conversation about travel agent and customer

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Conversation between travel agent and customer [dialogue].

Customer: Good morning, I need a return ticket to Canada

Travel agent: Good morning, which airline would you like to travel with?

Customer: Yes! It would be better if you book me an Air Canada ticket.

Travel agent: Friday flight from Karachi to Toronto at 11 am, this flight will be via Istanbul and Paris, where there will be a 3-hour layover.

Customer: How much is the business class fare?

Travel Agent: Yes, there is. Air Canada Business Class fare is $8,591 for a round-trip ticket.

Customer: How much is the fare if I want to take an economy class?

Travel agent: Yes miss you will get economy for $4479, I think the economy round trip will be good for you.

Customer: Yes! The business class ticket is too expensive, I would prefer the economy class, by the way, Air Canada has Paris and Istanbul routes, so can I travel between these countries for a few moments?

Travel Agent: Yes, this is the advantage of Air Canada flights, they give their passengers access to nearby tourist attractions during their stay, but the service is their own, which provides an opportunity for entertainment for a fixed period of time.

Customer: What are the necessary steps to take before traveling to Canada?

Travel agent: Conditions of entry from Pakistan to Canada

Entry is permitted only for fully vaccinated passengers.

Passengers are required to submit their travel plan and proof of vaccination using the Arrive CAN app prior to arrival

Unvaccinated Canadian citizens and residents are allowed to enter Canada but must self-quarantine for 14 days.

A negative COVID-19 test is issued no later than 3 days prior to arrival for unvaccinated passengers.

Customer: Ok I prepare it

Travel agent: OK, can I book an economy class round trip ticket, give me your passport.

Customer: Yes! you can confirm the Ticket. Do you have a credit card facility available?

Travel Agent: Yes, you can swipe the card and deposit your desired amount.

Customer: Yes. I have a company credit card.

Travel agent: Yes, no problem, you can use any card.

Travel Agent: Well you can sign here. Ms. You can now travel with a ‘smart bag’ on Air Canada. There are special instructions for traveling with a bag that has built-in charging, location tracking, or other battery-powered technology.

Customer: OK, besides what are any necessary instructions about the goods?

Travel Agent: If you are traveling with an infant on your lap, you can bring 1 additional standard bag for your baby’s luggage, all other baggage rules are strictly enforced. All bags over the maximum size will need to be checked, and additional checked baggage charges may apply.

Customer: Thanks for the information.

100+ Examples of Dialogue to Practice

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First Date with Your Travel Agent: A Checklist for Getting Off on the Right Foot

Photo: Shutterstock.com.

“When a client asks me how long I’ve been planning travel and about their destination of interest, it shows they want to be informed travelers. They aren’t looking for just price, but also for value,” says travel advisor Adrienne Sasson.

That first conversation between a travel advisor and a customer sets the mood, builds rapport, and establishes a foundation for a lifetime relationship. So, don’t be shy. Speak up and ask what’s on your mind — and answer honestly when your travel advisor asks about your travel dreams.

Here are a few questions to get the conversation started.

For the traveler to ask: How does a travel agent work? What can you tell me about the process you use, and the value you bring?

What will the process of booking with you look like?

How many years have you been in business?

Have you visited the parts of the world and the resorts I am looking at?

How is your service different from that of other agents?

Do you have any special niches or certifications? What professional groups do you belong to?

Can you provide references to whom I can speak?

Do you charge a fee for your services?

How will I be able to get ahold of you if I need you? Will you be available by cell phone for calling and/or texting if I need a quick answer? On WhatsApp or FB Messenger?

How do you decide which destinations are a good fit for me?

Can you build in some downtime so we can explore on our own and just wander about?

Can you create an authentic experience that involves doing something with the locals or some social activism?

For the agent to ask: What would you like to know about my experience and my business practices? (“This usually throws customers for a minute, but we end up having good conversations about where I’ve traveled, how I started in the business, if I’ve been to the places they want to travel to,” says Helen Prochilo.)

Why are you traveling? Is this a special vacation of some kind?

What type of experience are you looking for? (“The more I know about you, the better,” says Teri Hurley. “My job is to match you to the best possible resort, cruise, etc., and that can only be done if we work hand in hand.”)

Who has the pleasure of traveling with you? (“This question gets the conversation started and also ends up answering why you are traveling,” says Marie Rosenbaum.)

How will this trip enrich you? What do you hope to gain from your travels?

When will you make the final decision and who will be involved?

Where have you traveled in the past? What type of accommodations did you stay in? What was your favorite trip or hotel and your least favorite? (Teri Hurley has a “Travel Wishes” form “designed not only to pinpoint their travel vision, but to determine their travel persona.”)

What’s the maximum amount of money you are willing to spend on your trip?

Have you gotten other price quotes on the trip you want?

What criteria are you going to use to make a decision?

If we can find what you are looking for within your price range, are you prepared to purchase it?

General Listening Quiz

“travel arrangements – script”, listening exercise.

Listen to the recording on travel arrangements and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Travel Agent : Freedom Travel. How may I help you?

Caller : Yes, I’d like to make a flight reservation for the twenty-third of this month.

Travel Agent : Okay. What is your destination ?

Caller : Well. I’m flying to Helsinki, Finland.

Travel Agent : Okay. Let me check what flights are available . [ Okay ] And when will you be returning?

Caller : Uh, well, I’d like to catch a return flight on the twenty-ninth. Oh, and I’d like the cheapest flight available.

Travel Agent : Okay. Let me see. Hmm, hmm . . .

Caller : Yeah?

Travel Agent : Well, the price for the flight is almost double the price you would pay if you leave the day before.

Caller : Whoo. Let’s go with the cheaper flight. By the way, how much is it?

Travel Agent : It’s only $980.

Caller : Alright. Well, let’s go with that.

Travel Agent : Okay. That’s flight 1070 from Salt Lake City to New York, Kennedy Airport, transferring to flight 90 from Kennedy to Helsinki.

Caller : And what are the departure and arrival times for each of those flights?

Travel Agent : It leaves Salt Lake City at 10:00 AM, arriving in New York at 4:35 PM, then transferring to flight 90 at 5:55 PM, and arriving in Helsinki at 8:30 AM the next day.

Caller : Alright. And, uh, I’d like to request a vegetarian meal.

Travel Agent : Sure, no problem. And could I have your name please?

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

destination (noun) : the place a trip ends – We’ll reach our destination by 3:00 PM.
available (adjective) : not busy, ready for use Are there any seats available on the next train?
catch (verb) : get – You can catch a taxi outside of the hotel lobby.
go with (phrasal verb) : choose something – I think I’ll go with the budget tour to Hawaii on this trip.
transfer (verb) : change to a different transportation line – You’ll need to transfer to a city bus when you arrive at the train station.
departure (noun) : the act of leaving – Passengers should check in two hours before their departure time.
vegetarian (noun) : one who eats little or no meat, fish, or animal products – Although Charles considers himself a vegetarian , he sometimes eats chicken.
Easy Listening
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Academic English Listening

Travel Agent – ESL Conversation Questions and Speaking Lesson

Welcome to our ESL discussion session! Today, we will explore the importance of English language skills . English is a key language for communication, travel, and professional opportunities .

Let’s dive into why mastering English can open doors to new experiences and connections.

Let’s start our conversation on the significance of English language skills in today’s globalized world .

25 Conversation Questions About Travel Agent

If you’re interested in becoming a travel agent, what’re the key skills and attributes that you believe are essential for success in this industry?

Conversation Questions:

What skills do you think are important for a travel agent?
How important is communication for a travel agent?
Why is attention to detail crucial in the travel industry?
What role do organization skills play in the work of a travel agent?
Why is passion for travel considered an asset for a travel agent?
How does cultural awareness benefit a travel agent?
Why is adaptability important in the travel industry?
Can you name a few essential attributes of a successful travel agent?
How can strong communication skills help a travel agent build relationships with clients?
Why is being a good listener important for a travel agent?
What’re some common tasks that require precision in travel planning?
How can organization skills help a travel agent manage multiple clients effectively?
In what ways can a travel agent show their passion for travel to clients?
How can adaptability help a travel agent deal with unexpected changes in travel plans?
What challenges do travel agents face in the dynamic travel industry?
How can a travel agent stay updated on the latest travel trends?
Why is customer service important for a travel agent?
How can a travel agent provide personalized travel experiences for clients?
What strategies can a travel agent use to handle difficult clients?
How does technology impact the work of a modern travel agent?
What’re the benefits of using social media as a travel agent?
How can a travel agent ensure the safety and security of their clients while traveling?
What’re some ethical considerations for travel agents when recommending destinations or activities?
How can a travel agent contribute to sustainable and responsible tourism practices?
What’re the advantages of working as an independent travel agent versus for a travel agency?

Conversation Dialogue:

Sarah: Hi, Mark! Have you ever thought about becoming a travel agent?

Mark: Hey, Sarah! Not really, but I imagine it requires great communication skills. What do you think?

Sarah: Absolutely, communication is key in this industry. It’s all about understanding clients’ needs and preferences.

Mark: I guess attention to detail is crucial too, right? Making sure everything is perfect for the clients.

Sarah: Definitely. From booking flights to arranging accommodations, precision is a must for seamless travel experiences.

Mark: What about organization skills? How important are they for a travel agent?

Sarah: Oh, they’re essential. Managing multiple itineraries and reservations requires a structured approach to avoid any mishaps.

Mark: That makes sense. And I bet being passionate about travel helps in connecting with clients, right?

Sarah: Absolutely! Enthusiasm for exploring new destinations resonates with clients and makes you a trusted source of travel advice.

Mark: Adaptability must also be crucial in such a dynamic industry, right?

Sarah: Spot on, Mark. Being flexible and quick to adjust to changes sets successful travel agents apart from the rest.

Mark: Thanks for sharing, Sarah. I never realized how many skills are involved in being a travel agent.

Sarah: No problem, Mark! It’s a fascinating field with lots of opportunities for growth and learning.

