2.1 Introduction
Prior to going into different types of tourism and how to build a career within the industry, we need to address one thing that will often be the most critical part of working within travel and tourism: the importance of the correct type of customer service. Without good customer service there is effectively no industry and yet, thanks to the complexity of the industry, it is not something that is that easy to understand.
2.2 The Basics of Customer Service
As we said at the beginning of this module, customer service is a critical part of the entire industry and failing to really come to terms with being able to provide a quality service will make life more difficult.When it comes to understanding the basics of good customer service you are probably sitting there thinking that this means you need to view the customer as always being right. Although that is not necessarily the case, it is how you handle situations that will ultimately result in you either being good at your job or struggling to deal with the basics.
Whenever you are faced with dealing with a customer it is important that you act in the correct manner, listen to them, understand what it is that they are looking for, and then act upon that information to the best of your abilities and also the limitations placed upon you by the company or position that you are working in.A customer does not want to hear excuses; they do not want to hear about why things have gone wrong. Instead, they are looking for you to assure them that you have what they need available and that everything is going to go well from then on.
We all know that this can often be rather difficult to achieve but that is where your skills at dealing with customers will prove to be rather useful. It is not always possible to give them exactly what they need as customers can, at times, be seeking the impossible dream. However, an individual that works within the travel and tourism industry and is good at dealing with customers will still be able to steer them towards something of interest and something that will come close to what they originally wanted.
To do this, you need to consider the following points in order to even be able to deal with the absolute basics of customer service:
Do you fully understand your industry?
Prior to dealing with any customers there is a need for you to fully understand your part of the industry, including products and services. The last thing a customer is going to want to encounter is dealing with an individual that has to constantly seek help as that comes across as being unprofessional. If you specialise in a particular part of the world, then make sure you know as much about it as possible or at least know how to seek out the answers in as short a period of time as possible.
Think about your appearance
Customer service is also about how you come across to the customer. You must remember that you are effectively representing your part of the industry, or the company you work for, and if you thought that the idea that 'first impressions count' was a fallacy, then think again. If you look professional and sound professional then you are going to portray what you offer in a professional manner. Furthermore, it will also help to put the customer in a better mood and have them more relaxed if they feel that the individual before them looks the part.
Listen and be flexible
We really do need to stress the importance of listening to what the customer is asking as that is an important part of being able to provide the type of service that they are looking for.
For example
You need to know where a customer wants to travel to, when they want to travel, what they are looking for and to then tailor those needs or wants into a package or a product that is suitable.
If you do not know the answer,be honest
This is extremely important in that if you do not know the answer to something a customer asks you, then do not try to just lie your way through it as that is only going to make things worse in the long term. Instead, be honest and up front and then make sure that you get that answer as quickly as possible. It has been shown that honesty is the most important characteristic that people look for when dealing with companies and their staff so do not mess this part up.
Never allow your bad mood to be transferred to the customers
You have to be very good at putting on a brave face at all times when you are dealing with customers because even if you are personally in a bad mood it is not their fault and you should not show it. This does often result in having to act your way through things but this is all about being professional. If you are in a bad mood then it is not because of the customer, so do not take it out on them.
There are of course a number of different aspects of customer service that can be more specific to your part of the industry, but this is something that you will be able to learn more about as you build your own experience within your job. Customer service and being able to provide it to the best of your ability is something that is an ongoing process and you have to continually be aware of what the market wants and also what you are able to provide at any given time.
Remember, when it comes to travel and tourism you need to know your stuff, especially when there is so much competition. Do your research, double check your facts, and keep that smile on your face whenever you are dealing with a customer.
FACT
Travellers from the United Kingdom are rated the fourth highest spenders on international travel after China, Germany and the USA, spending $52.3 billion (£31.12 billion) on international.
Source: Thoughtshift.co.uk
2.3 Understanding the Needs and Wants of the Customers
If you have a basic understanding of customer service and dealing with the public then you may be able to come to terms with the needs and wants of the customers that you have to contend with on a daily basis.
This is something that we all do, no matter if it is because of some marketing that has caught our eye or something that we need to purchase in order to make some kind of progress or solve an issue.
In short, the idea behind this theory is that any customer that comes to you has some kind of need or a want and they feel that you are the correct person that can help them with whichever one it is. However, there is a need for you to correctly understand what it is that they are looking for, simply because this is going to determine both the type and the level of help that you are going to be able to provide at this moment in time.
Their Needs
Let us look at the idea of their needs within this particular industry. A customer may need a room that is equipped for a disabled person. They may need a room on the ground floor for health reasons. They may need to book a flight and stay in a hotel on a certain date for personal reasons. The potential list of needs can go on and on.
However, from your perspective, it is clear to see what you need to do in order to provide them with the correct type of customer service. Remember, providing quality customer service leads to a happy customer and the potential for repeat business.
Identify their need and seek clarity.
The first step is to not only identify their need, but to get some clarity just to make sure that you have done things correctly and understood the situation. This will not only show the individual that you are actually listening to them, but at the same time it provides you with the information that you need to then solve their problem.
