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Selling

Reception Services

Hillary Jenkins, Otago Polytechnic

The Big picture?

Who are the players?

What are their needs?

Selling & Service

Tourism is the largest industry in the world, it

touches on an almost endless number of

things in people’s lives. It has social,

economic, cultural and psychological

significance. It plays a role in contemporary

society and by extension – through your own

travel - it plays a role in your life.

The Big Picture

Lets look at the term “selling or sales…”

•What does it mean to you?

• Take 5 minutes to write a definition for both

selling or sales

The Big Picture

Selling can be more complex than just

completing a purchase

• Within the tourism industry its more about

helping people make the best buying decision

by focusing upon their needs ie.

• which cruise to take?

• which tour – guided or independent?

• how best to get to a destination?

The Big Picture

• take 5 minutes to explore a good definition for

service

• Think of an example of good and bad service

you have experienced recently

The Big Picture

Service

• according to Turban et al, 2002 “Customer Service is a series

of activities designed to enhance the level of customer

satisfaction – that is, the feeling that a product or service has

met the customer expectation” – wikipedia

• The way a person and/or company interacts with and treats its

customers

The Big Picture

Service moments in the tourism industry• A hotel front-desk person welcomes you by name

• A smiling flight attendant asks you if you would like a pillow

• A stateroom steward on a cruise ship turns down you bed while

you are at dinner

• An employee at a tourist bureau answers the phone as soon as

it rings

• A theme park employee gives directions to a ride

The Big Picture

• The client – who can also be known as:

• the purchaser

• the customer

• the consumer

• the buyer

• Or in tourism terms:

• the guest

• the passenger or pax

• the visitor

Who are the players?

• The seller – who is often known as:

• the salesperson

• or company

• Or in tourism terms:

• the wholesaler

• the travel agent

• the tour guide

• the tour operator

Who are the players?

Tourists

• Who are they and why do they travel?

• The World Tourism Organisation defines

tourism as: …the activities of persons

travelling to and staying in places outside

their usual environment……..

Who are the players?

Why people travel?

• To experience the beautiful

• Pleasure from interacting with people/family in other

countries and gaining a sense of fellowship and

community from them

• To satisfy curiosity and gain information about the world

• People are naturally curious

• Even short duration visits can provide insight

Who are the players?

Why do people travel ?

• To participate in history

• Important sporting events eg. Olympics

• Visit sites where famous people lived

• As outlets for hidden or socially unacceptable drives

• The sex industry

Who are the players?

Why do people travel?

• To gain an identity

• experiences

• knowledge

• growth

• you may not find out who you are but you could

discover who or what you are not

Who are the players?

To be successful in selling you must understand your

clients:

• Wants

• Needs

• Desires (the basis of marketing)

• Selling is one step in the much broader phenomenon

that marketing represents

What are their needs?

• www.world-tourism.org

• Berger. Arthur ASA. (2004) Deconstructing travel – Cultural Perspectives on Tourism. Alta Mira Press, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, California, USA.

• Mancini, Marc. (2003). Connecting with Customers – How to Sell, Service, And Market the Travel Product. Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

References