Conversation Words:

Communication
Destination

So, as you can see, being a travel agent requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and customer service abilities . Whether working independently or for an agency, handling clients and unexpected situations with professionalism is key.

By practicing these conversation questions and speaking about the role of a travel agent, you can improve your English language skills while gaining a better understanding of this dynamic industry .

Keep exploring and learning to excel in this exciting career path!

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Airport English: Conversation Lesson

Need to speak English at the airport? This travel English lesson will teach you phrases from English conversations! Study each dialogue at the airport and then read my explanation of the phrases in each English conversation.

This is a sample lesson from the Everyday English Speaking Course. You can register to get all 45 lessons in the course!

Airport English: Conversation Lesson Espresso English

Airport English Conversation #1 – At the Check-In Desk

Dan is flying from New York to Los Angeles. When he arrives at the airport, he goes to the check-in desk. Listen to the conversation he has with the agent:

Agent: Good afternoon! Where are you flying to today?

Dan: Los Angeles.

Agent: May I have your passport, please?

Dan: Here you go.

Agent: Are you checking any bags?

Dan: Just this one.

Agent: OK, please place your bag on the scale.

Dan: I have a stopover in Chicago – do I need to pick up my luggage there?

Agent: No, it’ll go straight through to Los Angeles. Here are your boarding passes – your flight leaves from gate 15A and it’ll begin boarding at 3:20. Your seat number is 26E.

Dan: Thanks.

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Conversation Vocabulary and Phrases

Instead of “Where are you flying today?” the agent may ask “What’s your final destination?” The answer will be the same!
You can say “Here you go” anytime you give something to somebody
To check your bags means to put them on the airplane inside the cargo compartment. The small bag you take with you on the airplane is called a carry-on . You need to put your carry-on bags through the X-ray machine at security.
The scale is the equipment that tells you the weight of your luggage (45 kilograms, for example)
A stopover or layover is when the airplane stops in a different city before continuing to the final destination
If the agent says that your luggage will go straight through , it means it will go directly to the final destination (and you don’t need to pick it up during your stopover)
Boarding passes are the tickets that permit you to enter the airplane
When a plane begins boarding , it means that the passengers start to enter the plane. Usually boarding time is 30-60 minutes before takeoff (when the plane leaves)

Extra questions in the U.S.

On flights going to or inside the U.S., you might be asked some extra security questions before or during check-in. Here are some sample questions:

Answer YES to these questions:

Did you pack your bags yourself?
Has your luggage been in your possession at all times?
Are you aware of the regulations regarding liquids in your carry-on? (Liquids must be 100 mL or less, and stored in a single quart-sized clear plastic bag) More information: TSA.gov

Answer NO to these questions:

Are you carrying any firearms or flammable materials?
Have you left your luggage unattended at any time?
Has anyone given you anything to carry on the flight?

Airport English Conversation #2 – Going through Security

There are two pieces of equipment in security: you put your bags through the X-ray machine, and you walk through the metal detector. Some airports also use a body scanner for a more careful check.

The X-ray machine has a conveyor belt that moves your bags automatically through the machine. You can put small items like keys or money into plastic bins.

In the picture below, the woman is walking through the metal detector. Her suitcase is on the conveyor belt after going through the X-ray machine.

Agent: Please lay your bags flat on the conveyor belt, and use the bins for small objects.

Dan: Do I need to take my laptop out of the bag?

Agent: Yes, you do. Take off your hat and your shoes, too.

(he walks through the metal detector)

[BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP]

Agent: Please step back. Do you have anything in your pockets – keys, cell phone, loose change?

Dan: I don’t think so. Let me try taking off my belt.

Agent: Okay, come on through.

(he goes through the metal detector again)

Agent: You’re all set! Have a nice flight.

The phrase “you’re all set” is a common expression that means “you’re finished and everything is OK.”

Phrasal Verbs: SET OFF and GO OFF

When the alarm sounds, we say “the alarm went off.” To describe what caused the alarm to sound, we say “set off” – for example, “My keys set off the alarm” or “My keys set off the metal detector.”

Airport English: Announcements at the Gate

Airports are divided into terminals (the major sections of the airport) and each terminal has many gates. The gate is the door you go through to enter the airplane. Here are a few announcements you might hear while you are at the gate, waiting for the plane to board.

“There has been a gate change.” (this means the flight will leave from a different gate)
“United Airlines flight 880 to Miami is now boarding.” (this means it’s time for passengers to enter the plane)
“Please have your boarding pass and identification ready for boarding.”
“We would like to invite our first- and business-class passengers to board.”
“We are now inviting passengers with small children and any passengers requiring special assistance to begin boarding.”
“We would now like to invite all passengers to board.” (this means everyone can enter the plane)
“This is the final boarding call for United Airlines flight 880 to Miami.” (this means it is the FINAL OPPORTUNITY to enter the plane before they close the doors)
“Passenger John Smith, please proceed to the United Airlines desk at gate 12.”

500+ Real English Phrases

Airport English Conversation #3: On the plane

The people who work inside the airplane serving food and drinks are called flight attendants. Both men and women who have this job are called flight attendants. Listen to this conversation that Dan has with the flight attendant when dinner is served on the flight.

Dan: Sorry?

Flight attendant: Would you like chicken or pasta?

Dan: I’ll have the chicken.

Flight attendant: Anything to drink?

Dan: What kind of soda do you have?

Flight attendant: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange, and Dr. Pepper.

Dan: A Diet Coke, no ice, please.

Flight attendant: Here you go.

English Conversation Tips:

If you didn’t understand what the flight attendant said, you can say Sorry? or Pardon? to ask him or her to repeat it.

If you want to ask for something, you can use the phrase “Can I have…?” or “Could I have…?” Practice your pronunciation with these common requests:

“Can I have a pillow?”
“Can I have a blanket?”
“Can I have a pair of headphones/earbuds?”
“Could I have some water/coffee/tea?”
“Could I have some extra napkins?”

Finally, if you need to stand up, but there is a person sitting between you and the aisle, you can say Excuse me and make a motion to start standing up. The person sitting next to you will understand and stand up to let you get out of your seat.

You’ve finished Lesson 16! I hope you’ve enjoyed these English conversations at the airport. Now take the quiz to test how well you remember the airport English phrases.

In tomorrow’s lesson, you’ll learn from more English conversations at the airport – phrases for arriving at the destination airport, going through immigration, and dealing with common travel problems.

Quiz: Travel English at the Airport

Congratulations - you have completed Quiz: Travel English at the Airport .

You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%.

Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

This is a free sample lesson from the Everyday English Speaking Course Level 1

More Espresso English Lessons:

About the author.

Shayna Oliveira

Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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Travel Agent Tips: How to Talk Like a Travel Agent

Written by: Michelle on December 23, 2019

Do you know the difference between IATA and CLIA? Or direct versus non-stop flights? The travel industry is full of acronyms and travel terms that are essential for travel agents to understand. Learn to talk like a travel agent, so you can effectively educate clients and communicate with travel suppliers.

To help you get a head start on learning some of the most common words, phrases, and abbreviations that the travel industry uses, we called upon a veteran travel agent, Bill Coyle. In this episode of our Travel Agent Tips series , we quiz Bill on 13 travel terms that travel agents should know! Watch below to see if he can define them all before the clock runs out.

You answer more of your travel questions by heading over to KHM Travel Group’s YouTube channel and viewing the full Travel Agent Tips playlist.

We’ll be developing more Travel Agent Tips episodes, so be sure to subscribe to our channel to get notified when another video is released. You can even ask your own question for Bill to answer in a comment on one of the videos!

If you have any questions about the travel agent life or working with KHM Travel Group , please don’t hesitate to reach out. Fill out the form to the right to receive more information or give us a call at 1-888-611-1220 to talk to our team.

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A Simple Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer in English With Tips and Guidelines

Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer: A conversation between travel agent and customer is paramount for establishing rapport. And just like any other business, customers are the most important part of the business. This means if there are no customers, there is no sales. Hence, any effort that goes into a business must make decisions with the customer in focus. If this is done, then any campaigns which are launched might become successful.

In the travel industry, a travel agent’s job is the most important. These individuals form the bridge between the customers and the travel industry. This means they directly interact with the end customers. Moreover, a travel agent’s job involves planning and organising major aspects of a tour – such as securing transportation and accommodation. The travel agent must also be familiar with the latest trends in the industry. Other responsibilities of the agent involve suggesting the most suitable travel plan or options that best suit the needs of the client. The agent will also be required to research and study the client’s specifications and wishes.

Guidelines for Travel Agent – Customer Interaction

Do follow these guidelines to ensure the best customer experience:

Always be polite to the customer/client
Use positive and straightforward language.
Keep your points very brief
If communicating over emails, ensure that you follow all the conventions of formal letter writing.
Don’t rush conversations
Take time to understand their requirements
Suggest solutions that best suits the customer’s requirements
Research your customer base if possible.

Sample Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer

Following is a sample conversation between a travel agent and a customer. Please note, this customer is a lead, which means they have already shown an interest in the services offered by the travel company.

