Booking Procedure

Once the client has signed the booking form, you must collect the appropriate deposit payment. If the client pays in cash or by cheque, you should issue a receipt according to the office procedure and then forward this payment to the tour operator concerned.

However, if the client pays with a credit card, you should make sure he or she has completed and signed the credit card section on the booking form. You may find also that from time to time the operator may want the client to sign a standard sales Voucher instead.

Of course, it is important for the client to take out insurance. If the tour’s operator insurance is chosen, make sure if the booking form is correctly completed and then add the premium to the deposit.

The client should decide an alterative insurance policy or perhaps no insurance at all (not to be advised), make surely this is properly noted on the booking form. Remember that if you sell our own group’s travel insurance, you can earn up to 45 per cent commission.

Once the booking form has been signed, it should be sent to the tour operator immediately. If the option expiry date is coming soon, it is best to telephone and make arrangements to extend the option so as to avoid any risk of the booking arriving too late. When the tour operator receives the booking form, all the details such as flight reservations or hotel rooms will be confirmed.

It is a good idea to note the date by which you should get the confirmation or the invoice back – usually two to three weeks after the booking. It is quite thoughtful to make a note of the date by which the client must take full payment (usually about six to ten weeks before departure). When confirmation is received you should check the details to make sure they are the same as those in your file and on the photocopy of the booking form. Finally, the confirmation should be sent to your client, highlighting the latest date for payment.

Answer the following questions:

1. What do you have to do after the client has signed the booking form?

2. What is necessary to do if the client pays with a credit card?

3. Is it important for the client to take out insurance?

4. What should you do if the tour’s operator insurance is chosen?

5. Do you earn forty-five or fifty-four percent commission if you sell agency’s group travel insurance?

6. When should the booking form be sent to the tour operator?

7. What is best to do if the option expiry date is coming soon?

8. It is a good idea to make a note of the date by which the client must take full payment, isn’t it?

9. Why should one check the details when confirmation is received?

10. Where should the confirmation be sent to?

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