FRONTLINE
KIM KENT branch manager, Spear Travels, Wolverhampton
There are certain customers for whom
you feel a level of professional responsibility as an agent. An elderly gentleman came into
my shop recently wanting to visit the Shetland and Orkney Islands – destinations we don’t often get asked about. He wanted flights and hotels offering breakfast and an evening meal, as well as rail and transfers.
I had a look and gave him all the information, to which he advised that Kirkwall was not in the Orkney Islands but the Shetland Islands, and that Lerwick was in Orkney. “No”, I said gently. “You have it the wrong way round.”
But he absolutely insisted he was right. Doubting myself, I showed him a map, to which he said, with a big smile on his face: “Well, my dear, they must have changed them around.” After some time, he left with all the details.
MAP IT OUT The next day he came back and thanked me for my help and advice. He had decided to travel to Prestwick by train and fly to Orkney from there. I said the flights were from Glasgow, not Prestwick, but he insisted there was only one airport, in Prestwick. I got the map out again, but I‘m pretty sure he didn’t believe me as off he went saying he would check it out.
34 23 MAY 2019 AGENT
A spirited elderly customer eager to visit the Scottish isles brings out a sense of responsibility in Kim
The next morning he was in again having booked his rail tickets to Glasgow and the hotels – the ones I had offered him – direct, as he said he got a better rate! I have to say that, despite his taking my advice and booking himself, I had a smile on my face and was full of admiration for this 87-year-old and his use of the internet. We went ahead with the flights
but the Fair Isle, in Shetland, was causing some anxiety for him as all travel to the island depends on the weather. I was concerned about how he would get there and where
travelweekly.co.uk
he would stay, but he told me there was a farmer who has rooms in his barn, and sure enough he was right. As it turned out, he decided not to include Fair Isle, and asked me to look at bus services and tours on both islands. I was happy to answer his questions, even though it was time-consuming and he expected me to know everything.
HAPPY TO HELP The following morning, he was back in the office saying he was having difficulty receiving email confirmations from the hotels. By this time, I felt responsible for him, so I emailed the hotels and asked them to send confirmations to me – they later thanked me for my help. He was organised and seemed to have everything in hand, but I couldn’t help worrying about him. It had taken many hours to plan the trip, in the middle of a very busy peaks, but because of my sense of responsibility I was more than happy to help.
He later came in with a bottle of wine to thank me, which was a lovely gesture and I gave him a hug. I made a grand total of £43.
KIM’S
CUSTOMER’S ITINERARY
Train: Wolverhampton to Glasgow, and taxi to airport Flight: Glasgow-Kirkwall (Orkney Islands) on flight
LM0434, departing at 13.40, arriving at 15.00
Hotel: Seven nights’ half-board at the Albert Hotel in Kirkwall Flight: Kirkwall-Sumburgh (Shetland Islands) on flight LM0131, 08.20-09.00. Customer to make own travel arrangements to Lerwick Hotel: Seven nights’
half-board at Lerwick Hotel Flight: Sumburgh-Glasgow, 13.10-14.30
Train: Glasgow to
Wolverhampton, arriving at 20.34, and taxi home.
Lerwick, Shetland
Sharon Colin David Sarah diary
Kim
PICTURE: Shutterstock
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