Travel Agent : Good morning, sir. I am Gupta and I am calling from Vistara Tours and Travels. You have shown interest in our Sikkim tour package. Customer : Yes, I would like to know more about this package. Travel Agent : Sir, we have 3 tour packages, and our most popular one is the Gangtok Tour. This is a 3 day, 2 night stay, with pick up and drop to the airport. Travel Agent : Day 1 includes a 4 hour journey from On day 2, the places that we cover include the Bakthang Waterfall, Tashi Viewpoint, Ganesh Tok, Enchey Monastery, Do Drulchorten Stupa, and the Banjhakri falls. This will be a part of your full day-local sightseeing. Customer : Okay, this seems very interesting. And what would be the itinerary on day 3? Travel Agent : Sir, day 3 of the tour involves an excursion to Tsomgo Lake and also the famous Baba Mandir. Tsomgo Lake is located 12,000 feet above sea level, which means the view is breathtaking. Our next stop is the Baba Harbhajan Mandir, a shrine that is dedicated to the Indian soldier Captain Harbhajan Singh. Travel Agent : The cost of this package is INR 12,000/- sir, but we are offering a festive discount. So, we are offering a special price of INR 9,000/-. This also includes a complimentary breakfast. Customer : This sounds great! Is there any validity for this package? I intend to travel to Sikkim next month. Travel Agent : Sir this package is valid until the end of this month, but if you make an advance payment, you can avail of the same prices the next month as well. Customer : Okay what would be the advance amount? Travel Agent : Sir, you can pay 15% of the package now and then pay the rest by next month. If you pay now, we shall block your dates. Customer : Great, how shall I book the package? And what are the formalities to be done? Travel Agent : Sir, I would need a copy of your identity proof. You can send me a photo of your Driving licence or PAN card. And as for the payment, you can login to our website and pay there. We accept all major credit cards and debit cards. Customer : Sound fine. But I will need to visit your office. Can you send me your address? Travel Agent : Definitely sir, I will message you the location and address on your mobile. Customer : Okay. Travel Agent : Thank you, sir. Travel Agent : And feel free to reach out to me in case you want to clarify or get in touch with us. Customer : Thank you, I will. Have a good day. Travel Agent : Okay sir, you have a good day too!

FAQ’s on Conversations Between Travel Agent And Customers

Question 1. How do you talk to a customer?

Answer: Understand what the customer exactly wants and try to provide the best solution that fits their requirements. If possible try to understand your customer base so that you have a better understanding of their needs. Furthermore, ensure that you are very polite with your customer. Do not rush them or be aggressive. If communicating through emails, be formal and ensure that you follow all formal conventions of letter writing.

Question 2. What are the responsibilities of a travel agent?

Answer A travel agent will be required to interact directly with the customers. They must also plan and organise major aspects of a tour – such as securing transportation and accomodation. The travel agent must also be well versed with the latest trends that occur in the industry.

Visit IMPto explore similar topics, resources and guidelines.

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The Most Important Questions to Ask Your Travel Agent

Even with an agent, travel is a tricky business! This list of questions to ask a travel agent can help save you a lot of time and headaches later on.

While the internet has revolutionized the way that people plan and book hotels and flights, travel agents and agencies have remained an important part of the travel industry. This is due to the added value that their skills and knowledge can bring to a vacation, especially if you’re trying to book a relatively complex trip such as a multi-lag safari in Africa or a family reunion in Disneyland. Travel agencies can also help you find some great travel deals that are only available to agents which is great if you’re a budget traveler. Remember, this is your hard-earned money and vacation time, and making a list of questions to ask a travel agent can help save you a lot of time and headaches later on.

Let’s Roam will show you the sights!

Travel agents are great, but sometimes you need a little help and guidance when you’re on the ground. Our dedicated team of travel experts have created a vast selection of scavenger hunt adventures in hundreds of cities around the world! Our carefully-crafted experiences are interactive and addictive, using games and trivia to challenge, inspire, and educate you at the same time. Grab the Let’s Roam app today and treat your family to a thrilling adventure somewhere new!

Do you charge a fee for your services?

It can sometimes be a little confusing to know how travel agents actually make money. Do they charge a commission or a flat fee? Or do they get a kickback from the products that they sell? This question can begin to feel like the elephant in the room and can even make you start questioning what the travel agent is offering. If this is the case, don’t be shy. Instead, simply ask if there’s a charge for their services. This will help you rest assured that you won’t get hit with an unexpected fee.

What services do you offer?

Travel agents come in all shapes and sizes, as do the products that they offer! While some offer preset packages, others let you build your own trip. Some also act as travel advisors who can help walk you through the travel planning process from start to finish. By having a good idea of what a travel agent offers, you can take advantage of their strengths and skills to help you plan your dream vacation.

Can you provide assistance while I am at a destination?

Every time you travel, you risk something going wrong. Having a travel agent can help make troubleshooting much, much easier when you’re on the road but it’s important to know from the beginning whether or not they can assist you in case of an emergency once the trip has already started. This could mean anything from helping with flight cancellations to advising a medical emergency. Don’t always assume that they will be there to help and be sure to have them tell you what they can and can’t assist with in writing before your trip begins.

How can I reach you in case of an emergency?

If they tell you that they can assist in an emergency, confirm with them what is the best way to reach them. Keep in mind that the time zone that you’ll be in may be very different than where the agent is based. It’s good to know how you can contact them outside of normal business hours and what their response time will be. This can help you plan accordingly in case anything does happen while you’re on your trip.

What travel destinations do you suggest?

Many people know that they want to go on a vacation but they aren’t entirely sure where exactly they want to go. This is one area where you can make use of the experience and skills of a travel agent. They may know of up and coming to travel destinations that you never even heard of and are perfect for your needs.

If you already have an idea of where you want to go and this is your first time working with a particular travel agent, this could also be a good way to “test” your travel agent. By asking where they recommend based on the type of trip that you desire, you can see if they are considering your needs and requirements or if they are giving a “generic” destination. This gives you at least a bit of an idea as to how they will be to work with and you can make an educated choice as to whether or not you want to proceed.

Have you traveled there before?

Whether a travel agent suggests a destination to you or you go to them with one already in mind, it’s always a good idea to ask them whether or not they have traveled there before. While some agents know a destination inside and out, others may have only looked at a few pamphlets or sat in on a few information sessions about a place. It’s nearly always better to find someone that has been to a place and understands the nuances of traveling there, particularly if it’s a place that is a bit off the beaten path.

What does your agency specialize in?

While some travel agencies try to be a jack of all trades, others specialize in particular destinations or types of travel. If you have your heart set on really delving deep into a destination or have very specific activities that you want to do, These types of agencies are often worth spending the extra money with as they are more likely to be able to ensure that you have the experience that you’re hoping for and can help troubleshoot more easily if things don’t work out as they should.

What is the best time to travel to this destination?

Once you have decided on a destination, double-check that you’re going at a “good” time of year. Is it really hot? Crowded? Hurricane season? A good travel agent should know what the climate will be like in a place and also whether or not it will be overrun with tourists and when is the best time to go. Keep in mind that this is all relative and the best time to go for someone who is looking to spend some time enjoying the sun in Florida may not be the best time for someone who is hoping to score a good deal and avoid the crowds.

Make sure to dig deep into the answer that the agent gives you and confirm why they think it’s the best time to go. This will help ensure that you’re on the same page.

Are there any ways that I can save money on the booking?

If a travel agent provides a quote that seems to be way out of your budget, don’t give up right away. Depending on how out of reach the quote is, you may want to see if there’s any way that the quote can be cheaper. They may have included things in the total cost like airport transfers, high-end hotels, activities, etc. You can also ask if there’s a cheaper period when you can travel. Going during the shoulder season rather than the high season can save you a huge amount of money so if your time is flexible, you should consider this.

You may also want to consider if there’s an alternative neighborhood that you can stay in where accommodation is cheaper. Many travel agencies will try to place people as close to the destination highlights as possible but sometimes staying a bit outside of the center offers a better experience. Think of it this way… imagine staying in an adorable hotel in a residential neighborhood in Rome. You find a charming little restaurant where you have the best pizza on the planet and spend the rest of the night drinking wine in the neighborhood piazza. Now compare this to staying in a big block hotel right near the Rome train station.

Is a package tour cheaper than creating my own vacation?

Booking a package tour can save you a lot of money… sometimes. Like everything in life, there’s a slight caveat to this and a lot of it depends on your travel style. Some packages may include things like transfer service and five-star hotels. If this isn’t something you’re particularly interested in, you may end up saving quite a bundle if you book everything separately.

If you still want to use a travel advisor or agent, try to find one that specializes in that region or country. They are likely to know the best restaurants, hotels, etc, and can likely help you save even more money while having an even better trip than you would have had as part of a package tour!

Is there a price match guarantee?

If the cost of the airfare or the hotels happens to go down after you have confirmed your trip, some travel agents may offer a price match guarantee if the bookings were confirmed within a certain time period. While it isn’t always the case, it’s worth asking just in case. Bear in mind that this may not be very easy to figure out if you have booked a package that includes a variety of tickets (flights, hotels, activities) over an extended period but it may save you a lot of money if your booking is not complex.

What is your cancellation policy?

Before you pay for anything, it’s very important to always check what the cancellation policy is. If the policy is very strict or if the deposit seems inordinately high, see if you can have this reduced. Travel plans change all the time so there must be some degree of flexibility built in.

If the itinerary includes flights, hotels, and activities, always check to see what happens if one of these ends up getting canceled. For example, if your flight is canceled, what does that mean for your hotel or activity bookings? If you’re traveling during high season and your hotel reservation ends up getting canceled unexpectedly, what other options do you have?

What are the travel documents that I need for this trip?

Depending on where you’re from and where you’re going, you may need to have a visa to travel to a destination. You may also need to fill out health forms. Your travel agent should be able to inform you exactly what you need to travel to a country so don’t forget to ask this both well before the trip starts and also once again right before your departure date.

Even though the worst of the COVID pandemic seems to be over, entry requirements to a country can still change quickly and you don’t want to be caught unaware and unable to board your flight because you don’t have the right documentation.

Are there any additional costs that I need to be aware of?

Once you have received a quote from a travel agency, always ask if there are any additional costs that you need to be aware of. Often, things like visas, inbound flight airfare, and meals won’t be included in the total price and will need to be calculated separately. This usually happens because the prices can be very different based on where someone’s departure point is. This means that you can potentially save money by trying different airports and dates, giving you the flexibility of being able to cut costs without having to rely on the travel agency to do it on your behalf.

Also, ask whether or not the tour includes admission fees to museums and historic sites as these can add up quickly depending on the location.

How can I pay for the trip?

Depending on where the travel agency is based, you may not be able to pay by credit card. If this is the case, you may have to send money through another payment platform such as Wise or Western Union . In these situations, the transaction fees are usually paid by the guest rather than the agent so make sure to calculate these into your overall trip costs as they can add a substantial amount to a high-priced vacation.

Do I need travel insurance?

