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... I called the 800 number and spoke with a young lady that I won't name since (I believe) she gave me her real name and was polite, professional, and helpful. I'm afraid this type of behavior might get her fired, in trouble with her boss, or ostracized by her peers. Obviously she's setting standards the industry can't live with. She was certainly the only positive exception to a highly negative experience. This lady explained that "Internet Vacation Packages can be tricky." She told me that, based on our confirmation number, our surcharge would be $277.39. She indicated that the "best buy" directly from her company on the car rental plan we had in this package would be $215.99 (before surcharge) if we picked the car up at the airport. If we picked the car up at a hotel, the cost would be $177.99 before surcharges ($ 204.30 including surcharges — please note that this is about a 15% tax/surcharge) . Although this lady couldn't tell me the allocation of charges in our package, she said the surcharges are based on: 10% Airport contract fee 6% Government Services fee 3.5% Reimbursement fee 7.5% Sales Tax (As a sideline — add the aforementioned airport "best buy" on the rental car to these fees and taxes and you get surprisingly close to the $277.39 surcharge my wife must pay. Could it be that EX Company is misrepresenting their package and pocketing the rental car fee that's supposed to be included?) After more than an hour on the phone, about ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Producer Success Lesson 39 1/6 /2014 by Randy Schwantz This content has not been rated yet. Nothing happens until somebody sells something. To make sales happen, IMMS.com Key Sales Consultant Randy Schwantz has created a comprehensive series of 43 Producer Success Lessons. Used singuarly or in combination, these powerful tools can help your producers build their skills and grow their sales. We landed at Heathrow Airport outside of London and rode the Tube (subway) into the city. Twenty minutes later we were in a taxi headed north toward the suburb of Purley. Rick: What's it like driving on the wrong side of the road? ' Taxi driver: In England, this is the right' side of the road! ' Case closed. Meta programs are much like learning to drive in the United States, then getting behind the wheel in England. The truth is, both ways are right'; it depends on your orientation. With Meta programs, you'll notice that people have different internal systems that create their sense of direction. Some drive on the right side of the road and others on the left. The only thing that matters to us as professional communicators is that we identify how a person is oriented so we can go with the flow instead of against it. Have you ever noticed that some people are really difficult for you to communicate with, and yet others can communicate with them fine? The reason could be that you have incompatible Meta programs. Each of us has our own Meta programs. That's why you might see a glass ...

... traveling. When designing such a plan, it's best to assume that communications will be interrupted or unavailable. The plan should also consider potential outages of public transportation and electricity. If ground transportation is available, pre-arrange for a nearby safe haven outside the city, equipped for a lengthy stay. Suggest that other employees can make personal plans tailored to their particular situation. It's important to recognize that even a good contingency plan can be worthless if protective measures by authorities during an emergency impede its execution. For example, bridges and tunnels might be closed, and streets blocked or jammed with traffic, meaning that one might not be able to travel to safety or to pick up family members or coworkers. People whose plan calls for a flight out of the city might be unable to get to an airport or helipad and, once there, find that air traffic has been grounded, as happened after the Sept. 11 attacks. For these reasons, it's best to have several alternate plans that provide for multiple scenarios and include various evacuation routes. Once the emergency is announced, it's probably too late to start devising a plan. When an employee is traveling, the plan also should be coordinated with the home office, so that executives will have a basic idea about the location of the person and of what's being done in the affected city. Even if movement and communication are impossible, having a plan that has been coordinated with the home office will be better than reacting to events as they happen. Coordinating these plans with co-workers and family members will also help to ease stress, especially ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Train Your Staff To Handle Problems 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , bill cates This content has not been rated yet. Tell me if you agree with this statement; "A relationship that has had a problem - that has been handled well - is a stronger relationship then one that's never had a problem?" True or true? Have you ever been to a store, hotel, or airport where someone is handling a customer complaint poorly? I suspect you have. Whenever this happens, management is usually at fault. Why? Because this employee has not received training on how to handle problems well. They might have been left to their own fears and bad habits. As a manager, it's your responsibility to make sure that all staff members learn how to deal with problems in a way that shifts the client/customer from their negative emotions into working toward a mutually agreeable solution. The first three magic words for the employee to say should always be, "I'm sorry."(Although this looks like two words, the contraction makes it three - but, who's counting?) . Saying "I'm sorry" is not admitting fault. When the employee has to admit fault, they should do so after evaluating all the facts. It's saying the employee regrets that a problem has inconvenienced the client or customer. "Ms. Jones, I'm very sorry that this has created a problem. Let me learn a little more about the situation and then we'll work on getting this fixed." Seek out books, articles ...

