8.1. Introduction
Tourism is a global business that involves movement from one place to another compulsory. So every travel service involves transfers. The special character of tourism is to locate point of sale (POS) and point of service delivery (POSD) in different places. SO every travel involves transfers. In this chapter transfer refers to receive guest at the airport and bus station and transfer to hotel and at the end to transfer from hotel to airport and bus station. That is arrival and departure transfers.
· A proper reception motivate guest to involve in service receiving process.
· Receiving the customer by the service – providing agency helps to realize the customer’s needs.
· Reception and providing information eliminate the chances of future misunderstanding.
· A proper reception and arrival transfer develops personal relations and friendship= trust.
· Tourism is a complicated product. It is made of different elements and different agencies are involved in providing travel experience. So guest need to be briefed.
· Tourists are the people from “there”. They are not familiar with local rules, tradition and custom. Arrival transfer and briefing is necessary to inform them the program/time table.
Arrival and departure transfers are the functions of operation department of a travel agency. It is the service section so it is the most important department. Correspondence department creates business but service is provided by operation department. This is the service of an agency so special attention is given for “Image built up”. Among several operational jobs transfers are the most job of an operation department. Special and experienced staffs are assigned for this purpose. In a big agency where transfers are regular the jobs it is supported by airport representative.
In term of tourism, transfer involves different activities. If it is related to arrival transfer it involves meeting, handling the guest baggage, tour briefing and transport, accompanying the guest and hotel check in. It also involves making all the necessary arrangements so that the tour program moves smoothly. The departure transfer involves; to meet at the hotel, help with luggage, and help to settle the hotel bills, transport to airport, accompanying and help at the airport. Arrival transfer is concerned with the smooth flow of the tour whereas departure transfer is concerned with continuity, long term business relation. “The first impression is the last impression and every last impression should lead to new one”.
8.2. Arrival Transfer
An arrival of a guest is the result of year’s marketing efforts and lots of promises made by correspondence staffs. So during the arrival the travel agency must fulfill all the promises. The arrival transfer service is to fulfill their expeditions and to prove that you and your organization are the right choices they have made. A good impression made right at the start would put everyone in the right mood.
The better impression creates trust, friendship and develops higher involvement. Higher involvement result better service. Service is a process and right process starts with right impression. Only right impression will motivate them to involve in tourism activities.
Clients arriving from a long flight will be tired, dehydrated and suffered from jet-lag. Arriving strange place, noisy crowed and completing all the border formalities creates mental tiredness. Travelers face travel-fears. It is made of different types of fear factors such as fear of flying, fear of having wasted hard earning money, fear of foreign culture foreign food, fear of getting sick, etc. A tourist has left regular life, friend’s environment of which one is used to. So a guest always expect to be safe and secured of physical needs, intellectual stimulation (mental expectations), a sense of belongings (acceptance by the local), his status is recognized. Arrival transfer is service provide to the tourist. Service is an art but at the same time it is science also where staff needs to follow certain rules and regulation. The objective of arrival transfer is to create positive environment. It includes socialization of two people, two regions and countries. So it is a social science and creative art.
8.3. Arrival transfer job includes
Arrival transfer job includes following jobs:
· Meeting guest, receive and welcome. It is to create an environment of acceptance and trust.
· Handling of the guest baggage. It includes payment of porter, country and loading on the transport. Claim the lost and damage baggage.
· Brief the guest about the hotel, hotel plan, country and local culture.
· Provide transport (No taxi)
· Accompany with the guest to the hotel.
· Handover the guest baggage to the hotel and help them to hotel check in.
Arrival transfer job includes making all the necessary arrangements so that the rest of the tour programs move smoothly. The basic objectives of arrival transfer are to eliminate fear factors and create positive environment so that the tourist will involve in service receiving process.
It is a step by step works to be performed. It systematizes the work. It makes the task certain and easy going. Checklist gives confidence in the work and need not to rush for anything at the last minutes. One thing that must be kept in mind is that tourism is a service industry ad service is an art so learn to develop the art of dealing with clients.