Normally, the answer to this question is always yes. Some credit card companies offer insurance if you book at least a portion of the trip with your card. However, you may need to purchase supplemental insurance based on the destination and the activities that you’ll be doing. Some countries may even require you to have a certain insurance policy before they will allow you to enter the country.

Are there any security issues to be aware of?

We live in a world where the geopolitical situation between many countries can be a bit shaky and where things can change at the drop of a hat. Not many people expected Sri Lanka to become unstable so quickly nor did most people believe that there would be a war between Russia and Ukraine. If you plan on traveling to some of the more off-beat destinations, it’s prudent to ask your travel agent whether or not any security issues may worsen before you go.

Time to start packing!

We hope that this guide has given you an idea of the “right questions” to ask when booking your dream vacation through a travel agency. If you feel a little like they are a bit like interview questions, don’t worry. Booking travel is their job and they should be prepared to answer them thoroughly to ensure that they are meeting a client’s needs.

If you’re still in the beginning stages of your trip planning or are thinking of adding a few days to a trip pre or post-tour, don’t forget to check out the Let’s Roam app . It’s full of great user-generated tips and tricks that can help you find some of the best places to visit in a destination.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you ask the right questions , travel agents can help you save a ton of money when you travel and can help you find the perfect vacation destination.

Before you book anything with a travel agent , it is important to ask questions about the destination, their services, and their experience. This can help ensure you book a trip that’s right for you.

Travel agents can be extremely useful but’s is important to do some research on your own as well. Consider using an app like Let’s Roam to find out more about your chosen destination.

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How to provide great customer service in the travel and hospitality industry.

The travel and hospitality industry has undergone a massive upheaval over the last year and a half. The major boom that the industry saw towards the start of the previous decade was hugely overturned by the coronavirus pandemic.

Data from the US Travel Association found that in 2020, the travel sector lost $492 billion compared to 2019. That’s a 42% annual decline! Further, international travel spending fell 76%, and corporate travel spending fell 70%.

Being the worst-hit industry since the crisis, sadly, many travel and hospitality businesses had to shut down their operations. The ones that did survive are at long last seeing some hope of recovery owing to the global vaccine rollout.

A study by Tripadvisor found that more than 77% of global travelers are likely to travel internationally, and 86% of them are likely to travel domestically if they receive the vaccine.

But, consumers are extremely apprehensive about safety and cleanliness. There is a 10.2% increase in negative reviews in the hospitality industry. So, companies need to go out of their way to reassure them with their honesty, transparency, and impeccable customer service . It is important that they focus on customer engagement and building trust.

In this post, we’ll help you understand why excellent customer service is so important in the travel and hospitality industry, and what it takes to deliver the same, especially during such turbulent times.

Why great customer service is important for a successful travel and hospitality business today.

Modern travelers are tech-savvy, demanding, and empowered . They want to be able to book their travel with incredible ease. Research suggests that 57% of them want a single app for all their planning, booking, and travel needs.

Naturally, when it comes to customer service too, travelers want to use channels of their choice to get their issues resolved quickly, fairly, and with minimal hassle. Travel agencies that are able to meet these expectations are the ones that will likely increase their customer satisfaction and earn themselves a loyal customer base. Utilizing services like Visa Fly can streamline the travel planning process, ensuring a smooth experience for customers.

According to a study published in Harvard Business Journal , airlines that responded to a customer’s Tweet in five minutes or less were likely to earn $20 more from that customer on a future airline ticket.

Another study by Think with Google found that great customer service is the most compelling factor of consideration for high-value travelers. 60% of them say that when choosing a brand to travel with, their customer service matters most to them.

For 50% of those high-value travelers, online reviews and word-of-mouth matter. Brands that offer travelers great experiences are most likely to earn stellar online reviews.

Travelers love sharing their experiences with travel companies, publicly. In fact, research from Stackla found that:

Today’s traveler isn’t one to take things at face value. They will do their own research, and compare options before making a well-thought-out and calculated choice for the right travel partner. Now, more than ever, customers are willing to do business only with travel companies that they can trust.

And that’s why providing personal and meaningful customer service has become critical for travel businesses today.

Some customer service best practices for the travel and hospitality industry

To say that the travel and hospitality industry has experienced a shift in recent times would be an understatement. If your travel company wants to stay ahead of the curve, you need to rethink your old ways. You need to adopt a customer-focused approach to culture and strategy.

The travel and hospitality industry might see another boom soon enough. But, to be able to handle that well and make the most of it, companies must not only ensure they have their basics covered, but also offer customers what their competitors don’t.

Good customer service can be a that big differentiator.

Keeping that in mind, we’ve listed down five essential best practices for companies that want to deliver quality service in the travel and hospitality industry:

1. Save customers their time, and make the booking process simple

One of the most important aspects for customers when deciding on a travel and hospitality partner (apart from price, of course) is the time you can help them save on planning, researching, and booking their travel.

Many travelers, especially those traveling on business, appreciate a swift and simple booking process. In fact, they’re happy to pay more for such an excellent customer service experience.

Research suggests that 62% of consumers are willing to pay a higher sum for a simple experience, and 61% would recommend a brand if it has a clear proposition that saves them time.

Hilton’s ‘Stop Clicking Around’ campaign is a great example of the above. Through the campaign, the brand encouraged its customers to “stop clicking” through numerous websites and waste hours of their time. Instead, they asked them to book directly through Hilton’s website and enjoy the best price.

The result? The hotel earned 4.5 million bookings worldwide attributed to the campaign. That’s the value they received for valuing their customers’ time.

2. Be proactive with your communication, and swift with your resolutions

Traveling and accommodation have always been very anxiety-inducing for many people. With the pandemic having wreaked havoc, hotel guests are now more concerned about their safety than they’ve ever been before.

According to a recent research study from PwC , 85% of travelers said their travel decisions will depend on communications they receive from hotels and airlines about safety. Further, 40% of them said they’re unsatisfied with the current communication they’re receiving from travel companies about safety protocols.

travelers safety - customer service in travel

That’s why proactive data-driven communication about safety protocols, cleanliness, and sanitization should be a critical part of hotel management today. It’s hugely important that airlines and travel companies also proactively communicate important updates including travel advisories, delays, cancellations, etc.

Further, when customers reach out for help, tour operators must make it a practice to resolve their problems as quickly and satisfactorily as possible. According to Hiver’s Customer Service Benchmark Report , almost 50% of companies promise their customers a resolution time of below 6 hours.

Investing in an intuitive help desk solution is a sure-shot way to ensure a such fast resolution.

Let’s take the vacation rental company Vacasa’s case study as an example. The company was earlier using Google Groups to handle all customer service emails. Communication within the team was restricted to sending back-and-forth emails. As a result, it was slowing down their query resolution process.

By implementing Hiver, a Gmail-based customer support software , the team was able to define clear accountability for every member. What’s more, they were also able to have contextual discussions about every customer query using Hiver Notes – all without the hassle of CCs and forwards.

As a result, the team saw an 80% improvement in their average resolution time. You can check out their entire story here .

hiver private notes for gmail shared mailbox

3. Be present wherever your customers are

Today, customers use multiple devices and channels at once to connect with brands. And, they expect those brands to seamlessly communicate with them across each of those devices and channels.

For example, if a customer enquires about a specific holiday package on your travel company’s social media, they expect a consistent response and experience when they reach out to you about the same query on chat or email.

Travel companies need to therefore invest in systems that allow them to integrate all of their key channels where their customers are present.

Brands also need to offer customers options to easily connect with them using devices of their choice. They can do this by adding click-to-call buttons on prominent parts of their website, tablet, and mobile applications.

Further, companies must ensure that at every touchpoint, they update customers with the relevant and latest information about their travel. They can proactively communicate these updates via text, email, voice, etc.

KLM Airlines takes this proactive communication approach to the next level with its ‘ Family Updates ’ service. Apart from sending real-time WhatsApp updates to travelers about their trip, the airline also updates travelers’ families and friends about their departure, arrivals, delays, cancellations, etc. What a simple yet thoughtful way to delight customers!

4. Offer deep personalization

21% of travelers are more likely to leave a review after a negative experience at a hotel than a positive one. And, 35% of travelers would think twice before booking if they find more negative reviews than positive ones.

No surprises then that the travel companies that stand out are the ones that deliver experiences beyond what most others in the market are offering.

A study by American Express reported that 83% of millennials are okay with travel brands tracking their digital patterns if they get to enjoy a more personalized experience in return. The same study found that 85% of respondents across all age groups prefer customized itineraries over general, mass-market offerings.

Investing in a good CRM solution is thus critical for travel companies as it offers a safe and organized repository of important customer information that they can use to personalize travel arrangements. This not only includes customers’ names, birthdays, anniversaries, addresses, and work profiles but also their interactions across a brand’s website or app and also travel website development .

Customer conversations are another useful source of relevant customer data. The past interactions customers have had with your customer care team can give you important cues into their travel preferences. This data can in turn help you craft unique, tailored, and memorable travel experiences for your customers.

Some travel companies are also leveraging technology to deeply personalize customer experiences.

For example, with British Airways’ ’Know Me’ program, customer service agents can easily identify who are their frequent flyers, high-profile flyers, and even first-timer flyers. Accordingly, this information helps them deliver personalized offers and services to customers – right from the time they book a flight to the time they land.

Similarly, the implementation of the SG Arrival Card system enhances the travel experience by streamlining the entry process into Singapore, demonstrating the importance of efficient and user-friendly digital solutions in modern travel and hospitality services.

United Airlines’ ‘Collect, Detect, Act’ system uses artificial intelligence to analyze 150 variables in customers’ profiles. This data helps them determine travelers’ unique preferences, and craft tailored offers for them.

This system has helped increase United Airlines’ revenues by over 15% year on year.

5. Ensure your agents are well-trained and motivated

So far into this article, we’ve seen how important leveraging technology is in order to give customers the kind of experiences they want.

But technology, no matter how cutting-edge or expensive, is nothing without the human touch .

Unless you have a team of skilled, adept, and motivated agents and hotel staff to execute your customer service strategy, the guest experience is bound to suffer.

