UNIT- X- CUSTOMER CARE

“Treat others the way you would like to be treated”

The golden rule.

Customers are the most important people in the tourism industry

Without customers we do not have a business so the business is entirely depend on them.
Customers can pick and choose where they go for information and where they finally
make their bookings.
The way we treat customers is very important. Customers go where they feel welcome,
where they feel they will get good service and where they can trust in the professionalism
and competence of the consultants. Customers must be handled in a positive, caring way
because how we handle them is how they will judge our service. Our customers are
potentially our best form of advertising – if they are satisfied with our service then they
will advise their colleagues, friend and relatives to deal with us as well.
The key to success in customer service is
 Courtesy
 Empathy
 Enthusiasm
 Knowledge
 Reliability
Distinguishing between different types of customers
We know that different customers have different needs and requirements:
 Some people are very budget conscious, and are very careful about spending money.
 Other people don’t mind spending money to enjoy themselves.
 Some people like holidays where they can get back to the basics, spend time out
doors, and just relax.
 Other people prefer spending their holidays in the big city, enjoying five star hotels,
shopping dining and attending the theatre.
 One person’s idea of a great holiday is to camp beside a lake and catch his own break
fast trout.
 Other people prefer to have breakfast in bed, with champagne, strawberries brought
them on a silver tray.
The most common sources of business in the hospitality and tourism areas are:
 Business travelers( individuals)
 Conference or convention delegates.
 Business people attending company meeting.
 Tourists.
 Group tourists.
 Visitors for special events. Eg. Sports, festivals etc.
 VFR travelers
 Special interest visitors. Eg. Medical purpose, education etc.
 Shoppers
Of course, not all these travelers and visitors have the same needs and desires
Eg. Some business travelers may want their accommodation to be in a convenient
location in the central business district of a large city, inorder to handle their business
easily. Some travelers prefer in expensive restaurants, because they have a set budget.
They importance of customers, their need and expectations.
 Recognition of their needs and desires.
 Information of variety of destinations
 Up-to-date familiarity with prices and special promotions.
 Awareness of new destinations and new tours.
 Immediate information, booking and confirmations.
 Well-informed, well travelled staff and fully trained travel consultants.
 Assistance with insurance, currency, travel formalities and documentation.
 Face to face discussion with a consultant.
 The full and undivided attention of the consultant.
 To have their expectations met or exceeded.
Meeting all these expectations is a real challenge, which requires the ability to use
the elements that create good customer relations and superior selling skill.

Creating good customer care

 Make certain you look professional –well groomed and tidy.
 Keep your desk neat and orderly.
 Make sure the office looks inviting.
 Look up and smile at a customer right way.
 Greet customers-make them feel welcome.
 Give customers your full attention.
 Sound and look interested, alert and enthusiastic.
Visual images
We take about thirty seconds to form a first impression about another person. In the
first thirty second we make a lot of judgements about what people will be like and
whether or not we want to work with them. When two people meet they are both
going through the same process of evaluating each other. The messages we send out
come from three images- visual, vocal and verbal.
These are strongest and most important. How we look, how we dress, how we
move, and they way we stand or walk all create an immediate impression. The style
of clothing , cleanliness, the make up or jewelry, hair cut, the shoes we wear, all say
some thing about us
The environment in which we work-the office, the desk we work at – also create
an impression.
The way we react to the people, the gestures and mannerisms we have all give
subtle messages to others.
Body language is important elements in the visual image we project to others-
people tell volumes about what they think or feel even when they remain silent.
Physical gestures and movements often reveal thoughts and attitudes that can range
from the subtle raising of an eyebrow to the obvious leaning forward of an interested
listener.
You may be saying all the right things and asking the right questions but if your
body language says you are bored or irritated, the customer be aware of it and made
to feel uncomfortable

Vocal image
 These are created in the way we use our voice. Do we sound interested or bored
or enthusiastic or sarcastic? Do we speak slowly, clearly, very quickly, or slur words
and drop the ending of them? Do we talk too loudly or too softly? All these thing can
be disconcerting to others and can give an impression of how interested and ho
professional we are. The tone of voice we use is actually more important than
words.
Verbal image
The least strong of the three, verbal images relate to the actual words we
use in conversation. Do we use correct English? Do we ask questions clearly, and
explain ourselves in simple, straightforward language? Do we pronounce words and
foreign terms correctly?
The ability to express ourselves clearly and to be sure we are understood is an
important skill for travel consultants.
Making Judgement about other people
Sometimes we assume that just by looking at someone we know what thy are like,
it can be tempting to ignore people who are badly dressed or who do not look like
big spending customers.
We may be ill at ease at when dealing with people who appear to be different from
us, much younger, much older, from another ethnic or social background or people
with disabilities. It is important to be pleasant and courteous to every one.
I we create a positive first impression it is easier to continue and develop a good
business relationship. You may be able to overcome a bad first impression but it
requires a lot more effort than making a good one to start out with.