The Trials & Tribulations of a Tour Operator

Sometimes I wonder if it is worth writing about all of this...And then I think: of course it is!

Because somewhere along the way, we have been persuaded that the world is now an "easier" place because information is available instantly.

• Everything is online.

• Everything is automated.

• Everything is supposedly quicker.

Except, sometimes, it really isn't.

Sometimes I just want to speak to a human being. Not a recorded message telling me how easy it is to communicate with you by email, WhatsApp or by visiting your website. I don't want to listen to your choice of music. I don't want to press 3, then 5, then 10, then 8, only to be told to visit your website. I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUUUUUUUU!

And, ideally, I would quite like to speak to you within five minutes.

Is that really so difficult?

Last week was so stressful that I have decided it is better to laugh about it rather than give way to tears.

Although, I'm not entirely sure there was much laughter going on at the time!

And within my rant, I have very limited words of wisdom at this point.

Except perhaps this... Book with a company where someone actually answers the phone

If you are booking a holiday, particularly an important or complicated one, there is something to be said for booking with a small, independent company or with a company where, when you call, you can actually speak to someone!

Someone who has a name.

Someone who knows what they are doing.

Someone who will take responsibility for finding an answer.

And if they don't know the answer?

That's fine too.

Just say:

"I don't know, but leave it with me and I will find out and call you back."

Honestly, I would be delighted with that answer.

Large corporate companies, particularly within travel and hotel groups, seem to have forgotten that sometimes the most valuable customer service tool is still the humble telephone. And someone on the other end of it.

"Meet the Team"

Last week I spent days trying to contact various travel companies. I love looking at websites with their lovely photographs and their "MEET THE TEAM" pages.

There is Stefano, who works in web design.

Giulia, the wedding planner.

Michela, also a wedding planner.

Franca.

Debbie.

Suzanna.

Marcello.

Maurizio.

Giovanni.

The list goes on.

What a wonderful, large team!

And then I pick up the phone...

Nobody answers.

Do you think it might be worth having someone answering the telephone?

Perhaps Emilio could be employed as the telephonist?

Just a thought.

Don't be afraid to ask questions

Another thing I would say to anyone booking a holiday is:

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

It doesn't matter if you think the question sounds stupid.

If you don't understand something, ask.

Sometimes it may be down to a simple human error.

Sometimes it may be something that nobody has ever thought about.

And sometimes — and I'm going to say it — it may simply be wrong.

We seem to be so caught up in the small print these days that we sometimes forget about common sense.

And yes, I am going to say it...

Ethics.

If something doesn't seem right, question it.

Companies should actually welcome feedback because it gives them the opportunity to look at what they are doing and, perhaps, realise that something needs changing?

When the computer says "NO", perhaps sometimes it should actually be saying "YES, let's look at this."

Always ask for a name

This is another one of my little words of wisdom.

Get a name.

When you speak to someone about something important, ask who you are speaking to.

It gives accountability.

And if you need to call again, you can say:

"I spoke to John last week and he advised me that..."

Rather than starting all over again with someone who has absolutely no idea what has previously been discussed.

Last week I called a hotel reception regarding a particular issue.

I was given one answer.

A few days later, I called again.

Different person.

Different answer.

So which one is correct?

Can somebody please tell me?

And if you don't know, that's absolutely fine.

Just say:

"I don't know the answer, but I will find out and come back to you."

That is what they call customer service.

"Call this number..."

And so it starts.

"You need to speak to this department. Here is the number."

Thank you.

I dial the number.

Recorded message.

"Press 5 if you require special assistance."

Yes. That's me.

Press 5.

Another recorded message.

"For further information, please visit our website."

Right.

So I go to the website.

I find the special assistance section.

And what does it tell me?

Call the airline.

The airline that gave me the number I have just called in the first place.

You couldn't make it up.

So I search for another number.

And another.

And another.

Eventually, after around three hours of dealing with teams, recorded messages, websites and telephone menus, I find a number.

Hallelujah!

Someone answers.

And then...

They put the phone down.

I call again.

Busy.

Again.

Engaged.

Again.

Nothing.

At this point, I can actually feel the nerves in my neck tightening.

I find the airport's complaints section.

There is no telephone number to call for general information or assistance.