Hiring the right people is only the beginning. The travel and hotel industries are hugely dynamic. You need to make sure that your staff members are up-to-date with the changing nature of customer expectations and the increasing importance of customer service.

It’s the only way your brand can deliver meaningful customer experiences, consistently.

Ensure all your staff members undergo industry-specific customer service training programs. Apart from this basic training on customer service skills, you should also provide brand and product training. This will help them successfully tailor your brand’s offerings to suit customers’ needs, and even upsell and cross-sell at the right opportunity.

You could even provide your customer service team with incentives to upskill, voluntarily. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) offers some really good courses that you can encourage your agents to take up.

It’s also important to note that the travel and hospitality industry is rife with demanding customers and high-pressure situations. Empathizing with customers becomes the key to providing great customer service. Also, make sure you equip your agents with the right tools and skills to handle the same.

Wrapping up

The travel and hospitality industry might still be stumbling its way back to normalcy right now. However, one thing is for certain – it’s bound to bounce back in a bigger and better way.

Even if the demand isn’t the same as it was pre-pandemic, travel companies should prepare for the major surge in bookings that experts have predicted in the near future.

Now is the best time for brands to focus on fixing what’s broken in their customer service strategy.

A good way to start is by creating a customer journey map . It’ll help you identify how customers interact with your brand at every touchpoint, and what you need to do better to improve their experiences across their journey.

Your journey map, for example, may help you understand that your customers have an inconsistent experience across the pre-purchase and purchase stage. It might then make sense for you to focus on breaking down silos between your marketing and sales departments.

At the end of the day, customer service shouldn’t just be a function but an org-wide mission. Travel and hospitality brands that understand that, and adapt their overall strategy accordingly, are ones that will thrive in these times.

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Hiver has come along as a trustworthy, discerning, and dependable sidekick that has helped us manage our emails better and faster.

Hiver is extremely easy to use. We were able to hit the ground running right from day one. Plus, their customer service is fantastic!

We're 100% Gmail. Working on customer queries from Gmail was exactly what we needed. Moreover, moving to Hiver was a painless affair.

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CONVERSATION BETWEEN TRAVEL AGENT AND CUSTOMER

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June 15, 2017

Conversation between travel agent and customer

Travel Agent : Hi sir, you gave a call regarding the booking of yours to Jaipur.

Customer : Yes, please.

Travel Agent : Sir, I would like to tell you that we have recently prepared an amazing package for that.

Customer : Could you please tell me the details of that package?

Travel Agent : Sure sir. In that package, you will get 4 nights and 3 days. Breakfast for 3 days is complimentary in this, and the complete package is for 15000/-.

Customer : That’s great!

Travel Agent : So sir, when are you planning to go?

Customer : As you know, I was planning earlier but couldn’t go due to a reason but now as you have an amazing package and I am also free so I am planning to go within this week only.

Travel Agent : That’s perfectly ok sir!

Customer : This package is valid till when?

Travel Agent : For a month.

Customer : Great. What are all formalities needed to be done?

Travel Agent : Sir for booking this package you have to pay 2500/- with a copy of your id proof and photograph.

Customer : S ure, no problem. How can I make the payment?

Travel Agent : You can pay by card, cash or cheque.

Customer : But for that, I need to visit your office. Is it possible that I can pay online and WhatsApp you my details?

Travel Agent : Sure sir, you can do that as well.

Customer : Just send me your account details and your WhatsApp number.

Travel Agent : Ok!

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1 Visiting a Travel Agent

2 Making a Plane Reservation

3 Booking a Flight Online

4 Buying a Plane Ticket

5 Making a Hotel Reservation

6 Getting a Passport

7 Luggage Limits

8 Carry-on Luggage

9 Dropping Off at the Airport

10 Picking Up at the Airport

11 Going through the Customs

12 Talking to a Curbside Agent

13 Talking to a Flight Attendant

14 Talking to a Seatmate

15 Ordering Food and Drink

16 Missing Connecting Flight

17 Ground Transportation

18 Arranging a Tour of the City

19 Complaining about a Tour

20 Sightseeing

21 Making Alternate Plans

22 Shopping for Souvenirs

23 Trying to Find a Doctor

24 Losing the Wallet and Passport

25 Being Cautious in a Big City

26 Local Customs

27 Shuttle Bus at the Airport

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Success Stories

What Travel Customers want from their Travel Agents

What travelers want from their travel agents

You read blogs, books, magazines, and newsletters and attend conferences. You finally launch your travel agency and what happens? No one calls, or books travel through your website.

No interaction on your social media networks.

It’s enough to send you on an extended vacation, and wipe out your motivation to keep marketing your business.

Believe you need to devote another 20,000 hours to studying about travel. Probably not.

The solution may easier than you expect. Researching less and removing the pressure you’ve placed on yourself along with knowing what customers really want from travel agents could be all you need to do to attract and retain clients.

7 Things Customers Want from Travel Agents

Customer Service with a Smile

If a customer calls you, smile when you answer the phone and throughout the conversation. It’s been longed believed in sales that smiling can not only put you at ease but the customer as well. Keep your voice steady and avoid being monotone because this will convey that you’re bored and not interested in what your customer is saying. Annunciate your words and be enthusiastic. Service with a smile can help you attract and retain customers.

Authority in Your Niche

It’s important to become an authority in your niche. Why? Because customers will trust that

you’re familiar with the place they want to visit. For example, if you specialize in travel to Australia and New Zealand you may want to visit the countries, if you haven’t done so already. You may also want to read books about Australia and New Zealand and attend seminars, teleseminars, and webinars about them. The more you know about your niche the better you can serve your clients and provide them with a better travel experience.

Next to insight, customers want a travel agent who is knowledgeable in pricing and products. To position yourself as an expert, you’ll want to stay up to date with your niche. Remember, you have to market your travel agency. Brochures and websites are great marketing tools. But you and your understanding of the travel industry are your best and most valuable assets. You may consider getting a CTC, CTA, DS, MCC, or ACC certification. These show customers you’re someone who has made a financial investment in themselves and their business.

Great Deals on Travel

Who doesn’t want a great travel deal? No matter if your client wants to book a two-week Alaskan cruise or explore the countryside of Spain, provide them with the best travel deals their money can buy. Keep in mind that clients can easily book their own travel online. However, you can provide value by helping them find the best options at the right price. You know the travel industry inside and out, they do not.

An Easy to Use Website

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Determine which path is right for you

Most people expect you to have a website. If you become a member of Travel Planners International, one of the best host travel agencies, you may have a website via Agent Studio. If you have a blog, it will be a great way to provide clients with helpful information from how to pack a suitcase properly to the benefits of booking with a travel agent. Great content and service will keep customers coming back to your agency.

Connect with You on Social Media

Choose one or two social media networks and master them. Keep in mind that all networks are not created equally – they have different rules, from image dimensions to the best times to post. The key to social media is to be social. Don’t be sales-y or pushy. Have a conversation and build a strong, engaging community that wants to connect with and book travel with you.

Be a Trusted Travel Agent

You want to build and develop trusting relationships with clients by focusing on serving them the best way you know how. Be empathetic when they tell you they need to book a flight home for a parent’s funeral. Be enthusiastic when they tell you they’re getting married and want to plan the perfect honeymoon. Answer their questions with confidence, especially if they’re concerned about safety and security. Become the ‘go to’ travel agent they’ve been looking for.

Having a travel agency that doesn’t grow is a letdown.

Particularly when you love what you do and know you can help people have the time of their lives whether they visit Paris, France or San Diego, CA.

Knowing what customers want from travel agents can have dramatic effects on your business.

Just picture yourself in your home office – with the phone in your hand speaking with a potential client.

Imagine how you feel when you help someone plan their vacation; you have a great time booking their travel.

Visualize yourself getting a ‘Thank You’ note because you made your client’s experience one they will never forget.

To begin, re-read the seven things customers want from travel agents.

Try to implement one of the solutions every day. Practice makes perfect.

You could soar to new heights in your travel business overnight. Sound good? We think so.

Contact Travel Planners International and start growing your travel agency.

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Is travel insurance refundable here’s everything you need to know.

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Sometimes, travel insurance is refundable. Here's when you can get your money back.

Peter Hoagland always checks to see if his travel insurance is refundable. That's because anything can happen between the time you book your vacation and when you leave — and because travel insurance isn't always refundable.

During the pandemic, he discovered that the hard way. He had to cancel a trip and asked for his money back from the insurance company. It refused.

"Since then, I always read the fine print on the policy," he says.

The refundability of travel insurance has always been an open question. Some countries and U.S. states regulate refundability. Travel insurance companies put refundability details in the fine print of the policy. And, as Hoagland found out, there are always exceptions.

Like the pandemic, when refund policies were all over the map. Some insurance companies adhered to their published policies. Others offered a credit that could be reused within a year, which was minimally useful because the pandemic was still happening a year later. Others quietly gave their customers a refund.

Hoagland says he fought for his money. Eventually, he contacted a manager at his travel insurance company.

"That produced a quick result," he says. "I got my money back."

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But let's face it: Getting a refund for travel insurance can be difficult. There are times when insurance is always refundable because it's required by law. There are times when it's sometimes refundable. And there are times when it's almost never refundable. But even then, there may be a way to recover some — or all — of the value of your policy.

Getting a refund for travel insurance can be a challenge

If you have a travel insurance policy and would like to get a refund, it might be easier said than done, say experts.

"While travel insurance is regulated like auto and home insurance, it’s often less standardized," says Stuart Winchester, CEO of Marble, a digital wallet for your insurance. "So first off, it’s important to check the fine print of your specific policy. Don’t assume it’s like the last one you got."

Even when you have something in writing, a refund can require some serious negotiating skills.

"Getting a refund for travel insurance can be complicated and frustrating," says Peter Hamdy, the managing director of a tour operator in Auckland, New Zealand. He's asked for a refund on policies numerous times and says that despite what travel insurance companies may tell you, there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to getting a refund on your policy.

"Some situations can warrant a refund," he says. "It depends on your policy."