Explain how you can help them
When there is a need, there is also a desire to know that the individual that they are talking to about it can do something to make a difference. At this moment in time you need to explain exactly how you are able to help them as this is also going to give you another opportunity to see if you have correctly interpreted what the issue appears to be.
Act upon it and double check
It is all fine and well saying you understand how you can help them, but there is a need for you to then act upon it as quickly as possible. It should also include you checking that they are happy with the solution that you have come up with as there should still be ample opportunity for them to change their minds, or aspects of what they need, during this stage.
Their Wants
There is also another side of customer service and that is understanding the wants of the customer. This is a bit different to needs where there can often be very specific requirements, but at the same time it does also mean that there is more scope for you to really work with the customer when we are talking about their wants.
For example
A customer may want a room with a sea view. They may want the best deal on a trip. They may want to know the best sights for specific interests. It is best to see their wants as a list of requests, but with a certain sense of fluctuation in what they will be willing to accept although it is still in your best interest to try to provide as close to what they want as is within your means.
As you can see, the wants could potentially be the same as the need but it is the reason behind it that is so important. Knowing which side your customer falls on is going to make life so much easier for you to do your job.
In summary, being able to identify the needs and wants of customers will provide you with key information that you can use to create a solution that is beneficial to all parties.Remember, a need is often more stringent than a want, which you may decide to interpret as a desire, although as you are the representative it is going to rest on your shoulders to do the best you can to provide what the customer is looking for.
2.4 Dealing with Issues
No matter what you try to do in order to satisfy a customer there is always going to be that moment where things go wrong and there are different issues that have to be addressed.
This is where customer service can become rather difficult because there is a need for you to remain professional at all times even when the customers themselves are guilty of doing things that are not too pleasant. However, that is not to say that you are there to put up with being abused as that is certainly crossing the line, but once again it is how you deal with it that is going to prove to be the most important part.
So, when it comes to dealing with any issues in any part of the industry, it is important that you keep these following points in mind:
Stay calm
The first thing is to make sure that you do not lose your temper because that will just make matters worse. Staying calm can diffuse a situation, especially if you continue to talk in a normal tone without sounding as if you are trying to irritate them.
Listen
The next step is to listen because you need to not only hear what the customer is saying but also be aware of what they are actually saying when reading between the lines. When you listen and go to comment, make sure that you at least partly repeat what has been said to you as this lets the customer know that you have indeed been paying attention.
Apologise and say what you are going to do.
If a customer is upset in some way then you do need to offer an apology even if that apology is saying you are sorry that they are so upset. This is not just done to pacify the individual but it shows empathy and people do appreciate that. However, you cannot just say sorry and then leave it at that because even if there is nothing that you can do, you must still advise them of this and explain the reasons why.
These three basic steps are absolutely essential when it comes to dealing with a situation and to prevent it from spinning out of control. This is the same approach that you would use no matter the industry as people need to be treated in the exact same way no matter what products or services you are selling.
2.5 How to Improve Your Own Skills for Dealing with Customers
Finally, we have to look at the ways in which you are able to improve your own skills to make it easier for you to go ahead and deal with even the most difficult of customers.
In order to do this, there are several key points that we feel we have to point out so you can take them on board and then act accordingly.
Be aware of your current limitations.
The first thing you need to do in order to deal with customers is to be aware of your own limitations. If you are not aware of what your limitations are then how can you ever hope to develop them and to improve your skill set?
Identify faults and work on them.
It is not enough for you to identify your limitations without doing something to improve them. Instead, you have to be prepared to go on a voyage of self-development so that your weak areas are vastly improved even if they are never going to be your strongest points.
Increase your knowledge.
In order to further enhance your skills and to be able to deal with even the most difficult of customers, you need to be able to increase your knowledge within your particular field. By having more information about your industry it means that it will be easier for you to answer any questions that a customer may have.
Practise.
This may sound slightly strange for some, but it is worth spending time rehearsing how to deal with customers by getting somebody you trust to enact that role. The idea here is for you to go over what to say, how to say it, how to field those questions, and also how to calm down an individual that is perhaps quite rightly upset.
It is a sad fact that the more you have to deal with upset customers the better you are going to get at dealing with them. This is not to say that you have to look forward to those moments but rather just focus on your knowledge about your industry so that you are not so stressed when an issue does indeed come around.
MODULE SUMMARY
In this module we have focused on something that is so important that we have felt the need to discuss it right at the start: the importance of correct customer service within the industry.
Being aware of how to correctly handle customers, including those that are rather upset, will certainly make your own life a lot easier and less stressful as well. Providing adequate customer service is no longer enough. Instead, people are looking for the best customer service at all times, so focusing on how to deal with situations and how to improve your own skills will go a long way to helping you.
As we have said throughout this module, the information we have provided here is more of a general guide to customer service rather than being something specific to the tourism industry. However, being able to come to terms with how to correctly deal with customers will certainly mean that they not only have a better time, but your working life will also be less stressful.
In the next module we will look at the way in which your career could potentially develop within this industry.
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