Travel Specialist

Our client is Southern Africa's leading integrated tourism group, operating businesses which range from travel management companies, hotels, lodges and restaurants to craft, curio and jewellery shops and foreign exchange bureaux. They are driven by a commitment to exceptional quality, service and value; its people-centred business philosophy; the development of mutually rewarding partnerships; constant innovation; and world-class technology.

Role Overview

To effectively manage Product reservations and scheduled tour operations aimed to exceed client and supplier expectations

Job Type: Full Time/Permanent

Workplace: Onsite

Location: Bryanston, Johannesburg

Requirements

• Matric
• Excellent knowledge of South Africa (Tourist attractions, seasonality,
• routes, distances and driving times, places of interest, Geography,
• transport infrastructure)
• Tourplan working knowledge is advantageous
• Online systems working knowledge is essential
• Group series experience
• FIT client reservations experience
• Good verbal, telephonic and written communication skills
• Good interpersonal skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Negotiation and liaison ability
• Strong decision-making ability
• Innovative and proactive
• Must have attention to detail
• Basic financial knowledge
• Must be a team player
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Software: including Word, Excel and Teams

Responsibilities

Reservations Shared Mailbox

• Ensure that emails in the allocated Inboxes are categorized, actioned and filed accurately daily
• Adhere to response standards and turnaround times

Website Live Chat

• Acknowledge and respond to customers browsing the website immediately
• Understand and adhere to the Live Chat standards

Quoting

• Understand accommodation, tours and transfers pricing
• Preparing Charter proposals for clients
• Send quote as per department template
• Adhere to the standard department quoting procedures per product
• In-depth understanding of operational considerations that affect tours (routes, distances, vehicles, etc)

Booking And Confirmations

• Responsible for booking and confirming allocated tours, airport transfers,
• day tours, add-nights and Charter requests, received from the various sales channels for all clients
• Action relevant booking requests within the set turnaround time
• Monitor scheduled tour group numbers per departure and request scheduled departures to be blocked when needed
• Manage supplier allocations effectively
• Adherent to the standard department booking and confirmation procedures per product

Invoicing And Payments

• Understand supplier negotiations and terms
• Understand tour costing and selling rate calculation
• Understand and monitor allocated tours’ profitability
• Accurate invoicing of bookings – pre-payments, deposits and clients on account
• Ensure supplier invoices are submitted to accounts to be paid on time
• Adherent to the standard department invoicing and payment procedures per product

Cancellations & Refunds

• Understand cancellation policies and country travel laws
• Adhere to the standard department procedures per product to avoid cancellation fees
• Negotiate cancellation fees and refund requests with suppliers and clients when needed
• Ensure cancellation fees and refunds are processed when applicable

Pre-Tour Operations

• Understand tour dispatch details (vehicle equipment and tour F&B
• processes) 30-days
• Share the tour departures’ forecast to relevant suppliers
• Cross-check booking details per departure in advance
• Cross-check guests’ room configuration requirements with number of rooms booked
• Source and secure alternative accommodation when required – and advise relevant clients of the changes
• Send rooming list and guide details to allocated scheduled tour properties and release allocation
• Book the vehicle and tour guide
• Book optional tours when required
• Link the Tourplan group bookings and pull the manifest for the tours that will partake and print the voucher applicable bookings from Tourplan
• Prepare relevant guest and tour guide documentation 2/3-days out
• Send Welcome letters to hotels
• Brief tour guides and pay relevant cash advance before tour departures and adhere to the standard guide briefing procedures

During Tour Operations

• Assist guests with lost luggage incidents
• Assist guests and arrange chaser transfers when required
• Check in with the tour guide intermittently during the tour
• Assist tour guides with any issues encountered on tour
• Report issues to agents when the tour experience is impacted negatively
• Assist and book any last-minute post-tour travel requirements

Post-Tour Operations

• Tour debriefs with the guide
• Finalise all tour guide expenses and commission claims and send to Finance
• Review guest feedback with the guide and report any relevant issues to agents
• Ensure guest questionnaires are filed after resolving issues

Service Delivery / Customer Service

• Consistently deliver on service expectations
• Professional communication with clients and suppliers
• Respond promptly to requests
• Ensure clients are offered the best available price and product
• Professionally liaise with clients to clarify travel requirements
• Provide the client with additional information on the destination, attractions, activities, properties, or transfers at the time of booking or receiving an enquiry
• Cross-sell pre-post accommodation transfers and tours at the time of booking or receiving an enquiry
• Ensure all correspondence, documentation, files, and quotes are delivered accurately and timeously
• Establish and maintain good relationships with allt staff
• Emergency/Manager on duty mobile phone duties when required, including after-hours

Incidents And Complaints

• Report incidents immediately according to the set procedure
• Ensure the necessary action is taken to resolve any issues immediately
• Ensure incidents or issues are captured on the Incidents Report

Reporting

• Monitor weekly financial reports and fix bookings accordingly

Sales

• After qualifying the enquiry, also include other possible relevant products to the client
• Follow up on ad hoc quotations to convert where required
• Understand the sales plan and methods

Product

• Understand all tour itineraries in detail
• Monitor guest and guide feedback reports and escalate relevant issues to the Product team
• Ensure Product content on all systems is up to date

Values

• People at the heart - This person knows that people are what make our business. They believe in delivering value to our customers and deal fairly and ethically with suppliers. They take care of those around them and carefully consider how and what they do will impact others.
• Owner Mindset - This person believes that they are the owner of their desk and role. They are passionate about the business and are deeply committed to its success.
• Win as a team - This person holds the team together, from their willingness to provide support to effective communication to recognizing the contributions of others. This team player encourages collaboration to ensure that any success is a team success.
• Equality to thrive, embrace diversity - This is a person who maintains a diverse and inclusive learning and working environment that nurtures the growth and development of themselves and others.
• Respect and Trust – This is a person who has attributes of being polite, respectful, helpful, taking ownership, willing to adapt, demonstrating trust and reliability.
• Heart = Fun and LOVE what we do - This person creates a vibe! They are generally the people who will volunteer or encourage their team/brand to participate. They are the unsung cheerleaders of our business!