8.4. Process of arrival transfer
· Prepare yourself: preparation of arrival transfer is to know about the office rules and regulation government rules and regulation regarding foreign currency, passport and visa rules. It is better to know about the present trend about our country and same basic knowledge so that you can talk with them, you can understand their level of knowledge, liking and disliking.
· You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Your appearance at the airport should be highly professional. Prove that you and your agency is the best among the crowed.
· You should be clean, neat and very well groomed.
· You should be wearing a monogram/ id card/uniform which identifies that you are the official in the charge. You are the right professional.
· If you have a choice of clothing, think of “Well dressing”.
8.5. Before going to the Airport/ Bus park station:
· Update the tour file: Check the correspondence re-checks it, re-read and understand all the information in detail. Receive all necessary instructions from the concerned people. Each information should match with each other for e.g.
· Date of arrival and departure with itinerary.
· Flight detail with arrival time, airlines and match with activities mentioned in the itinerary.
· Hotel plan should match with service voucher and number of passenger and itinerary.
· Client name or group name and children with age should correspond with booking vouchers and with itinerary.
· Re-check the file instruction/ special request-
If necessary ask for cash advance for necessary arrangement such as khata, garlands, entrance fee for city tours, etc.
Prepare a list of name of the guest or tour leader, total number of guest, arrival details, details tour program, name of hotel and any related specific information.
a. Vouchers: check hotel service voucher-booking dates, meal plan, hotel plan, rooms booked, name of the hotel and pax. The information mentioned in the voucher should match with each other and with itinerary.
Transport voucher or booking should correspond with number of pax and with itinerary. Check the name of Transport Company. Check the quality/ size and facility in the vehicle as per client’s requirement.
Airline reservation should have naming list, child with age, nationality. The booking date and flight number should be as per itinerary.
b. Contact/check the services agencies, such as hotels trekking agency, rafting agency transport, guides, porters etc and confirm the service. If necessary fix time for special briefing, build a service team to provide service.
c. Organize transport. Meet the driver and check the vehicle and its quality. It must be as per the requirement of the client and as per itinerary. Check the systems such as microphone and a/c system. Meet the driver brief the itinerary and develop friendship. Inform the driver about the services, hotel and special requirements if any.
d. Receive advance if necessary arrival transfer involves some miscellaneous expenses, such as entrance fee, parking fee, portage, welcome garlands etc.
e. Call the concerned airlines at the airport and find out the ETA (Estimated time of arrival). It will help to save time and save transport cost.
Remember to have agency monogram, display card, name card, your own identity and check uniform.
8.6. At the Airport/Bus station
a. Be at the airport/bus station prior to the time of the passenger’s arrival and stand with play card, name card/agent card in the most suitable place where guest can see you. You must have a safe margin time in case the vehicle gets in a traffic jam, road block or other obstructions. You must have time to park the vehicle in a suitable place.
b. Inform the driver where to park the vehicle and where he should wait for you. Develop good understanding between the driver and you. He should know the itinerary, name of the hotel and if any special services are required.
c. You must have your id card with you.
d. You should be well groomed and look professional.
e. Identify your client: Do not disturb others. In case of confusion, be polite and ask short and quick question. If you are involved long time with others clients, you may miss yours. The itinerary, pax, nationality, agent, baggage, age etc will help you to identify them. Use common sense, be logical, be smart, be rational and use knowledge and experience.
f. Once you recognize your client, let them know that you are “the right person”. Help them to manage with their baggage. Create an environment that the customer feels comfortable.
g. Introduce yourself and exchange greeting. Extend courtesy by making a few queries about their journey so as to make them feel at home and ease. Your introduction should be short and clear.
h. Check and count the number of baggage. Help the, to claim for the lost and damage baggage if there is any.
i. Welcome/greet as per file instruction.
j. Lead them to the vehicle. They are tired and are not used to our driving system. Help them to get into the vehicle.
k. Count the baggage and make sure that it is properly loaded. Pay the porters and get receipt.
