks, we ask operators to ensure staff double-check the information being sent. It makes a world of difference – and underpins the exceptional service our mutual customers deserve.
SUPPORTING STAFF IS A PIECE OF CAKE
During peaks, when each and every one of us is working so hard, I think it is important – even more so than ever – to
ensure all our staff are properly looked after and supported.
Regular treats, such as lunch, cakes and the like, can play a role, as can time out. We now check in with the whole team twice a day and recap our workloads. This means that if someone has less on their plate than another member of the team, we can help each other out to ensure one person isn’t swamped. This has worked so well for us and allows us to keep an eye on stress levels before they become too intense.
It’s slice to share a treat
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Shutterstock/PeopleImages
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