How to be the best client, an admittedly unusual topic for a travel blog. I want to take you behind the scenes of being a travel consultant. My major focus is luxury hotel bookings. The purpose of this blog post is to help you understand my work process when I receive a booking request. My goal is always to provide you with the best and most efficient service possible.
Hotel booking requests are not created equal. Take a look at three representative samples:
1. The best requests are very specific about what the client wants.
"I'd like to book a Deluxe City King for the two of us at Four Seasons New York for a three night stay, 5FEB-8FEB. I see from the hotel's website that it's an average $497 per night with Third Night Free. Assuming the third night free rate comes with Preferred Partner amenities, go ahead and book it using my Amex card ending in xxxx."
This request scores an "A" in every way! You researched our hotels and their amenities on Virtuoso.com (or our google maps) and did some price checking on the internet. Your request clearly indicated the desired hotel, dates of stay, room category, bed type, and number of guests. All I have to do is make the booking and email you the confirmation. You get what you want, often within 5 minutes of your request.
Note: my best clients are often amazed at how quickly I can fulfill their booking requests — but you get a lot of the credit!
Even were a request like this to come in last minute, we always love to get this kind of email.
2. Some clients have a good idea what they want but just want our help to help them find it.
"I'd like to spend next weekend in New York, 5FEB-3NT, and I'd like to book a boutique hotel on the Upper East Side. I can pay about $500 per night, and I want a hotel that provides Virtuoso amenities.
This request scores a solid "B+" because you're giving us enough information to help you right away. I enjoy consulting with my clients, sharing my expertise, and helping you find the right hotel. When you're this clear about what you want, things go much more efficiently. This request communicated unambiguous dates, the neighborhood you want, the style of hotel you prefer, and your desired price point.
With one quick email, I can list some possibilities for you. You can select one of the options, and you can often get a confirmed booking within the hour!
3. Some requests frustrate me because they're extremely vague.
"We might be going to New York next weekend. What do you have?"
How much time do I want to invest in the kind of request? This question requires a massive amount of time, and I might never make a sale (because they're not even sure if they're traveling). Believe it or not, I get emails like this all the time. The starting grade is "C," and it can go down from there.
Fact: We get amenities at about four dozen hotels in New York — 24 Virtuoso hotels and another couple of dozen hotels with Starwood Luxury Privileges and Travel Leaders Select amenities.
Fact: I will not quote all the rooms and suites at four dozen New York hotels and list our amenities. That's too much work for me and too much data to be useful for you.
I'll respond by asking some questions:
- What are your exact dates?
- Do you have a particular neighborhood in mind?
- Do you prefer the larger luxury chains? Are you looking for a smaller, boutique hotel?
- How many guests will be in the room? How many beds?
- Do you want a room or a suite?
- Do you have a price point in mind?
Hopefully, I'll get a quick reply, choosing one of those options. Because so many emails were required to get to this point, it could be several hours from your initial email before you get your reservation.
If I don't get a timely reply (i.e., it takes hours or days to get back to me with a booking request), the grade definitely goes down to "D."
If the client never makes a booking request after I've invested all this time in research and communication ... that scores an "F." You'd be surprised how often that happens.
Hopefully this provides insight into how to be the very best client! Great communication on your part helps me provide you with the great hotels values I specialize in.
