A Day in The Life of a Travel Agent - p2

So why am I still working in the industry? Travel and adventure is in my blood and always has been since I climbed Ben Nevis at the ripe old age of six. I reached the summit of Mont Blanc on a fine day in September 1980 after scaling several peaks in the Austrian Alps the previous year.

After managing supermarkets in Edinburgh for seven years I decided there must be more to life. So I quit a promising career much to the chagrin of my parents. The following two years were spent hitching around the world followed by three years leading thirteen week expeditions across Asia from Kathmandu to London. In between I led treks to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. I also spent a year cycling 17,000km across three continents and seventeen countries from Edinburgh to Sydney.

I now have over fourteen years experience in travel both in the field and in the office. I enjoy the job and the level of job satisfaction for me is very high. I just love talking to people about their travel plans and I can learn as much from them as they do from me. There is no charge for my knowledge and advice. I make my money only after I have paid airlines and principals. Although I love talking travel I have to make a living. Often I can spend much time consulting only to lose the booking to another agent offering a $20 discount! Perhaps we should be charging a fee for our experience and advice as do lawyers, accountants, doctors or dentists?!

One small mistake on a file could result in the ruination of someone's lifelong dream. Every time a booking is altered the name of the person I talk to has to be recorded on the file along with the date and time. One error here, and there may be no come back if there is a problem further down the track.

The fax machine is my safety blanket - rather than take a chance with errors by phone I just send a fax asking for a fax reply and then I have hard copies for any future reference.

Ninety-five per cent of our time is spent on the phone, typing itineraries, looking at computer screens, pushing pen against paper and checking and double checking that everything is booked and paid for. We also have to appear happy and professional in front of our clients. Dealing with the public can be hard work but at the same time it can be very rewarding.

And so the plane takes off with your happy clients on board but the file cannot be closed. We're not finished yet. Not until they are back at work and any complaint dealt with can you close the file. Feedback is probably as important as collecting the deposit.

Choosing your travel agent (see below) is as important as choosing your bank manager, your lawyer or your accountant. As will all professional service providers word of mouth is the best recommendation but it is also important to make sure the agency has a licence number issued by the Travel Agents Licensing Authority. And remember that irrespective of the size of an agency or the number of outlets a chain has, it is the consultant you are dealing with that you must be happy with.

My nightmare as portrayed at the beginning has never actually happened but it is always there, lurking, ready to pounce. However good management and good office administration keeps it at bay so we can all sleep easy. With all its trials and tribulations I still find it a challenging and rewarding vocation. I can think of nothing more enjoyable than talking to people about their holiday plans. So the next time you visit your local travel agent try to understand the pressure they are under making sure your holiday goes according to plan.