Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 - (Page 71)

OPINION Want a Sale? Don’t Prejudge. AT A YOUNG AGE WE ARE INSTRUCTED BY OUR PARENTS TO NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER, TO NEVER CAST JUDGMENT BEFORE REALLY GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE. If the axiom bears any truth, why do so many people today make assumptions based on a glance rather than a discussion? In sales, this not only is flat-out rude, it is also a money killer. Two examples come to mind: one unrelated to me, one personal. The first comes via my mother, who is always up for sharing a good parable. Her friend, we’ll call her Jane for the sake of anonymity, is quite well off, but does dress a bit on the frumpy side and after three kids and a stressful job, her weight is far from optimal. In any case, one day she decided it was time for some new clothes and off to Saks she went. Surfing through the racks of high-end goods, something occurred to her: not one salesperson had lent assistance, or even asked to be of assistance. Instead, there were derisive glances that silently asked, “What are you doing here, lady?” She got the message. On her way out of the store, she intrepidly strode up to the offending salesperson. “You just missed out on one of the biggest commissions of your life,” she said. Closer to home, I have had my own war stories about offending sales personnel. Most recently, I got a full taste of it at a jewelry store on New York’s Upper West Side. As much as I’d love to pass along the name of the store, I’ll show restraint. It was a Saturday afternoon, warm out, so khaki cargo shorts and a T-shirt were the threads du jour. Walking in, I instantly knew what I was in for: Older affluent women were gallivanting around asking for feedback on an ascot or cloche hat. Yes, just my kind of place. I was in the market for an engagement ring. Sidling up to the counter, I eyed a particularly fetching ring and inquired of the saleswoman if I could take closer inspection. What do you think happened next? “Surely, sir. Let me just get the key to the case and I’ll be right with you.” I wish. No, it was first a contemptuous stare, then, “You’ll just have to wait a few minutes.” Wait, did she think I wasn’t serious about purchasing the ring? I mean, unless tradition has changed, buying an engagement ring is the first step to marriage. I suspect that because I wasn’t dressed in a three-piece suit and looked young, I wasn’t a serious buyer. In the fanciful words of Seinfeld’s Elaine Benes: “Commission bye-bye-o!” David Eisen Related to Travel So what does this have to do with being a travel agent? Well, everything. Today’s traveler can’t be compartmentalized. The multimillionaire head of an Internet company could be the unkempt kid in flip-flops and jeans, who is eager to take a blowout vacation with a group of his college buddies. If he walks into your travel agency, are you going to neglect him or not take the time to qualify him? Big mistake if you do. The moral is to never assume. Until you get to know your customers, backwards and forwards, you’re never going to truly know what they really want in a vacation or what they can afford. To that point, don’t be afraid to upsell. A young couple might want to take a Carnival cruise, but don’t let them settle on an inside cabin when, with little effort, you can convince them that an outside stateroom is the way to go. Moreover, just because they scream Carnival doesn’t mean they don’t want Princess. Perception, quite often, isn’t reality. DAVID EISEN ASSOCIATE EDITOR July 7, 2008 TravelAgent | 71

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - July 7, 2008

Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Europe: History and a Scenic Landscape Define Normandy Pacific/Asia: Kuala Lumpur Offers Luxury Shopping and Hotels Hawaii: Honolulu’s Nightlife is as Dazzling as its Sunshine Canada: VIA Rail Offers a New Way to Enjoy the Great North Las Vegas: Hotels and Casinos Away From the Strip Florida: Hilton Daytona Beach Offers Budget-Friendly Packages Central & South America: Panama is Poised to Become a Hot Destination Mexico: The ME Cancún Targets an Upscale Clientele Caribbean: Maxim Opens a New Resort in Puerto Plata The Latest News and Notes from Dominica Cruises: A CLIA Study Offers Good News About Cruising Cartagena and Santa Marta Offer Two Different Sides of Columbia Cover Story: Wendy Goodenow Industry In Crisis: A New Report Offers a Gloomy Forecast for the Airline Industry Hotels: Prince Edward Island Celebrates Anne of Green Gables EZGuider: Vacation.com Launches a New Platform Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Opinion Consortia Can Be An Agent’s Best Friend MLT Expands Roles and Offerings Malaysia Continues Agent Push In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - July 7, 2008

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