Hi readers, I'm here again after some days of been away. Hope you had a wonderful summer holiday and you're either back at your base or you're getting ready to go back home, wherever that is.
In this post and the next few ones, I'll be writing on some issues that I have seen come up on our travels that will truly answer the question of WHO NEEDS A TRAVEL CONSULTANT ANYWAY. Depending on who you are, these posts will either answer the question of who needs me or why you need mes
Now imagine this scenario. I read in a national daily in my country (Nigeria) a letter written by someone accusing Air France of exploitation and every other thing can think of. This writer's grouse with AF is that his brother's wife gave birth to a set of twins in Dublin, Ireland and to bring the twins back to Nigeria became almost impossible as AF insists that one adult cannot travel with two infants therefore the mother needed to get one other adult with which the second infant would be attached. Secondly, this man claims that AF did not tell them beforehand that one adult can't travel with two infants. Understandably, this man couldn't understand the language been spoken by the airline and believe me, he can't since he is not suppose to.
MY POINT OF VIEW: Let me say here that for everything that is done under heaven, there is what is called rule of engagement.
1) I always love to advice my clients that it is better to get things done the right way with airlines rather than to prove your right, if nothing else, you'll spend time doing this.
2) Travellers need to learn to open up to their consultant the way they'll open up to their bankers and doctors alike since you might end up needing their wealth of experience in advising you appropriately in some unusual situations.
3) If you have a consultant that is truly knowledgeable in this business, he or she would have told this family that this is not a rule that is peculiar to AF only but rather a standard rule all over the world by all airlines.
4) In fairness to AF, I believe they were not notified that the woman in question would be coming back with a set of twins so we can't accuse them of not intimating the traveller of the standing rule.
5) Like I said in the last post, your consultant is a pool of information and if there is a relationship between you and your consultant, it can be easy to open up. This woman in question thought the information that she was going to have a set of twins was not relevant until it became very relevant. Let me at this junction emphasize on this phrase once again, IN DOUBT, ASK QUESTIONS.
In rounding up on this post, remember that at IDARE SERVICES we do not sell tickets, we sell our experience.
We are a one stop travel company. Our main target is to give our clients peace of mind all through their journey with our use of high professionalism and experience in solving all their travel logjams.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
WHO NEEDS A TRAVEL CONSULTANT ANYWAY?
Hi there, do you really think you need a travel consultant to help with your travel needs when you can easily book online or perhaps walk into an airlines' office to book and issue your travel needs, who needs a travel consultant anyway?
I am a travel consultant so my responsibility is to let you know why you need me whenever you decide to buy either a travel or a tour package.
1) Most of the time, you are likely to get a cheaper fare from your consultant than you'll get from the airline or online as the case may be. A lot of people will not believe this though but let me explain how it works. When you go online to make reservations, you are presented with the cheapest at that particular time, lucky you if that is the very cheapest but if not how do you know? Your consultant knows what is the cheapest, it's their job and most time they make it a point of duty to get that seat for you even if it means them staying awake all night. This also apply to visiting an airlines office to make your reservation, remember there is a long queue waiting to be served, the airline staff will obviously not go out of his way to get you what exactly you want.
2) Your travel consultant, a real one, stays with you throughout your journey even when you are out of the country.
3) I always love saying this, I don't sell tickets because any idiot can sell ticket. What I sell is the added advantage, like the expertise I bring into your travel for instance.
4) When you book online, it is like buying a product from an invisible human being, even in nations of the world where they claim to have mastered technology, you can't tell how good you are until you need to probably put that ticket in for refund since most of the time the rules governing these tickets are either not stated or you just won't see it where it is hidden, cos you'll think "it's ticket I'm buying not the rules"
5) For me, the fact that you can put a face to the product you're buying is very very important as this does not only give a positive assurance should you run into any trouble whatsoever, you can actually have someone to lean on in such instances.
6) Buying travels from a consultant is like buying insurance, any form of insurance, you might never need it. If you end up not needing it, very good, but should you need it, you can't be more grateful on such occasions.
7) When you use a consultant, anything, I mean anything is possible. You can wake your consultant up in the middle of the night should there be an emergency and he or she will be under obligation to get your job done, that's what we're been paid to do, ain't it.
