Travel Advisor, International

Summary of Position

Provide travel services for VIP/Executive business travellers, including arranging domestic and extensive 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. This position may also provide mentoring for other less experienced travel counsellors.

Schedule / Shift

12-9pm EST

Responsibilities and Duties

• Confidently communicate with customer in verbal and written form to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, accommodations, and other services required.
• Interpret vague or nonspecific instructions from the client to draw clear conclusions and assemble accurate travel arrangements. Use of additional resources may be necessary.
• 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.
• Understand, manage, and execute use of upgrades and loyalty programs including follow-through to ensure services were delivered.
• It is required to have strong working knowledge of unique requirements of complex international travel, including routing, fares and pricing, multi-destination trips, available resources and travel documentation requirements.
• Have the knowledge to select and recommend foreign carriers for safety and reliability and make special arrangements (hotels, Showers) to accommodate international flight schedules and time zones.
• May be required to have understanding and expertise in international offerings, including airport lounges, day rooms, local currency, local customs, and resources available.
• Use available resources, such as RADIUS, Virtuoso networks, eGlobalfares and VerifyMyTrip to stay current on international and global affairs, benefits and offerings if position requires international travel bookings.
• Be consultative with customer and proactively anticipate the client’s needs to produce optimum results.  Execute travel plans with a high level of accuracy while overcoming unanticipated obstacles. Expected to produce results that will exceed an executive traveler’s expectations.
• Display self-confidence and respect and acknowledge the hierarchal level of a VIP/Executive traveler and/or their administrative assistant.
• Compute cost of travel related services using the GDS (Global Distribution System) or other booking tools and resources.
• Quality Control each reservation before queuing to the relevant ticketing/quality control queue.
• Empowered to resolve customer service issues using resources through leadership and/or vendor representative when necessary. If resolution is outside of monetary guidelines, recommend solution and obtain approval from leadership.
• Review incoming correspondence and materials as needed; prioritize, summarize, and respond in a timely manner.
• Communicates all necessary information to travelers and travel arrangers to ensure all expectations are met. This information includes: all travel itineraries, fare rules and regulations, confirmation numbers, cancellation policies, prepaid’s, code shares, upgrades, passenger preferences, Industry updates, clients travel policies, and credit card verifications, as well as destination and delivery information.
• 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 work day to ensure reservations and tasks are accurate and complete.  Responsible for insuring that all tasks within their team are completed or re-assigned by end of shift.
• Work with leadership team to identify opportunities for process improvement and continual enhancement to the travel program.
• Collect payment from customer for travel services according to Client’s Travel Policy and Travel and Transport 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.
• Employee will be a member of the corporate international expert’s email distribution and encouraged to participate in monthly international expert calls, as well as to obtain International Academy certification.
• Research and advises visas/passports for international travel to ensure compliance with international regulations
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of GDS and any other product used for specific account being handled (i.e. BARTT, Online Booking Tool, Quality, Banx, etc.)
• Maintain productivity goals as set by leadership.
• Ensure strong intra departmental communication, display positive team spirit, and ensure exemplary customer service.
• Develop trusting relationships with executive admin and executive travelers while demonstrating superior customer service.
• Build collaborative relationships with vendors to reach targeted goals.
• If participating in Travel and Transport’s mentoring program, responsible for coaching and mentoring other travel counselors in their career development.
• Ability to work outside regular shift during special events or times of crisis.
• Monitor flights of executive travelers using any available resources, such as eTTek Preview and Flight Stats/PNR Monitor.
• May require booking personal travel for executives and their family members or other travel companions.
• Arrange travel for small corporate groups and secure special group rates for airlines and hotel at the best price.
• Conduct initial introduction and interview of executive traveler profiles, which could include client onsite visit. Responsible for ongoing profile updates.
• Must maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Leadership Responsibilities

• This position may have direct and/or indirect reports which includes responsibility for overall performance management, including hiring, training, coaching, feedback, development, etc.
• Models the way for employees and sets a positive example by demonstrating our core values.
• Provides ongoing feedback and supports team member growth by working with employees and encouraging growth plans.
• Drives employee engagement. Facilitates regular and ongoing conversations about employee engagement and takes action to improve team and organizational culture.

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.
• This position requires at least 5 years travel counselor experience or equivalent travel industry experience, with at least 2 years proven experience in VIP/Executive travel.  Travel and Transport new hires will have a minimum of 6 months to show proven skill set, if application indicates qualified VIP/Executive travel experience.
• The employee performance must meet the requirements of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Outstanding 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.
• Knowledge of ARC policies/ requirements to follow refund, void, and exchange procedures
• Strong ability to prioritize and multi-task.
• Extensive domestic and advanced International geography knowledge.
• Knowledge of international documents requirements to ensure travelers’ compliance with country regulations
• Knowledge of unique requirements for car hire and private jet/FBO (Fixed Based Operator) locations.
• 50% of bookings shall be for international and executive travelers.
• Ability to read and interpret documents.
• Excellent 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.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision