TORONTO — If you’re a travel advisor, you’re probably putting in long hours perfecting every detail of your clients’ dream vacations. But what are you doing to help them after they’ve returned home?

The post-trip follow-up, many advisors say, can be just as important as the work that you do leading up to their big departure. With an increasingly competitive marketplace, and growing demand for ‘white-glove’ service, it’s not enough to send your clients on their way with a simple bon voyage. These days, checking in with them after their trip is an absolute must.

“The follow-up is important because it shows that they aren’t just a ‘booking’ to you; you actually care how the trip went and want to develop an ongoing rapport and hear their feedback,” says Cindy Almond, Owner of Romance and Foodie Travel in Ottawa. “It’s helpful not only to secure the bond with the client for future business, but the feedback can be useful for new reservations you’ll make in the future.”

Almond also notes that advisors should use the post-trip follow-up to also ask for a Google review, which can do wonders for an advisor’s business. “Positive Google reviews are helpful because people do look you up when you’re referred,” she says. “The more positive reviews you have, the more likely a client will be to reach out.”

Travelweek reached out to several travel advisors to ask how they approach the post-trip follow-up, and for examples of how this extra measure has led to new opportunities. Here’s what they told us:

Cindy Almond, Owner of Romance and Food Travel (hosted by The Travel Agent Next Door), Ottawa, ON

“I most often follow up with an email once they’re back to welcome them home and ask how it went. I also ask for a review on Google of our services and their experience.

“Often, clients provide feedback on their trip and thank you for your help, which is rewarding in and of itself. But often, they have another trip in mind already and they bring it up to you, so you have an opportunity to follow up about it or set a follow-up for the future. Some people don’t respond because they get busy or forget, but I find that a follow-up a couple weeks later often inspires them to reply. So always follow up if you don’t hear back right away!”

Lise Archambault, Travel and Cruise Specialist, Algonquin Travel & Cruise Centre-TravelPlus, Ottawa, ON

“When a client travels, I always put a return date on my calendar to follow up a few days after their return. Some people love to talk by phone, others prefer email. Either way, I always ask for feedback such as, ‘What was your favourite thing(s) about the destination, would you return, and what would you have changed?’ I also often ask for photos. I had clients in a five-star in Paris who sent me a photo of the bathroom sink, which was only two feet off the ground and the husband is 6’5”!”

“I’m an independent contractor so it makes sense to develop an excellent rapport and relationship with clients. I think every manager should encourage their agents to follow up and even print up cards and envelopes for the staff to use on the company’s behalf. 

“At the very beginning of my travel agent career, I sent a thank you note by Canada Post and people really liked that touch. Inside, I always thanked them and asked them to continue our services. I created an email list for ‘Specials’ and asked if they would like to be on it. At least 98% said yes, and when someone saw a terrific deal, they automatically called me and often referred their friends. This was great passive repeat income.”

Lou-Anne Fradsham, Owner/Agent, Uniglobe Bon Voyage Travel, Toronto, ON

“The follow-up depends on the type of vacation. For those down south, I usually follow up with an email or phone call. If it’s a big vacation like a dream trip to Australia, I follow up with an actual card with a note that’s sent by snail mail.

“I had a client who took her teen-aged children to a resort in the Dominican Republic this past February. She had not taken a vacation since pre-Covid and was a bit anxious. When she came back, I followed up by email and got this fantastic review of the property. I have to say, it was the best fam report that I had ever read. I emailed the client back and explained when travel agents go on fam trips, they usually have to write a report – and hers was a stellar report! I asked if she would ever think about getting into travel. Now, that client is working for Bon Voyage as an Independent agent! She got her TICO accreditation and has been busy doing all the courses and just made her first sale.” 

Amira Harris, President and Founder, Aisle Travel, Calgary, AB

“We have an automatic email survey that goes out within 24 hours of the client’s return. IN the survey, it asks everything from the airline used, the hotel/resort they stayed at, transportation, etc. With the results, we update our database with this information to ensure we are vetting our suppliers and vendors and that our client had a great and seamless experiences. After the survey results are received, we also send a thank you card in the mail to thank them for doing the survey and trusting us with the trip. It’s a simple thing that goes a long way.

“We had a wedding group and one of the group guests was so impressed with the service they received that they booked their 10-year vow renewal with us when they returned from the trip and after completing our post-trip survey. It’s always important to follow up with clients because it shows that you care and provides you the opportunity for feedback – good and bad – and future referrals.”

Kim Hartlen, Owner/Travel Advisor, Kim Hartlen Travel-Trevello, Halifax, NS

“I always do a follow-up on their return via email and/or a phone call. Follow-up is very important as it shows the clients you were there from start to finish of their travel plans. It also allows you to receive feedback on their vacation, which can help in your business, and they may even book another vacation.

“Follow-ups can lead to many new bookings, with a lot of my clients booking Sandals on-resort before they come home, and on cruises. And then the clients transfer their bookings to me. There is a deadline after they arrive home to transfer to you, so if you don’t do the follow-up within a few days or a week after their return, you may not get the booking transferred by the supplier.”

Valerie Murphy, Travel Advisor, Direct Travel, Waterloo, ON

“I generally follow up with an email or a phone call, or I mail a welcome back card with a gift card, depending on the client. Follow-up is so important, especially when it’s a destination or hotel I haven’t been to. I like to hear the good and the bad and any helpful tips for future bookings.

“I actually followed up with a client yesterday who just got back from Antigua. They met another couple on their trip who were looking for an agent and so they referred them to me.”

Cheri Ozimac, Senior Travel Designer, Tully Luxury Travel, Mississauga, ON

“We always send both a Bon Voyage email and a Welcome Home email as their feedback is crucial to us as agents, whether it’s for booking future clients, hearing new feedback or to see if anything has changed. Usually if they had a good time, they’re already thinking about their next trip, and so this is a good opportunity to see about booking the next trip or to see if we need to send feedback to guest relations of the cruise line.

“I have reached out to clients where they’ve purchased an onboard future cruise deposit on their cruise to go towards a future trip. When they got home, and if they had a good trip, they have converted this into a future booking at the time I reached out. If they enjoyed their trip, chances are very high they will book another one.”