Provide assistance and support to customers prior to, during and after travelling
URN: PPLTT04
Business Sectors (Suites): Travel and Tourism
Developed by: People 1st
Approved on:
2021
Overview
This standard is about assisting and supporting travel customers in a variety of areas commonly encountered by staff in travel businesses. This includes making changes to bookings initiated by the customer, booker and or travel service supplier and advising on travel related claims and complaints.
This standard is for all staff in contact with customers with responsibility for customer bookings, and any queries about bookings or changes that may need to be made.
When you have completed this standard, you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge of and ability to:
• Provide assistance and support to customers prior to, during and after travelling
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
1. Listen to your customer’s query and confirm your understanding of the assistance and support they require prior to, during and after travelling
2. Respond to the customer’s query in line with your organisation’s procedures
3. Inform customers of any changes to their booking where necessary, as a result of their query, including the financial and any additional implications of the change
4. Offer customers, where available, a range of suitable alternative courses of action in response to their query, or to resolve any issues arising from changes to their booking, and establish their preferences
5. Where necessary, explain the relevant travel related claims and complaints procedures to customers, respond to any related queries they may have, and confirm their understanding of the claims and complaints process
6. Seek the customers' agreement to any course of action before it is implemented
7. Communicate with suppliers, colleagues and customers as necessary to provide assistance and support to customers in line with organisational procedures
8. Take action to implement the agreed course of action in line with organisational procedures
9. Check customers are satisfied with the assistance and support you have provided
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
1. The typical types of customer queries requiring assistance and support prior to, during and after travelling
2. Your organisation’s procedures for responding to customers queries prior to, during and after travelling
3. Whom to refer any matters outside the limit of your job role and the extent of your own authority when handling customer’s queries and changes to bookings prior to, during and after travelling
4. The relevant travel service booking conditions, including the financial implications, and how these can affect the way you handle changes and / or customers' queries
5. The courses of action that can be offered to provide assistance and support to customers prior to, during and after travelling
6. How to deal with or when to escalate unforeseen issues impacting on customer travel arrangements
7. How to ask customers questions to find out what alternatives will meet their needs
8. The relevant legal obligations and the travel agent’s main responsibilities when advising customers, including the general requirements of package holiday legislation, if relevant; booking conditions; passport, visas, health, government advice and insurance requirements
9. How to calculate and explain additional payments, refunds, amendment or cancellation charges and compensatory payments in a way customers will understand
10. The role and value of Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) and how to explain these to customers
11. How to explain changes, the reasons for them and the possible courses of action, and the importance of explaining all of the available alternatives (e.g. potential loss of the booking)
12. How to seek and obtain customer agreement to a particular course of action
13. The importance of clear and accurate communication
14. How you can adapt your communication methods to suit the different needs of customers
15. The relevant claims and complaints procedures and documentation for the suppliers used by your organisation
16. Why it is important to handle changes, customer queries, claims and complaints in line with your organisation’s procedures
17. How to check customers are satisfied with the assistance and support you have provided prior to, during and after travelling, and the importance of doing so
Scope/range
Query includes those relating to the customer’s travel arrangements prior to, during and after travelling, including:
a) non-arrival of documentsb) incomplete and / or incorrect documentationc) changes to bookingsd) requests for additional informationChanges include:
a) transport timesb) destinationc) accommodationd) date of departuree) date of returnf) length of tripg) departure pointh) namei) cancellation by supplierj) cancellation by customerFinancial implications include:
a) additional payment required from the customerb) amendment charge payable by the customerc) compensatory payment made to the customerd) refund payable to the customerClaims and complaints procedures include:a) completion of documentsb) time scale for return of documentsc) items to be enclosed with claimsd) writing covering letterse) where to submit claimsf) follow upg) further courses of action
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Links To Other NOS
External Links
Version Number
2
Indicative Review Date
2026
Validity
Current
Status
Original
Originating Organisation
People 1st
Original URN
PPLTT04
Relevant Occupations
Bookings or Reservations Administrator, Business Travel Consultant, Customer Service Adviser, Leisure and Travel Service Occupations, Leisure Travel Consultant, Personal Service Occupations, Travel Adviser
SOC Code
6212
Keywords
assist, assistance, support, customers, prior, during, after, travelling