8.7. From airport to hotel:
a. The clients must feel comfortable and must develop trust on you. Re-introduce yourself. If your name is difficult to pronounce. Make it simple so that they can remember you. Speak slowly and clearly as they not familiar with local ascent and language. Use short sentences always remember, “First impression is the last impression”. There is no second chance. Always remember that communication should is two way. Encourage them to speak and try to know their interest. Do not speak for long and continuously.
b. Inform the name of the hotel and how long it takes to get there, location of the hotel. Hotel plan facilities available in the hotel and what is included and what are the extras etc briefly.
c. Identify their interest and start for “extra sell’ as a service on-top”. While driving from airport to hotel provide information on:
· Time difference –local time now
· Health and hygiene- water, food
· Weather/climate
· Tipping practices for services provided
· Foreign currency exchange rules and regulations.
· Introduce them with important historical and cultural monuments; on the way to hotel.
· If the mountains are visible, introduce them with their heights.
· If some special event/ festivals are being celebrated or going on brief them.
· Show them the ways on brief them.
· Show them the ways and introduce them with the road and road marks so that they can roam around in their free time.
· Introduce the next program in brief.
8.8. At the hotel
1. Hand over the number of baggage to the bellboy and lead the clients to the hotel reception. Collect registration card and help the guest to fill the card.
2. Receive the required type and number of rooms and be sure that the clients are happy with their rooms.
3. Introduce the hotel layout such as where the restaurants, shopping etc and other facilities available in the hotel.
4. Leave your contact address and office address where they should contact in case of emergency.Note down their rooms and names
5. Wait for another 15 minutes so that the last client reaches at their room and complain of room facility if any.
6. Service is an art, develop internal enthusiasm and always remember GUEST IS DEUTA. Service is not only karma it is Dharma of TOUR + ISM. After completing the job, develop practice of reporting at the office and entry all the information in the official record of expenses. Leave notes, instructions, information in the office where you will be. An operation staff is never on leave.
8.9. Lost or Damage Baggage
Passenger needs to declare about his lost and damage baggage at the custom areas where travel agents are normally not allowed. But if the clients arrive out and claim for lost baggage, it is your responsibility to brief him about the formalities or you contact the airline authority and fill up the forms. Make sure that the airline gives necessary duplicate copies to claim insurance and to clear custom if luggage arrives later on. The airlines are responsible for lost and damage baggage. Modern computer system will locate the lost baggage. Airlines will pay compensation to busy toiletries and other essentials if baggage is delayed.
9.0. Tour Briefing
1. Briefingshould be short, clear and interesting so that they can remember. Write down all the important information.
- General briefing should be completed on the way from the airport t the hotel. Detail briefing is organized after hotel check in a convenient place in their convenient time.
- Explain some of the dos and don’ts
- Introduce the tour program and which places are included and which could be adjusted in their free time and what would be the cost of extra services.
- A briefing should include:
- Time difference
-Rate of foreign currency exchange
- Nightlife/extra activities available
-Health – water and food
- Money exchange – foreign exchange rules
- Shopping – local handicrafts, souvenirs, bargaining etc.
If a client has booked a special tour briefing has to be organized with the specialist.
9.1. Departure Transfer
Departure transfer is related with long term customer relation. It is the final or end of the tour. It is the last travel – service so it should be capable to generate long term relation. Here, one must keep in mind that every departure transfer should be capable to generate new business. Satisfied customers are unpaid marketing staffs. They recommend your service and your agency. To use the customer’s word for promotion is known as word of mouth. Tourism being a service business where service products are intangible satisfied customer’s recommendation is very important. To achieve full objective of departure transfer prepare a plan. Pre understanding of the job and its sensitivity is necessary to make it successfully.