... on the survey are those certain to elicit a positive response. It's important to invite customer communication at every possible turn. Telephone surveys, mail surveys, statement stuffers, suggestion boxes, focus groups, and interactive video are all effective ways to get feedback. Provide a space on forms sent to customers to list compliments and complaints. Make sure to devise a method of learning why a customer is no longer doing business with you. An exit interview' with lost customers will be helpful. Customers leave for many reasons. Some move, some no longer need your product, some die. But 68% of the customers you lose, you lose because they perceive that you don't care. They believe you are indifferent to their needs. Think about the last time you were stranded in an airport, or had your wallet stolen, or were ignored by a hotel clerk. Or maybe the time your phone service was mysteriously cut off, or your car wasn't ready when promised. The list could go on and on, but what angers people more than anything is that attitude of cold indifference that says, You're not important or not welcome here. People who take their business away from indifferent merchants generally do so quietly. They just slip quietly away, and you'll never know why. It's obvious that some people don't care about the business. After a recent problem with my insurance company, I took the time to write a letter and explained how I believed they had mismanaged a particular situation. I was specific and, I thought, helpful in telling them what I had expected from ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. The Future Of Your Job Might Be In A Word 4/30/2013 by CompleteMarkets Editor , John Graham This content has not been rated yet. What we say does matter. Unfortunately, most of us don't listen to the words that we use. They might seem harmless, but what messages are we sending to others about ourselves and how we perform our jobs? In this article, John Graham looks at some of the words and phrases that we all utter on occasion. Very often, we use these phrases as excuses about why something didn't get done.It's the end of a long flight and an even longer day. You're anxious to get home, even though it will be a late dinner. Only two exit lanes are open at the airport garage and drivers are lined up to pay their parking fees. As you wait, one line moves faster than the other. One cashier handles three cars in the time that it takes the other to send one on its way. Figure it out: One is three times as productive as the other. The difference doesn't go unnoticed. A few days later, the slower of the two employees is gone, replaced by a faster cashier. Although getting the job done right is essential, getting it done efficiently is just as important. Fail either test, and a new face appears. Other clear signs that an employee is on thin ice reflect basic attitudes about work and what's expected on the job. When you hear them, take note, because they send the wrong message: ...

... vacationers were heading from New York to their Mexican destination. The flight took off six hours late, made two unexpected stops, and circled for 30 minutes before it could land. Because of the unexpected delays and mishaps, the plane was en route for 10 hours more than planned and ran out of food and drinks. The plane finally landed at 2:00 a.m., with a landing so rough that the oxygen masks dropped from their compartments and luggage fell from the overhead bins. A lawyer on board had already started to collect names for a class-action suit. Silvo de Bortoli, general manager of the Cancun Resort and a legend throughout the organization for his ability to delight clients, got word of the horrendous flight and immediately created an antidote. He took half the staff to the airport, where they laid out a table of snacks and drinks and set up a stereo system to play lively music. As the guests filed through the gate, they received a personal greeting, help with their bags, a sympathetic ear and a chauffeured ride to the resort. Waiting for them was a lavish banquet, complete with mariachi band and champagne. The staff had also rallied other guests to wait up and greet the newcomers, and the partying continued until dawn. Many guests said it was the most fun they had had since college. Now that's a recovery which, by the way, resulted in no lawsuits and clients who became raving fans! Now go and "Wow!" those clients again and again and create raving fans who will be your unpaid sales force! Lynn ...

