A Travel Agent’s Script for Introducing a Service Fee (and Building Your Value)

Typically, it’s not until you get burned 1 too many times that you open up to the concept of charging a service fee.  What do I mean about getting burned?

Here’s a true story – Years ago, a hard-working travel agent shared in a travel agent forum how she got burned. In a nutshell, she spent days working on a custom-crafted honeymoon quote. A day later, the agent learned that the bride’s mom had found the same package for almost $1,000 less through Costco. The IDENTICAL package. Ughhh! Costco sucks. Sorry for the profanity, but it does. She lost the business.

As a travel agent, this is likely going to happen.  It’s very frustrating. But I believe there IS a way to significantly reduce its chances of happening again and again.  What is that? An opening conversation where you build up your value and introduce your service fee policy.

I am certain this agent in the story is fantastic at planning travel.  She probably offers a tremendously valuable service. Where she failed? The sales conversation. Quite honestly, most travel agents are not spectacular at the sales conversation.

So, my gift to you is my A, B, C, D (4 step) process (and scripts) for having an opening/sales conversation.  I highly recommend this conversation be IN PERSON, but if that’s not possible, then over the phone. NEVER should this conversation happen over e-mail. Here goes:

A.  Ask Open-Ended Questions

Many agents receive an inquiry and jump straight into working on a quote. Don’t do that. Take some time to get to know them and their travel taste. Ideally, get them on the phone after completing a short survey. In addition to asking the factual logistics like Who, What, Where, and When, ask open-ended questions to get to know them better and a bigger picture of what they want. It’s about tapping into their dreams so they realize you are a facilitator of that. It’s important that you listen too! The added bonus of asking qualitative questions is that these questions will subtly demonstrate the value of working with you. So, ask questions like:

“Tell me about your favorite vacation of all – and why.”

“In general, do you prefer a big city to a deserted beach or something in between?”

“What’s your biggest priority for this vacation? (i.e., romance, relaxation, pampering, family fun, etc)

“How would you spend a free long weekend with an unlimited budget?” “Would you prefer champagne, fruit, or flowers upon arrival at your first hotel?”

B. Build Up Your Value

Here’s a working framework for how your conversation can go to build up your value after you have finished listening to their responses to your open-ended questions:

a. Get excited for them.

“I’m so excited for you. You are going to have an awesome time!”

b. Validate them for doing the right thing by contacting you.

“You’ve done the right thing by reaching out to me.”

c. Bring them up to date on working with a travel advisor

“You may not fully understand what a travel consultant does. Here’s why my clients like working with me and come back again and again.

i. First, I protect their precious vacation dollars and hours. I’ve been there, seen the resorts, know the locations and I take time to get to know my clients as well as possible. So I do a great job of matching them with the right experience. I’d hate to see them wasting money on the wrong vacation, even if it is a great deal.

ii. Second, I save them a lot of time and hassle. There is so much information on the internet these days and it’s hard to know what’s accurate and what’s not. Thanks to my expertise, I know the options far better than most and I am able to zero in on the best options very quickly. In addition, I’m the one that sits on hold, checks fares, prices, etc saving them hours and hours of mindless time.

iii. Third, I can get the special treatment they can’t get on their own. Thanks to my relationships with travel suppliers, I can often get amenities, upgrades and other special VIP touches that my clients don’t have access to. So even though many “do-it-yourself” vacationers may pat themselves on the back for saving the $100, I often get my clients special amenities worth way more than that.

iv. Fourth, my job doesn’t stop when they book their travel. I go the extra mile to make find great restaurants I know they will love and book the reservations, book extra special activities, golf tee times, shore excursions, and I love adding my own surprise touches. I also prepare my clients for travel, so there are no surprises. I check if their passports are current, help them with packing advice, and even tipping guidelines.

v.  Finally, I’m 1 phone call away. If my clients experience unexpected surprises during their travel like a missed connection, they know they have just 1 phone call to make and I will take care of the rest.”

C. Commit to Them and Get a Commitment Back (your fee!)

Once you finish listing all the reasons why your clients like working with you, then it’s time to ask for a commitment

“So as you can see, I am really committed to making this the best experience possible. I may not get you the cheapest deal – that’s what the online booking engines are for. If that’s what you are looking for, then we are not a great fit. But if you are looking for a true partner with the expertise to do this job right and get you the best value, then I can’t wait to get started working with you. If that’s the path you want to take, then the next step is to collect a $250 service fee (OR non-refundable trip planning deposit), and then I will begin preparing some quotes for you. Shall we get started? All I need is your credit card details…..”

D. Deal With The Price-Shopping (Confront It)

I.e., “I realize that you have probably done some checking of prices and may continue to do so as I prepare your quotes. There are a LOT of “shiny, red objects” out there and it’s easy to get sucked in. Please, do me a favor. If you find a better price, bring it to me, so I can take a look, tell you if it’s the right resort (or cruise) for you, assess if it is a true apples-to-apples comparison, and if so, give me the opportunity to price match. Sound like a deal?”