There is a form.

So I download the form.

I complete the form.

I submit the complaint.

Because surely this isn't acceptable.

Then, just for good measure, I call the number one last time.

Someone answers.

Before they have the chance to say anything, I shout:

"PLEASE DON'T PUT THE PHONE DOWN!"

There is a pause.

"What do you mean?"

"You answered the phone and then put it down!"

"I didn't put the phone down. It was the line."

Yes.

Right.

I'm muttering under my breath at this point, but I have to persist.

Because somewhere in all of this is an elderly client who needs special assistance, and that is the bit that matters.

And then there was the complaint...

Having finally managed to submit the complaint, I received an acknowledgement.

Fantastic.

Except...

Wrong name.

Wrong issue.

Apparently, I was complaining about parking at Manchester Airport.

I wasn't.

I was complaining about something completely different at a completely different airport.

So I write back.

"Could you please provide me with a reference number for my complaint?"

Yes, they reply.

It's the same reference number you already have.

The reference number that relates to the wrong person and the wrong complaint.

And I'm still waiting for this one to be resolved.

But this is why I do what I do.........

The frustrating thing is that so much of my time is spent trying to make sure everything is perfect for my clients.

I send suppliers and hotels as much information as possible.

I tell them about the client's requirements.

I explain their circumstances.

I try to anticipate problems before they happen.

Why?

Because I want my clients to remember their holiday for all the right reasons.

So, for example, I had a lovely elderly lady travelling to Calabria.

Her flight was very early the following morning, so she was staying at an airport hotel.

I contacted the hotel in advance.

I explained that she would need assistance with her luggage in the morning.

She needed to leave her room at around 4.00am so that she could be at the airport in time.

Could somebody please make sure someone came to her room and helped her with her bags?

"Of course."

"Absolutely."

"No problem."

Wonderful.

Everything organised.

Or so I thought.

4.25am...

Saturday morning.

4.25am.

My phone rings.

It's my client.

"Nobody has come to pick me up."

"I think I may have missed the assistance."

"I may have damaged my shoulder trying to manage my bags."

My heart sinks.

"Don't worry," I tell her.

"I'll call the hotel."

I call.

Nothing.

Again.

Nothing.

Again.

Nothing.

It's now around 4.49am.

I call my client back.

Eventually, contact has been made.

Someone has apparently called her to say they are coming to help.

But still nobody has arrived.

So I call the hotel's main number.

This time someone answers.

I explain the situation.

"Oh goodness, that's awful. Let me try and find someone."

I wait.

Five minutes.

The voice comes back.

"I've tried, but nobody is answering."

"I'm so sorry."

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

No.

There really isn't.

Have a nice day.

I actually had to stop myself.

Are you serious?

And then came the airlines...

But I'm going to have to leave that one for another day.

Because, frankly, there is far too much to do.

And that, perhaps, is the real point of this entire story.

Running a tour operating business isn't just about booking flights, hotels and transfers.

It is about people.

It is about checking.

Double-checking.

Anticipating.

Calling.

Following up.

Asking questions.

Solving problems.

And, occasionally, spending three hours trying to find a human being who will simply answer the phone.

So here are my words of wisdom...

If you are booking a holiday, don't just look at the photographs.

Don't just look at how beautiful the website is.

Don't just count the number of people smiling under "Meet the Team."

Pick up the phone.

See what happens.

Do they answer?

Do you get a name?

Does someone listen?

If they don't know the answer, do they take responsibility for finding it?

Because when something goes wrong — and occasionally, despite everyone's best efforts, something will go wrong — that is when you discover the real value of the company you booked with.

And perhaps that is why I still believe passionately in what I do.

Because when one of my clients calls me at 4.25am, I don't want them pressing 3, then 5, then 10 and then 8.

I want them to know that there is a person on the other end of the phone.

And that person is me.

So, yes...

The trials and tribulations of being a tour operator continue.

I may occasionally lose my patience.

I may occasionally question why on earth I do this.

I may occasionally have a very strong Espresso and stare into the distance wondering whether it would all be easier if I sold something much less complicated.

But then I remember why I started.

Because travel is about people.

And sometimes, all people really want is to speak to another person.

Is that really too much to ask?

Apparently, in 2026...

yes.

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