Travel Advisor

Summary of Position

Provide travel services for business travelers, including arranging domestic and international air, ground transportation, hotel, and any other travel services as requested.  Utilize communication skills and teamwork to deliver optimum service and achieve high customer satisfaction, as well as develop strong collaborative relationships with clients and vendors.

Schedule / Shift

8-5pm CST (FLEXIBLE)

Responsibilities and Duties

• Communicate with customer in verbal and written form to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
• Arrange all travel related services. Including, but not limited to, bookings, such as air, rail, car, car service, hotel, seat assignments, and any other accommodations requested by the client.
• Understanding of simple international travel, including fares and pricing, available resources and travel documentation requirements. 10-25% of air bookings should be international.
• Be consultative with customer, adhering to organization’s Travel Policy guidelines.
• Compute cost of travel related services using the GDS (Global Distribution System) or other booking tools and resources.
• Assist customers with various needs, such as travel changes and special requests, including any necessary problem solving.
• Quality Control each reservation before queuing to the relevant ticketing/quality control queue.
• Ability to quickly assess information, anticipate issues and outcomes, and make effective decisions including ability to draw clear conclusions. Escalate to leadership for guidance when necessary.
• Review incoming correspondence and materials as needed; prioritize, summarize, and respond in a timely manner.
• Maintain all reservations in a completed state regardless of if authorization to ticket received at time of call.
• Monitor assigned queues and tasks throughout the workday to ensure reservations and tasks are accurate and complete. Responsible for ensuring that all tasks within their team are completed or re-assigned by end of shift.
• Work independently and with leadership team when necessary to make effective decisions, including resolving customer service issues.
• Create and update passenger profiles to properly service each traveler.
• Collect payment from customer for travel services according to Client’s Travel Policy and CTM Policy and Procedures.
• Read daily briefings and industry announcements to keep abreast of industry developments.
• Participate in training opportunities to maintain and expand travel knowledge and customer service skills.
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of GDS and any other product used for specific account being handled (i.e. CTMAdvisor, Online Booking Tool, iQCX, Banx, etc.)
• Maintain productivity goals as set by leadership.
• Ensure strong intra departmental communication, display positive team spirit, and ensure exemplary customer service.
• Develop supportive relationships with clients and demonstrate superior customer service.
• Must maintain good attendance record.
• May serve on a dedicated account(s) or specialty area.
• Other duties as assigned.

Leadership Responsibilities

This job does not have direct reports but may perform supervisory responsibilities in mentoring new or less experienced Travel Advisors.

Required of all CTM Positions

• Embrace CTM’s core values of Exceed to Service, Innovate to Generate, Trust to Succeed, Empowered to Achieve, Collaborate to Perform, Recognize to Reward, Play to Win.
• Professional, collaborative and supportive interaction with employees, clients, suppliers and vendors.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Appropriate and professional written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, handle and prioritize simultaneous requests.
• Creative and analytical thinking with strong problem-solving and consultative skills.
• Demonstrates calm under pressure – is a proactive contributor and eager to learn.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to do basic math.
• Ability to read and interpret information.
• Attention to detail.
• Regular and reliable attendance.

Education and Experience

• High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
• Post-Secondary Education in Travel and Tourism.
• For external applicants this position requires at least 2 years travel counselor experience or equivalent travel industry experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong interpersonal skills and capability to work effectively with all levels.
• Demonstrates professionalism and skills to maintain positive image.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to keep confidential any information, observations, or viewpoints regarding business matters.
• High degree of motivation with driving sense of responsibility, accountability, and responsiveness.
• Working knowledge of technology and PC literacy.
• Proficient on GDS.
• Strong ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Geography knowledge.
• Ability to read and interpret documents.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standard situations.