What does a typical refundability clause look like? For example, the World Explorer Guardian from Insured Nomads notes that it's refundable only during the 10-day review period from the date of delivery or 15 days from the date of delivery if mailed, provided you have not already departed on your trip and you have not incurred any claimable losses during that time. If you depart on your trip before the expiration of the review period, the review period ends and the policy can't be refunded.

"We go a bit further with our World Explorer Travel Medical plans," notes Andrew Jernigan, CEO of Insured Nomads. "If no claims have been filed then we can refund the unused portion of the policy if you cut your trip short.”

When can you get a refund for travel insurance?

Here are the most common cases where travel insurance can be refunded:

If you cancel during the "free look" period required by the government. Most states require what's called a "free look" period of anywhere from 10 to 14 days. "During this period, travelers can review the purchase and make sure it fits their needs," explains James Nuttall, general manager of Insubuy . "If it does not, they can cancel it for any reason and get a full refund, no questions asked, so long as you haven’t departed yet.
If you cancel during the travel insurance company grace period. Many insurance companies also have a grace period for refunds (usually, they are the same as the "free look" although some grace periods can be longer). "If you’re outside your grace period, which typically lasts one to two weeks after signing, you’re contractually obliged to pay your premiums," says David Ciccarelli, CEO of the vacation rental site Lake . "Still, it doesn’t hurt to ask your company for a refund or alternative options if you’re outside your grace window. You might not get a yes, but it could lead to some cost savings or better solutions."
When someone else cancels your trip. "For instance, if your cruise is canceled due to low river tide, you are not at fault and would typically receive a full refund or credit for a future sailing, thus eliminating the need for the travel insurance policy," explains Rhonda Abedsalam vice president of travel insurance for AXA Assistance US.
If you die. Typically, the policy would be refunded to your next of kin. Generally, you can also ask for a refund if your travel companion dies before your trip.

Remember, it depends on where you buy your insurance

The refundability of your insurance can depend on where you purchased it. Commercial policies bought from a cruise or tour company are generally canceled and refunded if you cancel the trip far enough in advance of your departure date.

"The travel insurance cancellation provisions are generally tied to the cancellation provisions for the cruise or tour," explains Dan Skilken, president of TripInsurance.com . "After you have paid the last deposits on the cruise and are close enough to departure that they will not provide a refund on the cruise, they generally will also not provide a refund on the travel insurance. But if you cancel early enough to get all or most of your deposit back, you will also get your travel insurance premium refunded."

If you’ve purchased retail travel insurance from a third-party provider or comparison website, you can often get a refund if you can show receipts proving that you received a full refund of all trip deposits and have not had any cancellation penalties or taken any travel credits when you canceled your trip.

That's because retail travel insurance is sold for a specific traveler and for a specific trip. If you have proof of a complete refund and have not received travel credits, then you no longer have what's called an "insurable interest" in the trip. The insurance company must cancel and refund your premium in full, says Skilken.

Insider tip: If the insurance company refuses, just tell them you have proof that you no longer have an insurable interest in the trip. You have to have an insurable interest in a trip to own a travel insurance policy.

Your agent may be able to help you get a refund

You may also be able to lean on the agent who sold you the policy. For example, all policies on Squaremouth come with a money-back guarantee.

"The purpose of this benefit is to give travelers extra time to review their policy documentation to be sure it’s the best policy for their coverage needs," says spokeswoman Jenna Hummer. At Squaremouth, the money-back period typically lasts between 10 and 14 days, which is in line with the mandated "free look" period.

However, I have also seen agents negotiate with travel insurance companies for a more generous refund period in case of extenuating circumstances. There's no guarantee that you'll get it, but it's worth asking — and one reason to work with a third party.

Agents can also help you avoid this problem. Susan Sherren, who runs Couture Trips , a travel agency, notes that American Airlines Vacation Packages offers a predeparture protection insurance plan, which allows cancellation for any reason before the outbound departing flight time. Other restrictions apply, she adds.

"More flexibility will often cost you more," she says. "But having the flexibility is a great way to sleep well at night."

Can't get a refund? Look for other kinds of flexibility from your travel insurance company

Even if your travel insurance company says no to a refund, it doesn't necessarily mean you've lost the value of your policy.

"If a travel supplier changes or cancels your trip, you should be able to change your travel insurance policy to match the new dates of your trip or even cover a new trip, sometimes up to two years into the future," says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA .

Pro tip: Be sure to change the dates of your travel insurance policy before the departure date of your current itinerary. You can do that online or by calling your agent. Once the policy's effective date has passed, making any changes or initiating a refund or credit becomes much more difficult.

Don't forget to do your due diligence

Bottom line: Travel insurance is refundable under certain circumstances. But knowing when can require research.

"It's important for consumers to carefully read their policy upon receipt to understand the specific terms offered by their insurance provider," says Robert Gallagher, president of the US Travel Insurance Association.

The more you know, the likelier you are to get the refund you want when your plans change.

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The Ultimate Guide to Saving Time and Money for Travel Agents

Strategies to thrive in a competitive market.

Efficiency is the cornerstone of success in the travel industry, where the pace is fast and the competition fierce. For travel agents, optimizing operations to save time and reduce costs is not just about survival—it’s about thriving . This guide offers actionable strategies and insights to help you streamline your business practices, ensuring you remain competitive and profitable. By integrating the latest tools and techniques, you can significantly enhance your operational efficiency .

Embracing Automation

In the travel sector, automation can simplify and speed up a range of processes that were traditionally time-consuming and prone to human error . Here’s how automation can transform your business:

Booking and Reservations: Modern systems can automatically handle bookings for flights, hotels, and other services, comparing hundreds of options to secure the best deals in moments.
Customer Service: Automated responses and interactive chatbots can provide your clients with instant assistance for common inquiries, freeing up your time to handle more complex issues.
Administrative Duties: From generating invoices to processing payments, automation reduces the manual workload, increases accuracy, and speeds up operations.

Embracing these automated solutions can dramatically decrease your daily operational costs and improve customer satisfaction through faster, more reliable service.

Leveraging Supplier Relationships

Effective management of supplier relationships is crucial for securing competitive pricing and enhancing service quality . Here’s how you can leverage these relationships effectively:

Access to the Best Prices: Platforms like TTS WebAgent offer travel agents exclusive access to highly competitive flight prices and options, often better than those available on public platforms.
Negotiating Power: Develop a closer relationship with suppliers to negotiate better rates and terms. Frequent communication and mutual understanding are key to securing deals that benefit both parties.
Building Partnerships: Instead of purely transactional interactions, focus on creating strategic partnerships with suppliers. This approach fosters long-term collaboration and can lead to exclusive deals and offers.

Enhancing these relationships helps in maintaining a competitive edge by providing your clients with the best possible value, which in turn boosts loyalty and referrals.

Maximizing Online Presence

An effective online presence helps in attracting more clients and building your brand without incurring significant costs . Here’s how to make the most of your digital footprint:

Digital Marketing: Utilize SEO strategies by incorporating key phrases such as “Enhancing Travel Agency Profitability” into your content to improve your website’s visibility and attract more targeted traffic.
Social Media: Use platforms like Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram to connect with potential clients. Share attractive travel packages, customer success stories, and useful travel tips to engage your audience and promote your services.

An active and strategic online presence can lead to a substantial increase in business at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.

Streamlining Communication

Efficient communication is vital for maintaining smooth operations with both clients and suppliers. Implementing the right tools can make a significant difference:

Unified Communications Platforms: Tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams facilitate seamless communication within your team and with external partners, ensuring that everyone stays on the same page.
Efficient CRM Systems: A robust CRM system can track all interactions with clients, allowing you to provide personalized and timely responses, which can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and retention.

Adopting these technologies not only saves time but also improves the accuracy and efficiency of your communication flows.

Financial Management and Reporting

Keeping a close eye on financials is essential for any business aiming to be profitable . Efficient financial management practices include:

Comprehensive Expense Tracking: Utilize sophisticated software to monitor every expense. This helps in pinpointing areas where you can cut costs without compromising service quality.
Detailed Profitability Analysis: Regularly analyze your income versus expenses to gain a clear understanding of your profit margins. This data is crucial for making informed business decisions and planning for future growth.

Investing in advanced financial management tools provides you with the insights needed to optimize your operations and increase your bottom line.

This comprehensive guide provides you with a range of strategies and tools to enhance your efficiency and profitability as a travel agent. By adopting automation, strengthening supplier relationships, maximizing your online presence, streamlining communication, and rigorously managing your finances, you can dramatically reduce costs and save time. Implement these practices and embrace tools like TTS WebAgent to not just meet but exceed your business goals. Act now to secure a prosperous future in the travel industry, ensuring you deliver unmatched value to your clients while driving your agency towards greater profitability.

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The Future of the Travel Industry: Travel Trends That Will Shape the Next Decade

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The Future of Travel Agents, will technology replace them?

Last chance to join 📣 Transform your agent workspace into an omnichannel command center.

The future of connected customer conversations

Learn more about LivePerson’s new product launch

Maia Capello

May 20, 2024 • 6 minutes

Ready to build even more powerful customer relationships?

This week, at our virtual product launch event, Spark, we’re discussing how to build more connected customer conversations . Zeroing in on the second phase of the Conversational Flywheel, Connect , this event is all about the different channels, tools, and integrations brands need to deliver truly seamless and personalized customer interactions.

Connect phase of the Conversational Flywheel, the stage that expands customer engagement to multiple channels for a seamless connected customer experience

To help our enterprise customers deliver on this connected customer experience, we’re launching a collection of new and enhanced capabilities focused on bringing voice into the digital fold and orchestrating more personalized conversations across channels with AI and human agents. Make sure you check out our virtual event to learn more about these exciting solutions for business success and hear from LivePerson experts, partners, and customers.

Here’s a preview of what’s new at LivePerson.

Voice to digital solutions

It’s time to bring voice conversations into the digital fold. LivePerson is launching a variety of capabilities to help brands accelerate their digital transformation without replacing the voice systems customers have come to rely on. We’ve built omnichannel solutions that connect easily with your existing technology to help you take a best-of-breed approach to customer experience — resulting in seamless and personalized customer conversations across all channels.

