by John Frenaye
Monday July 20, 2015

Very often we forget to be nice. I am as guilty as you are. Last week, a woman spilled a cup of coffee in Starbucks and approached the counter and demanded a new cup—as if it were some force that Starbucks put on her to make her drop her coffee. She was not nice about it. But Starbucks being Starbucks gladly replaced her coffee, apologized for the problem, and cleaned up the mess. The customer walked out happy, and Starbucks put another notch in their customer service “headboard.”

But in the end, it was not that hard. Yes, the customer was probably an ass, but resolving it took minimal effort with maximum return. I began to think about what makes a great customer service experience and…

Incentives work. Here are two examples I happened across in just the last two weeks, tied to an opportunity that may prove right up your alley.

I heard from a group of Tractor Dealers that an incentive worked wonders for those who saw the benefit of parting with a little cash. Yes, it appears that money still manages to get some people's attention. How does that old saw go? "You have to spend a little money to make a lot of money."

  — Travel Research Online
Read the rest of this article »

by Richard Earls
Sunday July 19, 2015

Readers of TRO know I value highly the concept of authenticity - the idea clients will seek out and choose a travel agent with whom they can identify and trust. A credo of authenticity seeks to fulfill every explicit and every implicit promise made by the travel agent. Making good on your promises is important - authenticity without stellar performance means little. The consumer wants your performance to be well above the norm - to be exceptional to such a degree, in fact, as to be unique. That is why the small services provided to a client throughout the relationship are so important - they can potentially set the authentic travel agent apart from all others.

If we are…

Ted Sykes joined American Queen Steamboat Company as President and COO in December 2012 with over 20 years of experience in the travel industry. Prior to joining American Queen Steamboat Company, Sykes served as CEO of eWaterways, an online aggregator of small-ship cruises. He also served as President and CFO of Viking, the largest river cruise operator in the world. He has been COO and CFO of The Vantage Group, a Boston-based seller of travel and operator of European river boats. Serving as CEO from conception through full operation, Sykes moved to England and launched Saga Group’s entry into deep sea cruising. Prior to the launch of Saga Cruises, Sykes served as both CFO and Managing…