Getting your customers to trust you is one of the many challenging parts of a sales role. Working in the travel industry in a sales role for over 20 years, I have certainly learnt a lot of how to handle all types of customers. One of the biggest challenges out there is getting your customer to trust you, once the trust has been gained, they will continue to trust you to book their holidays.
Why is it important to build and have trust in your travel agent?
Trust is the most important aspect in becoming a successful travel agent. Would you hand over thousands of pounds to someone you don’t trust? NO, I wouldn’t either! It’s not just the trust in a customer handing money over, it’s them trusting that you have chosen the perfect holiday for them, with no issues from the start of their journey until the end. Honesty is always the best policy.
For example, I have used the same hairdresser for over 10 years, my hairdresser has become a friend over that time, she knows all about me and my family, I know about her family. This started at the beginning that I trusted her with my requirements, she did a wonderful job, while working on my hair she was honest with me ‘don’t do this’ ‘I think this would look nice’ she built rapport and took interest what I like and what I don’t like, she has kept me as a client for over 10 years, I recommend my family and friends to her and praise her work. Everything you purchase or service you use, if you really think about deeply you must trust.
How do you build the trust?
Building trust does not happen overnight, you have to work for and earn it. Building a rapport with your customer is the key to your relationship, this will help you understand the customer’s needs, requests, likes and dislikes and getting to know them as a person.
Your next step with trust is exploring the customer, what types of holidays they are looking for? Types of hotels? Do they like to dine out or like to stay within a hotel resort? What type of room? What do you like doing on holiday?
There is so much you can follow on with when conducting the explore and be able to share your own dislikes and likes, this is your first step of trust, your customer has now trusted you with all the requirements and trusting you to find that perfect holiday.
Once you have found that perfect holiday, The second step of trust would be to inspire them, painting the vision of this wonderful holiday in your customers mind, you want the customer to want the holiday so much that they won’t able to put the phone without knowing that holiday is theirs.
You are offering first-hand experience and knowledge, being honest with your customer is one key factor to building trust. It is so important to keep that relationship and trust alive. It is essential you keep talking with your customer. As easy as it can be in society today to send an SMS or email to communicate, the customer has chosen you to talk with and not a bookable website.
The trust goes further and leads you to new business, when the customer recommends and refers their family and friends, add reviews on websites and social media platforms.
Trust is the key to build your client base and lead your business to success.
After 20 years of being a travel consultant, I worked so hard, never gave up and went above and beyond to gain more customers, they trusted me and became loyal to booking all holiday arrangements year after year.
Some have become lifetime friends and others I left in capable trusted hands when I left my sales role. Trust is the key to success!!