The job departure transfer includes:
-Inform and brief guest about the hotel pick up time, flight tiem, travel documents, baggage allowance and other related information.
- Help hotel check – out
- Take care of guest baggage
- Provide transport (no taxi)
- Accompanying with the guest to the airport.
- Help airport check in and farewell.
9.2. Departure Transfer Process:
A departure transfer job starts a day before. The job should be systematic, and efficiently to leave positive impacts on guests so that they will re-visit or recommend their friends to visit our country.
- A Days before
1. Check operation and correspondence file and prepare a note of necessary information such as name of guest/group, hotel, collection, departure flight and schedule, estimated time of departure (ETD) etc.
2. Inform hotel to prepare bill and inform bell boys at what time guest baggage will be collect.
3. Inform transport at what time they need to be ready and what time I the pickup time.
4. Finally inform guest at what time they need to pick up their baggage and what time to leave hotel what is the airport tax and other formalities they need to fulfill at the airport etc inform about the travel documents.
It is very difficult for a guest to remember all the information. They are on holiday. Speak slowly, use simple language and make sure that they understood the provided information. If the guest is not contacted leave message at the hotel reception and check that they received the message.
Points to be remembered:
1. Air ticket: Return flight tickets need to be confirmed. Some airlines provide the facility of reconfirming ticket by phone but some airlines do not provide this facility. Some international airlines provide very wide range of facilities.
2. Visa/ Passport/ AND other valid papers: Every passenger should carry all the necessary papers and documents to fly out of the country. It is the responsibility of the travelers to clear border formalities but as a travel agent it is their responsibility to check and support their guest. A travel agent must be familiar with confirm recent rules and regulation from the concerned airlines, travel agent or government embassy.
3. Airport tax: Airport tax is always collected in local currency. The airport tax may be received every year and rate may differ as per nationality and destination. The rate is different from domestic to international flights. So please check and confirm from the concerned authority or from the airlines.
4. Foreign exchange: Certain countries have special foreign currency exchange rules. They may have imposed restrictions import and exported foreign currencies. As per Nepal government, foreigners are not allowed to bring Indian currency and bills of 500 denominations are not valid in Nepal. Nepali citizens are allowed to carry only limited and valid limit of foreign currency.
5. Collection of payment: Every client is responsible to clear their bill before they leave the country. Collection of the payment should be done on the basis of proper official paper. Collection may on cash, Travelers cheque, credit cards, and service vouchers.
- At the hotel
1. Hotel check out: While dealing with departure transfer. A travel agent should consider following points:
a. Hotel check out time: Normal hotel check out time is 12 noon. The early check in or late check- out may cost extra. If guest departure is later inform hotel authority on time. Hotel may provide special services to their customers if they have space.
b. Extra service: The extra service charges such as international calls, laundry bills, tips, medical expenses are not included in hotel. Guest will clear the bill directly.
c. Hotel plan: Check guest hotel plan. If the client has taken extra then the paid hotel plan guest will pay for it directly to the hotel. For example,if the hotel plan was EP but guest took meals the guest is obliged to clear the extra bill.
D. Hotel payment: If hotel and travel agency has agreed for credit facility hotel will accept service order/ service voucher.
Hotel check –outs are of two types: International or permanent check out and domestic or temporary check –out.
Permanent check – out: If the guest is leaving the hotel permanently, it is necessary to clear the hotel bill and carry out all personal belongings/ luggage and take out valuables from the safe deposit box.
Temporary check –out: Some time guest leave hotel for overnight and stay in the same hotel again. Then it is not necessary to clear the hotel bill and use safe deposit box to deposit valuable items. Advise them not to carry unnecessary facility of baggage store facility. Carry only what they might need for the tour and store the rest in the hotel.
If your client is leaving the hotel but did not check out the room and leave belongings in the room, it is treated as occupied room. The hotel will charge for the same even if he did not use his room for the night. Both hotels will charge for the room. So brief them clearly.