8) You can also be up to date on all information that is necessary to your travel, for instance, should you need to travel somewhere, your consultant is a one stop shop for all the information you will need to help you pick your choice like fares, ticket rules, flight timings and so on instead of having to go to all these airlines one after the other.
9) It is also interesting to note that most of these airlines do not have a process whereby you can cancel your ticket on the website if the reservation is made online, this implies that the time you gained in booking online will eventually be lost should you ever need to make any changes on your ticket, you'll get to their office and remember, TIME IS MONEY.
10) Things do happen that requires that we make some decisions, the airline staff because they do not have any personal relationship with you even though you are their client will not likely go the extra mile that your consultant will go for you in such situation.
MY POINT OF VIEW however is that you must note that all these attribute can only be found on a travel consultant that is truly a consultant. At IDARE SERVICES we are poised to give you these services and many more as you make the choice of flying with us.
I am a travel consultant so my responsibility is to let you know why you need me whenever you decide to buy either a travel or a tour package.
1) Most of the time, you are likely to get a cheaper fare from your consultant than you'll get from the airline or online as the case may be. A lot of people will not believe this though but let me explain how it works. When you go online to make reservations, you are presented with the cheapest at that particular time, lucky you if that is the very cheapest but if not how do you know? Your consultant knows what is the cheapest, it's their job and most time they make it a point of duty to get that seat for you even if it means them staying awake all night. This also apply to visiting an airlines office to make your reservation, remember there is a long queue waiting to be served, the airline staff will obviously not go out of his way to get you what exactly you want.
2) Your travel consultant, a real one, stays with you throughout your journey even when you are out of the country.
3) I always love saying this, I don't sell tickets because any idiot can sell ticket. What I sell is the added advantage, like the expertise I bring into your travel for instance.
4) When you book online, it is like buying a product from an invisible human being, even in nations of the world where they claim to have mastered technology, you can't tell how good you are until you need to probably put that ticket in for refund since most of the time the rules governing these tickets are either not stated or you just won't see it where it is hidden, cos you'll think "it's ticket I'm buying not the rules"
5) For me, the fact that you can put a face to the product you're buying is very very important as this does not only give a positive assurance should you run into any trouble whatsoever, you can actually have someone to lean on in such instances.
6) Buying travels from a consultant is like buying insurance, any form of insurance, you might never need it. If you end up not needing it, very good, but should you need it, you can't be more grateful on such occasions.
7) When you use a consultant, anything, I mean anything is possible. You can wake your consultant up in the middle of the night should there be an emergency and he or she will be under obligation to get your job done, that's what we're been paid to do, ain't it.
8) You can also be up to date on all information that is necessary to your travel, for instance, should you need to travel somewhere, your consultant is a one stop shop for all the information you will need to help you pick your choice like fares, ticket rules, flight timings and so on instead of having to go to all these airlines one after the other.
9) It is also interesting to note that most of these airlines do not have a process whereby you can cancel your ticket on the website if the reservation is made online, this implies that the time you gained in booking online will eventually be lost should you ever need to make any changes on your ticket, you'll get to their office and remember, TIME IS MONEY.
10) Things do happen that requires that we make some decisions, the airline staff because they do not have any personal relationship with you even though you are their client will not likely go the extra mile that your consultant will go for you in such situation.
MY POINT OF VIEW however is that you must note that all these attribute can only be found on a travel consultant that is truly a consultant. At IDARE SERVICES we are poised to give you these services and many more as you make the choice of flying with us.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
TRAVELLING DURING SUMMER?
Hi there,
Here I am again with some insightful information for you travellers out there. This is summer season and this means a lot of people are either boarding a flight or alighting from one. Summer is virtually every one's choice season of travelling especially with the children since they have a longer holiday during this season.
This breakdown however means that more people are travelling and it becomes more difficult to get choice seats, choice in the area of fare, preferred airlines and route, remember we discussed this some posts previously tagged YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE. For a lot of people, travelling during summer is stressful and I can tell you as a travel consultant it is also stressful for your consultant. It increases my process lines and time spent on these processes. For you as a client, you get to pay more than probably budgeted for initially.
The reality of this season that you must know also is that airlines all over the world overbook their flights, it is almost like a norm that is allowed and there is no rule against it. They will not do more than to compensate you in whatever form they deem fit should they not allow you to fly.
Let me inform you that it is better you do things right rather than having to argue for your right, this is why this write up is very important to you as a traveller at this time.
