TRAVEL agent Jane Zollo doesn’t sell holidays. She sells dreams.
And when it comes to customer service, she is second to none, whether she is dealing with customers who want a weekend in Cornwall or a trip of a lifetime on the Queen Elizabeth.
It is Jane’s friendly professionalism and enthusiastic personal attention to detail that makes the difference.
This goes to the extent of sending customers guide books of places they are about to visit and even going to the effort of writing out luggage labels.
It is as if she is providing a fabulous holiday experience even before her customers have packed their bags.
The Travel Counsellor franchisee, who works from her beautiful home in Charter Alley, also sends welcome home cards, arriving just before her clients return, and emails out up and coming deals.
And it is clear that part of her success comes down to her very efficient organisational skills, which in no small part helps her in providing a consistent approach to relationship building.
It is no coincidence that Jane enjoys 77 per cent repeat business and receives plenty of referrals.
“I email every hotel about my client’s impending visit,” explained Jane, giving an example of a couple travelling to stay at three hotels for their 50th wedding anniversary.
“I’ll email the hotels and say: ‘Please can you look after Mr and Mrs Smith. They are travelling to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and they would like a quiet room with a view – they like twin beds – please make their stay special.’ If two of their hotels gave them a bottle of Champagne – what a welcome!”
It’s clear that Jane takes great pride in providing the best possible service.
“What I’m doing is creating someone’s dream. I don’t just sell holidays – I’m creating a dream and giving people memories and experiences.
“If I just sell a holiday and my client says it was alright – would they use me again? But if I sell them an experience where, for example, for a little extra money they can have their own driver in Sri Lanka and their own personal guide to take them out wherever they wanted, wouldn’t they love it?
“My role is to take care of all my client travel needs, providing them with the highest level of personal service and attention to detail.
“Since starting as a Travel Counsellor in July 2006, I have achieved over £4.2million in sales and have seen consistent growth in the business.”
And it’s clear that Jane’s skills have been recognised by business judges too.
She was a finalist in the INSPIRE12 Business Awards, for the Service Excellence category, and was then presented with the Best Accomm-odation award in recognition of her dedication to providing her customers with the highest levels of personal service and attention to detail when booking their travel arrangements, at the Travel Counsellors annual conference.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here