Luxury Travel Advisor - December 2008 - (Page 44) clients. She just returned from Egypt, which she’s been selling ever since. When she takes a cruise that includes exotic ports, she never takes planned shore excursions; instead, she’ll go off on her own. “I find that being with local people, even with a local taxi driver, you really get a different sense of a place,” she says. This practice enables her to customize programs for her high-end clients and to give them insider information throughout their itineraries. For example, the agency recently did a mailing promoting Micato Safaris to 50 high-end clients. One customer responded that this was a trip he and his wife had always dreamed of taking. They ended up booking the “World’s Greatest Safari,” as Micato describes it in its brochure. While they were at it, they said they wanted to go to Dubai and London. They had the means to travel first class throughout, but Yellin advised them that it was more practical to fly first class for the overnight flights and business class for the daytime flights. (For more on this perfect trip, see below.) Yellin says that throughout her clients’ itineraries she is happy to make reservations at the top restaurants and does not charge a fee to do so. “I’m always shocked when I hear that others charge for that,” she says. “This is part of our service. In fact, she and DeClemente have some hard and fast rules the agency always sticks to, regardless of the destination or type of trip. “Creating the perfect itinerary starts with an in-depth conversation with a client. Our approach is always to be consultative with a confident air and not be order takers,” she says. “If it’s someone we’ve worked with before, we have a general idea of his or her likes and dislikes. If it’s a new client, we talk about where they’ve been and what they like to do.” The next rule is to work with only trusted suppliers; once the type of trip has been determined, Yellin and DeClemente approach the reservations stage as if they’re the ones traveling. “This way we can focus on the myriad details that always make or break a trip,” says DeClemente. “For example, we had a client who flew non-stop to Asia on a well-respected airline in business class. We later learned from the unhappy client that their seats did not lie flat.” As a result of that experience, when an airline rep visits their offices they always ask for details on their premium service. Yellin insists that creating the perfect itinerary also includes arranging elements beyond the core travel components, even if some of them are not revenue producing. This includes restaurant and theater reservations or scheduling tee times or spa appointments. “Keep in mind, it’s the little things that add up to making their trip a satisfying experi- ence,” she says. On a final note, the two advise that it’s important to be prepared for problems and to become an advocate for your clients in solving those problems. “If you do, they’ll come back to you again and again to create their next perfect itinerary,” says DeClemente. The agency does not charge a planning fee, says Yellin, because it typically “doesn’t run into would-be clients who ask for a lot of research and then purchase from someone else. And I think that we have experienced agents that would know when somebody’s just pulling your chain,” she adds. Now that Yellin and DeClemente have found the formula to maintain a winning strategy, an even more vital goal is to ensure they get it right for their clients. “This is a business where you’d better be detailed oriented,” says DeClemente, “because if one little element of a trip goes wrong, their perception is you messed up.” One thing is clear: The two will continue to learn from each other, and to enjoy a yinyang relationship that’s proven to be quite lucrative. “We’ve seen a change where people are coming back to the retail side of the business,” says DeClemente. “We are dealing with a very demanding and prestigious client base. They want to have an advocate. Sheila has been preaching that since she got into the business.” SHEILA YELLIN’S PERFECT TRIP My perfect trip combines a number of destinations. We’d start by flying First Class on Emirates’ new A380 to Dubai. Since it’s an overnight flight, we’d want to have our own personal suite to relax in. A few hours outside of Dubai I’d make sure to take advantage of their on-board spa so we arrive refreshed at our destination. Upon arrival we’re met by a personal greeter who escorts us through customs and assists with the luggage. After collecting our luggage we’re escorted to a Rolls-Royce waiting to transfer us to the only six-star hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab. The next four days would be reserved for exploring Dubai, its shopping, restaurants and surroundings including a trip into the desert for some dune surfing and camel riding. From Dubai we’d head to South Africa to begin our Micato safari. With so many programs to choose from, I’d probably select either their “World’s Best Safari” or one from their Bespoke Collection. I’d want to make sure we arrived a few days prior to the start of the safari to enjoy the many sites and wonders that Cape Town has to offer from our base at one of the world’s best hotels, the Cape Grace. I’d make sure our journey to Africa ends in Johannesburg so we could stay a few nights in this wonderful city before heading off on the last leg of our journey to London. We’d fly British Airways in First Class since this is also an overnight flight. Upon arrival in London, we’re met at the airport and transferred to the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park. We’ll be staying in one of its incredible Hyde Park Junior Suites to take advantage of the beautiful views. What’s not to like in London? There is such history, culture and great food. After four nights, we’d board our British Airways flight home, having spent almost 20 glorious days on holiday. What a trip!! 44 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | December 2008
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