MY POINT OF VIEW:
1) To have a relatively easy travel always especially during summer, I'll advise that you book your ticket(s) early enough, before all the 11th hour travellers will join the queue, this will ensure you not only have perhaps the cheapest fare available, you also have a long allowance in term of time to pay. The rule is the nearer your travel date, the lesser time you are given to pay especially when there are a lot more people trying to get the seat(s) you are holding.
2) When you book early, you have the opportunity to have the peace of mind that you really need. Now I've heard a lot of clients say things like if they book early, the ticket might be cancelled, well nothing like that will happen as soon as the ticket has been properly issued.
3) I also will advise that if possible, you should always check in online before you leave for the airport. Having done this you are 90% assured that you will not be disallowed flying
4) Having checked in online though, this does not give you the right to get to the airport late. Let me give you an insight into what the airlines do, the moment they realise that the craft is almost full and there are still a lot of travellers trying to check-in, they will then probably put in the issue check in time. By this you will not stand a chance on any argument with them since on the rule, you are late. I am therefore advising you to check in online so you can jump the queue when you get to the airport and be sure you'll fly.
5) Ensure that your travel consultant lets you into information like, check in tme, opening and closing. boarding time and especially flight time. A lot of travellers though frequent travellers cannot read their tickets for information like time, some even think that when the flight is 10am, it means they can get to the airport by 9:45 am. Please ensure you get all this information in readable and understandable format and never guess on anything, IN DOUBT, ASK QUESTIONS
6) Also, ensure that you board on time, these steps will get you to wherever you're billed to travel to on the day reserved. However should you still be disallowed to fly after doing all these, then the airline will have to compensate you as you have abided by all their rules.
These steps highlighted above are just my POINT OF VIEW.
Here I am again with some insightful information for you travellers out there. This is summer season and this means a lot of people are either boarding a flight or alighting from one. Summer is virtually every one's choice season of travelling especially with the children since they have a longer holiday during this season.
This breakdown however means that more people are travelling and it becomes more difficult to get choice seats, choice in the area of fare, preferred airlines and route, remember we discussed this some posts previously tagged YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE. For a lot of people, travelling during summer is stressful and I can tell you as a travel consultant it is also stressful for your consultant. It increases my process lines and time spent on these processes. For you as a client, you get to pay more than probably budgeted for initially.
The reality of this season that you must know also is that airlines all over the world overbook their flights, it is almost like a norm that is allowed and there is no rule against it. They will not do more than to compensate you in whatever form they deem fit should they not allow you to fly.
Let me inform you that it is better you do things right rather than having to argue for your right, this is why this write up is very important to you as a traveller at this time.
MY POINT OF VIEW:
1) To have a relatively easy travel always especially during summer, I'll advise that you book your ticket(s) early enough, before all the 11th hour travellers will join the queue, this will ensure you not only have perhaps the cheapest fare available, you also have a long allowance in term of time to pay. The rule is the nearer your travel date, the lesser time you are given to pay especially when there are a lot more people trying to get the seat(s) you are holding.
2) When you book early, you have the opportunity to have the peace of mind that you really need. Now I've heard a lot of clients say things like if they book early, the ticket might be cancelled, well nothing like that will happen as soon as the ticket has been properly issued.
3) I also will advise that if possible, you should always check in online before you leave for the airport. Having done this you are 90% assured that you will not be disallowed flying
4) Having checked in online though, this does not give you the right to get to the airport late. Let me give you an insight into what the airlines do, the moment they realise that the craft is almost full and there are still a lot of travellers trying to check-in, they will then probably put in the issue check in time. By this you will not stand a chance on any argument with them since on the rule, you are late. I am therefore advising you to check in online so you can jump the queue when you get to the airport and be sure you'll fly.
5) Ensure that your travel consultant lets you into information like, check in tme, opening and closing. boarding time and especially flight time. A lot of travellers though frequent travellers cannot read their tickets for information like time, some even think that when the flight is 10am, it means they can get to the airport by 9:45 am. Please ensure you get all this information in readable and understandable format and never guess on anything, IN DOUBT, ASK QUESTIONS
6) Also, ensure that you board on time, these steps will get you to wherever you're billed to travel to on the day reserved. However should you still be disallowed to fly after doing all these, then the airline will have to compensate you as you have abided by all their rules.
These steps highlighted above are just my POINT OF VIEW.
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