... x No Thanks Loading.. Even If It's Not Raining You Need an Umbrella 10/26/2018 by Erin Carlson This content has not been rated yet. You own your home, have your own business, and drive a new car. Though you are not rich, you are comfortable. It will be a shame to lose it all if someone sustains injuries by your car or at your home or place of business. You have insurance you say; you have standard auto liability insurance. The limits are $100,000 for a single person and a total of $300,000 for multiple people. Suppose you are responsible for any accident involving a shuttle taking ten people to the airport. Three hundred thousand dollars allows on average $10,000 per person. That is hardly enough to cover the emergency room fees let alone any surgery, rehabilitation, lost wages and other medical expenses. If there is a fatality, you may consider bankruptcy. Your business has a small storefront on a busy street. A middle-aged executive comes into your place of business following a rainstorm. Your floor is wet and slippery, and the executive slips and falls. He strikes his head, loses consciousness, and goes into a coma. Your general business liability insurance has the same limit as your auto insurance - $100,000. It may cover part of the hospital bill, but the official says he is permanently disabled and sues you for future wages for $1 million. Since your business is a sole proprietorship, bankruptcy beckons. Your son invites a friend over ...

... Is Travel Insurance? When you purchase travel insurance , you're essentially buying a safety net for your trip. If something goes wrong, your travel insurance will cover the cost of cancellations, medical expenses, and more. With these benefits in mind, it's important to make sure that any coverage you buy is suitable for your needs. It's important to be aware of limitations as well so that there are no surprises when something does go wrong. 2) Do You Need It? If you're planning a trip to Europe, travel insurance is a must. All the medical expenses and bills that would otherwise have to be paid by yourself if something happens while on your vacation will be covered. It'll cover other risks that you might not think about, like losing luggage or being delayed at the airport because of weather. It also covers emergency evacuations from any country in the world (except for flights from the US) . A lost passport will be replaced with a new one in most cases. Moreover, in a lot of cases your visa application will require you to get travel insurance of some sort. 3) How Does it Work? Travel insurance is a type of insurance that covers you financially if something goes wrong during your trip. It can cover things like lost luggage, medical emergencies, and cancellations. If you're planning a trip to Europe, travel insurance can be a great way to protect yourself from the unexpected. 4) Are You Covered? When you purchase travel insurance, you'll want to make sure that you're covered for the activities that you plan on doing ...

... room 308. I just found my room receipt under the door. Then you're ready to go! ' No, I'm not. This isn't my bill. Does it have your name and room number on it? ' Yes, it does. Then it's your bill. Well, I stayed two nights and this receipt shows only one. These aren't my phone calls, and I didn't get room service. Those have to be your phone calls. They were made from that room. I did not make this up. Our conversation went downhill from there — if that's possible. The woman at the front desk told me she'd tell someone else and they'd get back to me. Someone else' didn't get to work until 7:30 a.m. and I had to leave at 6:30 to get to the airport, so I couldn't wait. The front desk was no more helpful in person, so I left the bill. I'm still waiting. SCENE 2: HAMPTON INN Hello, Emily, great to see you again! ' Hello, Frank! How are your classes at Furman this semester? ' Great, but it's still a challenge to work 30 hours a week and carry a full course load. Boy, Frank, I really admire you. Emily, Paul will be glad you're here. He has something for you. (Paul is the night manager) Really? How nice. I'll see him as usual after my walk tomorrow morning. SCENE 3: NEXT MORNING, 6:30 Hello, Emily! I brought you a treat! ' Paul walks into the office and reappears holding a huge ...