This week on Agent Insights we speak with Peter from Clayfield Travel – a veteran of the travel industry with over 35 years of experience. Read his tips, tricks and advice on truly making it as a travel agent.
They don’t come much more experienced than this week’s guest on Agent Insights.
Meet Peter Fiske from Clayfield Travel in Queensland.
This is a guy that lives and breathes travel, and he sure is great at what he does. (He even recently won $10k as part of the TTC $1M cash giveaway.)
Peter receiving his BIG novelty cheque.
With further ado, let’s dive straight into it…
So Peter, who do you work for and what do you do?
I’m a Partner and the Manager of Clayfield Travel Professionals and have been since we opened in Clayfield Qld in 1990.
I have been in travel for 35 years and started out as a Tour Leader for TrekAmerica in the USA – best job in the world and where I met my wife Kerry who is a Partner and Senior Consultant here as well.
We are now training our daughter Jessica as a consultant.
What do you think makes you stand out from the pack?
I think by being a good listener, asking the right questions and not looking for the $$$ signs, your clients will see your sincerity.
First and foremost you have to establish trust with your clients; if you don’t have that, you won’t get the business – pure and simple.
Tell me about your worst customer – EVER.
In 25 plus years in business, I think it would have to be the guy with the worst case of halitosis (bad breath) and flatulence I have ever encountered!
We had to spray the office with air freshener every time he came in (he kept on coming back!) so we nicknamed him ‘Pepe Le Pew’ (a cartoon character from Loony Tunes).
Pepe Le Pew.
What do you wish you knew back when you started working as a travel agent?
Don’t burn your bridges because now more than ever, good relationships with colleagues and suppliers are very valuable.
For someone starting out, don’t focus on the $$$ signs, but instead focus on giving your clients what they need, not what you want to sell them. Do that and you will succeed.
Have you ever managed to turn a customer complaint into something positive? If so, how did you do it?
We rarely get complaints, but I do see customer complaints as opportunities to really impress your client with your service. By keeping your cool and by being a good listener, a complaint can actually strengthen your relationship with a client.
Several of my first clients are still with me, and one in particular had a complaint, but because I took it seriously and resolved it, he still books with me and has referred many friends to me who are now clients.
What are your biggest challenges at the moment?
The biggest challenge in retail travel now is creating your own value proposition and getting it out there.
With so much travel content online, plus the common misconception out there that if it is online it is cheaper and better (it’s not), we have to bring our A game every day.
How are you meeting this challenge?
We have a great team of five Senior consultants here with a combined total of over 100 years consulting experience – there’s hardly a destination we haven’t been to. We all travel and take famils and in the last year we have had staff go to Africa, Asia, Europe, the UK, the USA and South America.
Even as we speak, my wife and daughter are on a cruise to PNG. So our experience is our strongest suit and we actively promote this in our local area marketing.
Okay, last but not least: how do you see the industry evolving in 2016?
Despite all the doom and gloom, 2016 is going to be a great year for air travel as the cost of an airfare has never been cheaper relative to the cost of living etc.
Plus, Australia has a great range of cruising opportunities so it is a buyer’s market for a local cruise holiday as well.
And social media is now a great tool to keep your clients abreast of these offers so you have to have your finger on the social media pulse.
Thanks so much Peter. Where can people find you if they’d like to make contact?
I am easy to contact at peter@clayfieldtravel.com.au. We are bricks and mortar at 735 Sandgate Road, Clayfield Qld 4011 since 1990. My phone number 07 3862 1215. And please, travel related enquiries only, I am happy with my phone system.
*If you’d like to be be featured in Agent Insights, email shaun@karryon.com.au – I’d be happy to interview you!