- Transfer to the airport:
7. Call the airport and find out the ETD. A travel agent must have pre-understanding of checking time. The checking time is different from country to country and differs from international to domestic.
8. Count and collect the guest baggage from the bell boys and load properly.
9. Do final checking of the passport and airlines tickets before leaving hotel.
10. On the way to airport develop a friendship, motivate and leave long lasting impression, so that he/she will re-visit.
11. Always be on time at the airport.
- See – off at the airport: Count and handover the baggage to porter. Help them to check – in, pay airport tax, clear custom and visa formalities. If some left over local currency is there help them to change into foreign currency.
- Wish them a safe and happy journey and will come back soon.
- Leave airport when all the guests complete all the formalities not before.
- Make sure that the flight takes – off if not you are still responsible for them. (Actually in case of international flight cancellation airlines is responsible but still they are your guest. In domestic flight airlines do not take responsibility).
- After every departure return to office and report to duty officer, entry the detail and file the official records. Develop a habit of reporting and record keeping.
· Baggage allowance:
Travelers travel with personal belongings. The personal belonging is known as baggage. The entire IATA member has agreed to carry passenger baggage free – of cost. The quantity of baggage carried free of cost is baggage allowance. Every passenger travelling by air will get a certain quantity of baggage carried by airlines free of baggage they can take with them in the flight free of extra cost. Any air seat passenger occupying seat will get the facility of baggage allowance. Children paying 50% of the adult fare are entitled to receive the same weight allowance as per adult passenger, but infants paying only 10% fares are not entitled to a seat and do not get any baggage facility. The infants are allowed same facility such as one fully collapsible stroller or push – chair and baby food. The provisions related to baggage allowance are mentioned in the passenger ticket. For the purpose of baggage allowance passenger baggage are categorized into:
1) Unchecked baggage/ Hand Baggage and
2) Checked baggage/ Registered Baggage
- Unchecked / Hand Baggage: These are smaller items that passengers can take with them in the aircraft. They are hand carry items suitable for placing in closed overhead rack, or under the passenger’s seat. The hand carry is available during the flight. These hand carry items are also known as un-registered baggage. The maximum dimensions (The sum of the three dimensions of all such carry on items) shall not exceed 45 inches (115cm). The items to be included as hand carry are mentioned in the passenger air ticket. Normally, hand carry items are not weighted in international flights. But certain airlines flying to mountainous regions may have imposed weight limitations due to technical reason.
- Items included in unchecked/ hand carry baggage
- Over coat, umbrella, walking stick, camera, laptop, computers, binocular, reading matter, hand bag or purse.
- Infants carrying basket, infant food for consumption on flight, fully collapsible stroller or push-chair (should fit in cabin or cabin compartment of the aircraft)
- Fully collapsible wheel chair and/ or crutch and /or braces or other prosthetic device for passenger’s use.
- Blind or deaf passenger who depends on a trained dog may be permitted to accompany with the dog but the dog should be harnessed and shall not occupy a seat.
· Registered baggage /checked baggage: Passengers are allowed to carry certain quantity of baggage for their travel. These are the items they need for their travel. The small items are carried in the flight and big items are checked and registered with the carrier. The carrier takes the responsibility of the baggage and issue a baggage. They are also known as checked baggage.
There is a certain limit to be carried in the hold of the aircraft. The baggage is not available during the flight. There are two system practiced by airlines to after checked baggage allowance. The baggage allowance is different from airline to airlines and from country to country.
· Checklist
Travel checklist can help you schedule a trip in advance and have a good preparation for things that are essential to make travelling fun and memorable. A well designed travel checklist can save from trouble and time. Travel checklist can help to organize a trip in order. There are certain essential things those, need to be prepared for the trip/ tour.
Items to be carried while going for a transfer
-Placard, operation file, business card, hotel vouchers, service vouchers, tickets, itineraries, vehicles, garland, khata/ topi, city map etc.
