Location: Eau Claire,WI, USA
Overview
Are you passionate about travel and want to share your enthusiasm with prospective travelers? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment? Are you looking for competitive wages and excellent benefits? Do you live in Northwest Wisconsin? Then look no further! Join Holiday Vacations as a Tour Sales Consultant!
This is a hybrid work arrangement, the successful candidate must be within commutable distance of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
COMPANY SUMMARY
At Holiday Vacations, our mission is to enrich lives with valued travel experiences. We offer inclusive guided tours led by professional Tour Directors to more than 70 destinations on six continents. We travel by air, motor coach, trains, and cruises on itineraries that bring the destination alive for our guests. We are headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and are a subsidiary of Xanterra Travel Collection, the largest national park concessionaire in the U.S. Xanterra also owns other tour operator and cruise line brands including VBT Bicycling Vacations, Country Walkers, and Windstar Cruises.
We offer a competitive hourly wage and bonuses, as well as a full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, 401k with company match, company contributions to HSA account, PTO, pet insurance, AFLAC, and more.
POSITION SUMMARY
This position will work under the supervision of the Tour Sales Manager and is responsible for securing tour sales and providing exceptional guest service, from the guest's first contact with Holiday Vacations until the completion of their tour. A Tour Sales Consultant must be passionate about travel and believe in the products we offer and our brand.
Responsibilities
CORE COMPETENCIES
At Holiday Vacations, a successful Destination Specialist possesses and demonstrates:
* Accountability by taking ownership of their actions and outcomes. They embrace feedback, make improvements when needed, and work diligently to ensure the highest standards in all aspects of their work.
* Attention to Detail by thoroughly reviewing their work, ensuring accuracy and precision in all tasks. They focus on the small but critical aspects of projects, consistently identifying and correcting errors to maintain quality and efficiency.
* Communication Skills by conveying information clearly and effectively across various channels, actively listening to others, and tailoring their messages to ensure mutual understanding and engagement with diverse audiences.
* Guest Service by anticipating and responding to guests' needs, creating a welcoming environment, and consistently delivering exceptional experiences. They demonstrate empathy, professionalism, and attentiveness, ensuring every guest feels valued and supported.
* Relationship Building by establishing trust, maintaining open communication, and fostering long-term connections. They actively listen, show genuine interest in others, and engage in meaningful interactions that result in loyalty, collaboration, and mutual respect.
* Sales by identifying customer needs, showcasing product or service value, and guiding prospects toward informed decisions. They leverage their knowledge, communicate clearly, and adapt their approach to build rapport, close deals, and achieve growth targets.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
* Manage inbound guest calls while remaining customer-focused, providing excellent, consistent customer service.
* Conduct outbound warm sales calls to convert leads into sales. WE DO NOT DO COLD CALLING!
* Conduct outbound service calls for requested call-backs, pre-tour notifications, departure point changes, date consolidation, etc.
* Learn and stay up to date on tour itinerary details, destination knowledge, as well as industry trends.
* Enter reservations, cancellations, and transfers into the reservation system.
* Maintain accuracy of guest accounts in the reservations system.
* Collect and process guest payments securely and accurately.
* Utilize resources and tools appropriately in order to respond professionally, efficiently, and accurately to guests, ensuring that they feel supported and valued.
* Identify guest's needs, clarify information, research issues, and provide solutions in a timely and professional manner.
* Use promotional materials to sell tour packages such as brochures, catalogs, and travel deals
* Build rapport and engage guests by going the extra mile.
* Raise awareness internally and provide data on guest feedback.
* Act as a resource for other departments within the company.
* Remove messages from general voicemail; enter requests into the reservation system, and return guest calls.
* Manage online chat and emails by using prepared scripts to reference important parts of what the company offers; Going off-script at times is necessary to answer questions that are unable to be addressed by scripts.
* Professionally, accurately, and clearly explain the optional travel insurance and loyalty programs to guests.
* Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE
* Enthusiastic passion for travel that can be shared with others.
* Three or more years of experience in customer service or sales, preferably via telephone.
* Exceptional ability to handle a high volume and wide variety of calls with enthusiasm, sincerity, patience, and professionalism.
* Strong drive to meet and exceed sales and performance metrics.
* Proficiency with basic computer applications and equipment.
* Proficiency with MS Office products (Excel, Outlook, Word, and Teams).
* Experience using web conferencing software (Ring Central).
* Ability to expertly navigate between multiple software programs to provide seamless and excellent guest service.
* Strong typing skills - at least 35 WPM.
* Excellent listening skills, demonstrating compassion and eagerness to provide outstanding service to our guests.
* Strong time management and decision-making skills.
* Ability to adapt quickly to an ever-changing, high-paced call center environment.
* Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
* Ability to work both independently and within a team.
WORKING CONDITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS
Work Location: The location for work is the Holiday Vacations corporate headquarters in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The office environment may have moderate noise levels from office equipment and verbal interaction.
Schedule: Work hours are generally during the regular business week, but there may be variations due to the time of year and department demands. This position follows a hybrid work arrangement, involving three days working in the office and two days working from home, based on the department's needs. However, there are occasions where additional office days are required to meet business demands.
PLEASE NOTE: The first 4-6 weeks of training are required to be on-site in Eau Claire, WI. Once you have completed training and are performing at an acceptable level, you will have the option to work remotely from home, assuming you can meet the requirements of working remotely.
The successful candidate must be within commuting distance of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Physical Requirements: The job requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time, as well as the ability to frequently walk and lift or carry up to 35 lbs. May require bending, twisting, stooping, grasping, and reaching outward or above shoulders, lift/carry and push or pull up to 50 lbs. Intense mental and visual concentration is required for computer usage.
TECHNICAL AND HOME-OFFICE REQUIREMENTS
* Must have a distraction-free workspace/environment with space for a desktop computer with two monitors.
* Must have a stable power source and internet connection, including a dedicated high-speed internet and ethernet connection.
* Connection cannot be wireless, Wi-Fi extenders, Wi-Fi repeaters, or hotspots.
* Ability to plug in your equipment to modem/router during work times.
BENEFITS: For full-time employees, Holiday Vacations offers a comprehensive benefits package including: Medical, Dental & Vision; HSA & FSA; Life & Disability; Accident, Hospital & Critical Illness; Pet Insurance; Paid Time Off and Holiday Paid Time Off; 401(k) with Company Match; Employee Assistance Plan; Education Assistance; and Employee Discounts and Travel Deals.
EEO: Holiday Vacations is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status.