What’s your job about?
My job is to create the perfect holiday for my customers. Everyone is different and obviously have different expectations so it is my job to actively listen to understand, clarify expectations and then deliver a service catered to their specific wants and needs. At the end of the day, most people have a vision for their holiday so I use my knowledge and expertise to shape that vision in a way that creates value and makes the whole process enjoyable and easy.
Beyond communicating with customers and after receiving payment I liaise with multiple suppliers, triple check details and finalise all bookings through invoicing and financial reconciliation.
After payments are made and itineraries booked I act as a reference point for my customer for anything and everything related to their travel. From first contact to post travel I am there to help, and there are no silly questions!
Finally, we work hard and so we play hard. Opportunities for travel, team outings, celebrating success and having fun are there for those who want to succeed and put in the work.
After graduating high school, I always knew I wanted to study further and as a people person, management was the logical choice. Throughout high school and university I worked a number of casual jobs from lifeguarding to call centres and a lot of hospitality work. Post-graduation It was time for a break and so I worked every shift possible for 6 months and then travelled on and off for the following 12 months! After coming back a friend referred me to the graduate program and I have never looked back!
I think anyone can do my job as long as they have a few key skills and traits. They have to be detail focussed as we book intricate itineraries for multiple customers every day. They must be self-driven and enjoy a challenge. If you put in the work, you will be rewarded but like anything in life, nothing worthwhile comes easy.
Finally, and most importantly you have to be a people person. The majority of an agent’s day is communicating and speaking with clients, suppliers and your team. If you enjoy meeting new people and having a good chat then this role is for you.
The ability to travel frequently, my awesome team who have become like family and the variety of the job. Every day is different and I am always learning new things.
As this job is a service role most stores are open 7 days a week, 363 days a year. Therefore, weekend work and late trading on a Thursday is an inevitable part of the job. However, the flexibility of rostering and ability to swap shifts means you can always get time off if you need it.
I think expectations are key in this role. As a bright-eyed young graduate, I had high expectations of myself and set big goals before I even started. Most other graduate roles have a set salary and benefits which are clear and constant. This is not how this program and role works. The more you put in, the more you get out.
In reality, this role is extremely challenging, especially months 1-12. There are endless systems to learn and the travel industry is so dynamic that things are constantly changing so you must evolve and accept change as a normal and exciting prospect.
A top consultant is crafted by experience and skills so the role becomes more enjoyable and rewarding once you commit to ongoing development, training and the unavoidable reality that it takes time to become an expert with a reliable repeat and referral customer base. As you progress, nothing can stop you from a realm of success which may have once been thought impossible!