A closeagent should possess the skill to close the deal.Becoming a closeagent is an important skill to possess if you want to succeed as a travel agent. If you can not close the sale,you will not get paid!Your customer will not be satisfied that they did not get what they were looking for. This in turn will have them looking elsewhere and taking their word of mouth business to someone else. Let's look at the different types of closings that you can use to make the sale. The Alternate-Choice Close.After presenting the options, the details of a possible deal, you may want to ask.."Which of these tours shall we book?" "You seemed most interested in the Trafalgar tour. Shall I book that or would you prefer the Tauck tour?" "Which of these hotels shall I book?" "Will you be putting that on a credit card or would you prefer to write a check?"
The next close you can use is called the... The Direct Close.This means get to the point!!!"I will need a check for $150 to hold the cabin." "Which credit card number do you want to use?" Another close technique you can use is... The Assumptive Close.This means you should assume that the answer is yes! Then move forward from there."I will book the room and put it on your American Express card." "I will go ahead and firm things up with Mega tours. I will need the full $200 deposit by Monday." You can also use this technique with add-on business. "Which hotel would you like? What size rental car will you be needing?" The Booking-Form Close.This is another form of assumptive closing.You can use paperwork used by your supplier or your own personal. (Situation) Agent: So you prefer the May 16th sailing? Prospect: Yeah, that looks like the better deal. Agent: Let me just get my booking form. Ah here it is. Now which name will you want on the booking, yours or your spouse's? Prospect: Use my spouse's name. Agent: And I have the address and the phone right? That was an outside cabin in category C right? Prospect: Right. Go the form and fill it out while getting input from the customer when needed. You are assuming that the sale is made. The more information the customer lets you fill out,the surer the deal is.
You will eventually have to get the deposit."Now the minimum deposit is $200 or shall I put down $300, so your final payment will be smaller?"Hopefully this information will help you gain a better understanding of how to close a sale or become a closeagent. * quotes from Home Based Travel Agent by Kelly Moneghan.
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