1. New partnership: Avaya + LivePerson

Avaya, a global leader in enterprise customer experience solutions, and LivePerson have teamed up to unify voice, digital, and AI capabilities in a single omnichannel solution . This new partnership integrates LivePerson’s conversational intelligence , AI, and messaging with Avaya to unlock voice of the customer data from all channels. Measure outcomes through both real-time and post-conversation insights and make it available to the rest of the business to improve processes, inform R&D, and drive strategy.

2. Unified Agent Workspace (coming soon)

unified agent workspace, showing the omnichannel experiences like handling voice calls alongside messaging

Integrate LivePerson with your existing voice provider (like our friends at Avaya) to manage and facilitate your voice conversations in Agent Workspace. Digitize your existing voice channels with a modern omnichannel agent interface. Now, all of your conversations are in a single unified workspace, where you can access customer conversation history across all channels. Empower your contact center agents to be their most efficient and effective selves with LivePerson’s agent-facing generative AI tools .

3. Conversation shifting

diagram of conversation shifting, making it easy to move from calls to digital channels in a connected customer journey

Help customers by seamlessly transferring the conversation to the channel of their choice via your IVR. For example, you can reduce your cost per call by shifting phone calls to less expensive messaging channels. Conversation shifting can be deployed in as little as two weeks — so you can start saving sooner.

4. New Analytics Studio voice features: Voice Capture & Omnichannel Dashboard

Voice Capture helps bring voice data into Analytics Studio, our advanced conversational analytics solution. No need to export media files or write ingestion code, our near real-time recording ingestion allows you to start analyzing your calls faster.

Once you’ve connected your voice transcripts to our new Omnichannel Dashboard in Analytics Studio, you can start measuring the effectiveness and impact of your voice to digital strategy. Identify intents that could more efficiently be handled through messaging, understand the effectiveness of your IVR deflection , and follow the customer journey from messaging to voice to pinpoint reasons for escalation all within the new dashboard.

5. Voice AI

Fast Company recently named LivePerson as one of the 2024 most innovative companies in AI, and our Voice AI is proof of just that. LivePerson’s safe and reliable Voice AI is helping brands get customers off hold and into self-serve conversations.

Conversation orchestration

We’re making it even easier to orchestrate connected customer conversations. Conversation Orchestration helps you to drive personalized interactions and revenue growth by conducting conversations that seamlessly blend AI, humans, and data.

1. Bring your own LLM

Power a host of generative AI features across the Conversational Flywheel using the large language model (LLM) of your choice. Integrate your own LLM into LivePerson’s Conversational Cloud ® from vendors like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Cohere for enhanced control, performance, compliance, and cost-efficiency.

2. Bring your own bot

LivePerson’s out-of-the-box connectors make it easy to set up bots from IBM Watson, Google, Dialogflow, Amazon Lex, or Microsoft. Preserve your existing investments in building your own bots by orchestrating conversations alongside LivePerson’s first-party AI chatbots and human agents within a single conversation.

3. Proactive outbound messaging

Meet customers where they are across messaging channels like SMS, WhatsApp, Google RCS, and more with LivePerson’s Proactive Messaging . Integrate with your campaign management system to deliver personalized, timely messages that help drive customer loyalty and revenue.

4. CRM and CMS KnowledgeAI™ Integrations

KnowledgeAI knowledge base for better customer conversations

Connect and unify the knowledge across the CMS and CRM systems your brand uses to service customers, so you can deliver highly accurate generative AI responses. This integration helps speed up your deployment, minimize duplicate content creation, and deliver an enhanced customer experience.

5. KnowledgeAI™ agent

The KnowledgeAI agent is an advanced question-answering bot powered by LLMs to facilitate natural, contextually relevant conversations about their business. Delegate answering frequently asked questions to the KnowledgeAI agent to free up human agents to tackle more complex customer conversations.

6. Data Collection AI agent

Simplify how your brand gathers information (order number, confirmation code, etc.) from customers with our Data Collection AI agent. Streamline support and reduce form abandonment with the Data Collection AI agent by having it gather customer information prior to escalating conversations to a human agent or other bot.

7. Routing AI agent

Intelligently direct customers to the right AI or human agent or bot for their problem, whether through messaging or voice, with the Routing AI agent. This generative AI experience eliminates the confusion of complex IVR menus and avoids common errors like “Sorry, I don’t understand,” ensuring customers are directed to the correct resource every time.

Want to see these new connected customer features in action?

Let's put LivePerson to work for you

Vajiram --> (current)

Why in news? OpenAI's GPT-4o and Google's Project Astra are new AI models that can process real-world audio and visual inputs for intelligent, real-time conversations. These "AI agents" are more advanced than traditional voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, marking a shift from chatbots to interactive AI agents.

What’s in today’s article?

LLM Vs AI Agents
AI agents are advanced systems capable of real-time interactions using text, voice, and images.
Unlike traditional models that only handle text, AI agents can process diverse inputs from their surroundings and respond accordingly.
AI agents are nimble when it comes to adapting to new situations. This facet makes them incredibly versatile and capable of handling a wide range of situations.
AI agents perceive their environment via sensors, then process the information using algorithms or AI models, and subsequently, take actions.
Currently, they are used in fields such as gaming, robotics, virtual assistants, autonomous vehicles, etc.
AI agents can serve as intelligent and highly capable assistants, handling tasks like offering personalized recommendations and scheduling appointments.
They are ideal for customer service due to their ability to offer seamless, natural interactions and resolve queries instantly without human intervention.
AI agents can act as personal tutors, customizing themselves based on a student’s learning style and offering tailored instructions.
AI agents can assist medical professionals by providing real-time analysis, diagnostic support, and patient monitoring.
Privacy and security are a key area of concern as AI agents gain access to more personal data and environmental information.
Just like any AI model, AI agents can carry forward biases from their training data or algorithms, leading to harmful outcomes.

Large Language Models (LLMs)

LLMs use deep learning techniques to process large amounts of text .
They work by processing vast amounts of text, understanding the structure and meaning, and learning from it.
LLMs are trained to identify meanings and relationships between words.
The training data is usually large datasets, such as Wikipedia, OpenWebText, and the Common Crawl Corpus.

LLMs Vs. AI Agents

While LLMs like GPT-3 and GPT-4 generate human-like text, AI agents enhance interactions using voice, vision, and environmental sensors, making them more natural and immersive.
Unlike LLMs, AI agents are designed for instantaneous, real-time conversations with responses much similar to humans.
AI agents understand and learn from the context of interactions, providing more relevant and personalized responses compared to LLMs.
Unlike LLMs, AI agents can perform complex tasks autonomously, such as coding and data analysis.
When integrated with robotic systems, they can even perform physical actions.

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Announcements
Copilot Studio

Microsoft Copilot Studio: Building copilots with agent capabilities

Omar Aftab , Vice President, Conversational AI , Tuesday, May 21, 2024

At Microsoft Build 2024 , we’re excited to announce a host of new powerful capabilities in Microsoft Copilot Studio —t he single conversational AI tool you can use to create your very own custom copilots or extend Microsoft C opilot experiences with your own enterprise data and scenarios.

The first of these are c opilots that can now act as independent agents— ones that can be triggered by events— not just conversation— and can automa te and orchestrate complex, long-running business processes with more autonomy and less human intervention.

For instance, consider the potential of a copilot that can react when an email arrives, look up the sender’s details, see their previous communications, and use generative AI to trigger the appropriate chain of actions in their response. From understanding the intent of the email, to look ing up the sender’s details and account , see ing their previous communications, checking inventory, responding to the sender asking for their preferences, and then taking the appropriate actions to close a ticket — orchestrating and shepherding an entire process over days.

With such capabilities, copilots are evolving from those that work with you to those that work for you. They can be designed to handle specific roles or functions, such as IT, marketing, sales, customer success, and finance across various industries, including travel, retail, and financial services.

With these new capabilities, here are some examples of the kinds of copilots our customers can build:

IT help desk . IT support is complex, involving tickets, order numbers, approvals, and stock levels . O pening and closing a ticket can be a long-running task that spans days. A copilot can now handle this process, interfacing with IT service management applications, resolving IT tickets with context and memory, creating purchase orders for device refresh, and reaching out and getting managers approvals — all independently .
Employee onboarding . Onboarding new employees is often expensive and slow. Now, imagine you’re a new hire. A copilot greets you, reasons over HR data, and answers your questions. It introduces you to your buddy, provides training and deadlines, assists with forms, and sets up your first week of meetings. Throughout all of this, the copilot is in touch, guiding you through the weeks -long onboarding and account set up processes.
Personal concierge for sales and service . Balancing exceptional customer experience while meeting ambitious revenue goals can be challenging. When a copilot serves guests, i t can use the memory of previous conversations with guests to remember their preferences, make reservations, handle complaints, and answer questions related to the products and services on offer. The copilot learns from its interactions and proposes new ways of handling customer scenarios. By doing so, copilots can increase upsell and attachment rates, driving revenue for the resort while simultaneously enhancing guest experience, satisfaction rates, and repeat business.

Let’s dig deeper into a few of the underlying capabilities that make all this possible:

Asynchronous orchestration of complex tasks . The first is the ability to use generative AI- powered planning and reasoning to manage complex, multi step, long-running tasks. For example, reacting to a new order means determining the need to verify inventory, trigger ing the right payment processes, pinging a supervisor for approval if the amount is above a certain threshold, and replying with a confirmation. Many of these events can take hours—or even days— to complete, but the copilot will run through them , maintaining the necessary state and context to do so.
Memory and context . One of the frustrating things about support has traditionally been having to repeat information: who you are, what your policy number is, what your address is. There is no continuity of conversation. Copilots will now learn from previous conversations from the users and utilize this knowledge to continually personalize interactions . A copilot may not need to ask you for your laptop model or your address when you call again for the same issue. Conversations will thus become long-running, contextual, and deeply personalized.
Monitor, learn, and improve . Copilots can now learn and adapt, offering monitoring and teaching capabilities to make their interactions better. Each copilot records a comprehensive history of its activities, providing transparency into its performance, including user interactions, actions taken, and feedback received, and you can see what decisions it made — and correct and teach them — with just a few clicks.

