Being a Holiday Rep
People often thrill at the idea of becoming a holiday rep but how many really know what lies behind such an exciting job title? It's hard work and lots of organization though can indeed be rewarding if you accept the bad with the good, and remember that the public are not easily pleased. The brochures for vacations may be filled with promise and this promise may not reflect the reality. This is where the holiday rep's work begins.
Dissatisfied customers
You can be sure during your time as a travel rep that you will have dissatisfied customers. Those tempting brochures so slickly put together may not represent what the holiday-maker finds upon arrival at their given destination. They will be quick to voice their concern. From the moment the holidaymakers arrive at their destination, your company is handing over their happiness and welfare to you. It is your job to meet them, and they may not all be agreeable. They will have had a long voyage, be weary and ready to find their rooms, but they may also be very irritated. Make them feel welcome. It's part of the package deal. Make them feel they have someone to complain to, and believe it, they will.
Dissatisfied customers come in all shapes and forms, and as a travel rep you are there to smooth the pathway for them. The company may be based in another country, and they rely upon your discretion to get things sorted out. Make sure that you have liaison with the company at all times because you never know when you may need them, and this is vital to the job. At weekends, for example, there may be no-one to help you when customers complain about the standard of their rooms, the position of their rooms, the inaccessibility of their rooms or just complain because it's their nature.
Organization abilities
As a holiday rep, you will be expected to cater for those holidaymakers who want you to arrange excursions. Others may prefer to be independent of these excursions, though in your research for possible venues, you should always be prepared with alternative activities, in case something goes wrong. It often does, and knowing what other venues are out there helps you to help the customer to avoid disappointment.
Families with children may want facilities to look after those children. It is your responsibility as a holiday rep to ensure that the placement of children is safe. The buck stops with you. You are the person who holidaymakers depend upon, and this isn't always easy.
The ability to organize is essential to the job, but also to remember that not everyone wants organization nor will welcome it.
Knowing your territory.
This matters very much. If things happen which are unforeseen and you can come up with alternatives which are viable, this helps. By knowing your territory and making yourself familiar with hotels and management teams, you will be able to resolve problems faster.
Imagine the scenario of a customer who needs wheelchair access though whose request has been ignored. Know your territory and have available information to help the holidaymaker settle in. It really will make a difference, and will make the job easier to cope with.
Holidaymakers will expect you to guide them. Where are the best beaches? What kind of night entertainment is there? Is my room too close to the disco? Are there individual bathrooms? The questions will come thick and fast and the travel rep is expected to have answers. Holidaymakers can make your life a misery if you let them. If you decide that you need time off, it isn't always easy. The holidaymaker will expect you to give them advice whether you are off duty or not.
Recommendations
When you make recommendations, you represent your company. If you recommend places for holidaymakers to go, be sure of your facts. If you are wrong and something happens, you are giving your company a bad reputation. The problem here is that the company get to know about complaints.
They rarely see happy, smiling faces, and believe it they will know if your recommendations have led to troubled holidaymakers.
Being there for emergencies
Any kind of emergency can happen at any time. From a tornado to a simple holiday accident, the travel rep is expected to be there to help pick up the pieces. Know all your emergency phone numbers and hospitals, and let your guests know where they can get help.
Being woken in the middle of the night because a holidaymaker overdid it in the sun isn't fun, but it's part of the deal. Learn how to help the holidaymaker cope with whatever happens and your life becomes easier.
Being the holidaymaker's friend
The holidaymaker is looking for a memorable time. Many holidaymakers think of travel reps as their friend inside the company. They will have high expectations of you, and expect to have you socialize with them. You may not feel like having fun. After all, this is all part of your working day.
The sun may be too hot, and you may feel anti social. The problem here is that it is your job to make sure that your group have a wonderfully memorable stay.
The travel rep who understands the balance has a much easier time, and leaves a lasting impression with those taking home photos of their vacation. Those who believe that their free hours are indeed their own will be frustrated, since there is no getting off duty during the time your holidaymakers are in need of help. It's a huge responsibility. Socialites will love it. Ambitious and more private people will hate it. One thing for sure is that as a holiday rep, you learn to read people, and to give them the best that you can, never expecting anything to be returned. These people believe they have paid for their experience and that you are a part of that experience. Once you learn to accept this, it gets easier, though it's far from the romantic image people have of what being a holiday rep involves.