Screenshot of the in-product experience for training copilots with agent capabilities in Microsoft Copilot Studio

Delegation with confidence and guardrails . When developing copilots with agent capabilities, establishing clear boundaries is paramount. Copilots operate strictly within the confines of the maker-defined instructions, knowledge, and actions. The data sources linked to the copilot adhere to stringent security measures and controls, managed through the unified admin center of Copilot Studio. This includes data loss prevention, robust authentication protocols, and more.

The se advanced new capabilities in Copilot Studio are currently accessible to customers participating in a limited private preview where organizations such as Centro de la Familia are excited to explore agent capabilities that support teachers and case workers, allowing them to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time working with children, ultimately leading to better child outcomes . Based on feedback from program participants, we will continue to iterate and refine these capabilities for broader access in a preview planned for later this year .

Additional innovations with Copilot Studio

There’s a lot more to share at Microsoft Build with Copilot Studio, and we’ll touch on just a few of our new capabilities here. To learn more — just sign up and try it out for yourself here .

It’s easier than ever to create c opilots . With Copilot Studio, creating and testing copilots is now incredibly simple. You can create your copilot with our brand new conversationally driven experience — simply describe what you want it to do, and what knowledge you want it to have, and Copilot Studio will create your very own c opilot. You can then immediately test it out, add additional capabilities, such as your own actions, APIs, and enterprise knowledge — and then publish it live with a few clicks.

Screenshot of the homepage of Microsoft Copilot Studio

Connect all your enterprise data with Copilot c onnectors . Customers want copilots connected with data from their own enterprises business systems and apps. Copilot connectors enable anyone to ground their copilot in business and collaboration data. This makes it possible for copilots to use various data sources, including public websites, SharePoint, OneDrive, Microsoft Dataverse tables, Microsoft Fabric OneLake (coming this calendar year), Microsoft Graph, as well as leading third-party apps. You can even create your own custom generative prompts to configure how a copilot handles a response from an API or connector.

Screenshot of the available knowledge sources in Microsoft Copilot Studio

Here are a few examples of how Copilot connectors can transform copilot experiences for specific personas or functions:

Legal and Compliance . Navigate complex legal landscapes with a Copilot extension that queries specific legal datasets, ensuring controlled and compliant responses without overwhelming users with extraneous information.
HR Helper . Assist employees with accessing essential resources for benefits and PTO policies, and even book time off directly through Copilot.
Incident Report Coordinator . Workers can locate the right documentation, report incidents, and track them efficiently, all within the context of the chat.

Starting in June 2024, developers can access the preview for Copilot connectors and stay informed on updates here .

Conversational analytics (private preview) : One of the most common asks from customers has been the need for deeper insight into what their copilot is doing, how generative AI is responding, when it was unable to give the right answers and why — and recommendations on what to do to improve it.

Screenshot of the conversational analytics experience in Microsoft Copilot Studio

Templates : If simply describing your copilot to build it wasn’t easy enough, Copilot Studio will now also include a variety of pre-built copilot samples for departments and industries. Some templates — such as Safe Travels for comprehensive travel support, Organization Navigator for organizational clarity, Kudos Copilot for fostering recognition, Wellness for employee health insights — are available now, with many more releasing in the coming months.

Enhanced security and controls (public preview ) : Administrators can now configure advanced settings beyond the default security measures and controls. With Microsoft Purview , Copilot Studio administrators gain access to more detailed governance tools, including audit logs, inventory capabilities, and sensitivity labels. They will be able to review comprehensive audit logs that cover tenant-wide usage, inventory (with API support), and tenant hygiene (such as data loss prevention violations and inactive copilots), enabling them to effectively monitor business impact. Both creators and end-users will be able to view sensitivity labels when responses are generated using AI-powered answers based on SharePoint documents.

With all the amazing innovations, numerous organizations are using Copilot Studio to build transformative generative AI-powered solutions. Check out this story from Nsure on how they are using Copilot Studio:

Get started today with Copilot Studio

This is just a glimpse of all the exciting innovation around copilots and Copilot Studio — we have a host of exciting new capabilities to share in our sessions at Build. So, join us in watching the sessions below, and try out Copilot Studio yourself and build and share your very own copilot in minutes.

Watch the sessions at Microsoft Build:

“ Microsoft Build opening keynote ”
“ Next generation AI for developers with the Microsoft Cloud ”
“ Shaping next-gen development: the future of Copilot in Power Platform ”

Deeper dives:

Breakout: “ What’s new with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”
Breakout with demos: “ Build your own copilot with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”
Breakout with demos: “ Build Microsoft Copilot extensions with Copilot Studio ”
Demo (live only): “ Build your own Copilot extension with Microsoft Copilot Studio ”

COMMENTS

A Simple Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer ...
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Experienced Travel Agent Bill Coyle gets quizzed on common travel agent terms to help you talk like a travel agent. 1.888.611.1220 ; Get Started! Agent Logins ; Blog ; ... To help you get a head start on learning some of the most common words, phrases, and abbreviations that the travel industry uses, we called upon a veteran travel agent, Bill ...
A Simple Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer in ...
Sample Conversation Between Travel Agent And Customer. Following is a sample conversation between a travel agent and a customer. Please note, this customer is a lead, which means they have already shown an interest in the services offered by the travel company. Travel Agent: Good morning, sir. I am Gupta and I am calling from Vistara Tours and ...
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Good customer service can be a that big differentiator. Keeping that in mind, we've listed down five essential best practices for companies that want to deliver quality service in the travel and hospitality industry: 1. Save customers their time, and make the booking process simple.
CONVERSATION BETWEEN TRAVEL AGENT AND CUSTOMER
Travel Agent: Hi sir, you gave a call regarding the booking of yours to Jaipur.. Customer: Yes, please.. Travel Agent: Sir, I would like to tell you that we have recently prepared an amazing package for that.. Customer: Could you please tell me the details of that package?. Travel Agent: Sure sir. In that package, you will get 4 nights and 3 days. Breakfast for 3 days is complimentary in this ...
ESL Conversations: Travel
11 Going through the Customs. 12 Talking to a Curbside Agent. 13 Talking to a Flight Attendant. 14 Talking to a Seatmate. 15 Ordering Food and Drink. 16 Missing Connecting Flight. 17 Ground Transportation. 18 Arranging a Tour of the City. 19 Complaining about a Tour.
PDF CHAPTER 1.2 Dialogue: At the Travel Agency
Travel Agent: I'm afraid so. If you'd like, I can reserve a seat now, and you don't need to pay right away. Dave: That would be great. Travel Agent: I just need your full name and passport number. Dave: Here you are. (Hands the travel agent his passport.) Travel Agent: Okay, one moment. . . . Alright! It's reserved. If you
Travel Agent Ava: Do You Know What Customers Want?
7 Things Customers Want from Travel Agents. Customer Service with a Smile. If a customer calls you, smile when you answer the phone and throughout the conversation. It's been longed believed in sales that smiling can not only put you at ease but the customer as well. Keep your voice steady and avoid being monotone because this will convey ...
Travel Agent/Customer Gap-fill Exercise/ Role-play
Travel Agent/Customer Gap-fill Exercise/ Role-play. Found a mistake? In this worksheet, students have to pick the appropriate word to fill the gap in this conversation between a travel agent and customer. Can also be used as a role-play activity. Target language/missing words are: budget, backpacking, agency, accommodation, youth hostels ...
Is Travel Insurance Refundable? Here's Everything You Need ...
Some countries and U.S. states regulate refundability. Travel insurance companies put refundability details in the fine print of the policy. And, as Hoagland found out, there are always exceptions ...
Conversation Between Travel Agent and Customer
This video is intended for Educational Purposes Only
The Ultimate Guide to Saving Time and Money for Travel Agents
For travel agents, optimizing operations to save time and reduce costs is not just about survival—it's about thriving. This guide offers actionable strategies and insights to help you streamline your business practices, ensuring you remain competitive and profitable. By integrating the latest tools and techniques, you can significantly ...
The future of connected customer conversations
The KnowledgeAI agent is an advanced question-answering bot powered by LLMs to facilitate natural, contextually relevant conversations about their business. Delegate answering frequently asked questions to the KnowledgeAI agent to free up human agents to tackle more complex customer conversations. 6. Data Collection AI agent
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About. AI agents are advanced systems capable of real-time interactions using text, voice, and images. Unlike traditional models that only handle text, AI agents can process diverse inputs from their surroundings and respond accordingly. AI agents are nimble when it comes to adapting to new situations. This facet makes them incredibly versatile ...
Microsoft Copilot Studio: Building copilots with agent capabilities
When developing copilots with agent capabilities, establishing clear boundaries is paramount. Copilots operate strictly within the confines of the maker-defined instructions, knowledge, and actions. The data sources linked to the copilot adhere to stringent security measures and controls, managed through the unified admin center of Copilot Studio.

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Let’s Roam will show you the sights!

Do you charge a fee for your services?

What services do you offer?

Can you provide assistance while I am at a destination?

How can I reach you in case of an emergency?

What travel destinations do you suggest?

Have you traveled there before?

What does your agency specialize in?

What is the best time to travel to this destination?

Are there any ways that I can save money on the booking?

Is a package tour cheaper than creating my own vacation?

Is there a price match guarantee?

What is your cancellation policy?

What are the travel documents that I need for this trip?

Are there any additional costs that I need to be aware of?

How can I pay for the trip?

Do I need travel insurance?

Are there any security issues to be aware of?

Time to start packing!

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Table of contents

Table of Contents

Some customer service best practices for the travel and hospitality industry

1. Save customers their time, and make the booking process simple

2. Be proactive with your communication, and swift with your resolutions

3. Be present wherever your customers are

4. Offer deep personalization

5. Ensure your agents are well-trained and motivated

Wrapping up

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Conversation between travel agent and customer

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