Concierge Travel Advisor

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) Group; United States; On-site; USD 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Corporate Travel Management (CTM) Group is seeking an experienced Travel Consultant to provide VIP and executive travel services, coordinating air, hotel, ground transport and related arrangements for domestic and international trips. The role requires strong communication, meticulous attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

You will mentor newer advisors, maintain travel profiles, and liaise with clients and vendors to ensure high satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Experience in booking air, hotel, ground transportation and related travel services.
• Ability to work 24/7 access and support travel needs for executives.
• Familiarity with corporate travel policies and vendor coordination.

Responsibilities

• Confidently communicate with clients to determine destination, transport, dates and special requests.
• Assemble accurate travel arrangements including air, rail, car, hotel, and meet-and-greet services.
• Arrange private jets and charters when needed and manage loyalty programs.
• Provide clients with destination information, local customs and events.
• Quality control reservations before ticketing and ensure timely updates.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Problem solving

Teamwork

Mentoring

Time management

Tools

GDS

CTM Advisor

Online Booking Tool

iQCX

Finisher

Magnatech

Job description

Summary of Position

Provide travel services for VIP/Executive level business travellers, including arranging domestic and international air, ground transportation, hotel, and any other travel related services as requested for business and personal travel. Utilize communication skills and teamwork to deliver optimum service and achieve high customer satisfaction, as well as develop strong collaborative relationships with clients and vendors. This position may also provide mentoring for other less experienced travel advisors. Position also involves 24x7 accessibility.

Schedule / Shift

10am - 7pm EST M-F Core Hours

On call 24/7

Responsibilities and Duties

• Confidently communicate with customer in verbal and written form to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, accommodations, and other services required.
• Interpret vague or nonspecific instructions from the client to draw clear conclusions and assemble accurate travel arrangements. Use of additional resources may be necessary.
• Arrange all travel related services. Including, but not limited to, bookings, such as air, rail, car, car service, hotel, seat assignments, meet and greet services, and any other accommodations requested by the client.
• Arrange private jets and/or charters.
• Provide customer with all travel information such as local customs, points of interest, directions, and special events occurring in various locations.
• Understand, manage, and execute use of upgrades and loyalty programs including follow-through to ensure services were delivered.
• May be required to have strong working knowledge of unique requirements of complex international travel, including routing, fares and pricing, multi-destination trips, available resources and travel documentation requirements.
• May be required to have understanding and expertise in international offerings, including airport lounges, day rooms, local currency, local customs, and resources available.
• Use available resources, such as RADIUS network, to stay current on international and global affairs if position requires international travel bookings.
• Use available resources, such as Virtuoso (Virtuoso certification required), to offer executives offerings outside of the corporate traveler experiences, such as but not limited to tours, spa/golf packages, dining reservations.
• Be consultative with customer and proactively anticipate the client’s needs to produce optimum results. Execute travel plans with a high level of accuracy while overcoming unanticipated obstacles. Expected to produce results that will exceed an executive traveler’s expectations and may require creative thinking for such solutions.
• Display self-confidence and respect and acknowledge the hierarchal level of a VIP/Executive traveler and/or their administrative assistant.
• Compute cost of travel related services using the GDS (Global Distribution System) or other booking tools and resources.
• Quality Control each reservation before queuing to the relevant ticketing/quality control queue.
• Empowered to resolve customer service issues using resources through leadership and/or vendor representative when necessary. If resolution is outside of monetary guidelines, recommend solution and obtain approval from leadership.
• Negotiate with vendors to ensure the client’s needs are met is always done in the best possible way.
• Review incoming correspondence and materials as needed; prioritize, summarize, and respond in a timely manner.
• Maintain all reservations in a completed state regardless of if authorization to ticket received at time of call.
• Monitor assigned queues and tasks throughout the workday to ensure reservations and tasks are accurate and complete. Responsible for ensuring that all tasks within their team are completed or re-assigned by end of shift.
• Work with leadership team to identify opportunities for process improvement and continual enhancement to the travel program.
• Create and update passenger profiles to properly service each traveler.
• Facilitate the profile interview process with executive travelers and executive admin, when needed. May require travel to the client’s location to conduct interview.
• Collect payment from customer for travel services according to Client’s Travel Policy and CTM Policy and Procedures.
• Read daily briefings and industry announcements to keep abreast of industry developments.
• Participate in training opportunities to maintain and expand travel knowledge and customer service skills.
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of GDS and any other product used for specific account being handled (i.e. CTM Advisor, Online Booking Tool, iQCX, Finisher, Banx, Magnatech, etc.)
• Maintain productivity goals as set by leadership.
• Ensure strong intra departmental communication, display positive team spirit, and ensure exemplary customer service.
• Develop trusting relationships with executive admin and executive travelers while demonstrating superior customer service.
• Build collaborative relationships with vendors to reach targeted goals.
• Monitor flights of executive travelers using any available resources, such as Preview and Flight Stats/PNR Monitor.
• 24/7 access for the executive and/or executive administrative assistant, when required.
• May require booking personal travel for executives and their family members or other travel companions.
• Must maintain regular and reliable attendance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Leadership Responsibilities

This job does not have direct reports but may perform supervisory responsibilities in supporting work teams or mentoring new or less experienced Travel Consultants.

Required of all CTM Positions

• Embrace CTM’s core values of Connect, Deliver and Evolve
• Professional, collaborative and supportive interaction with employees, clients, suppliers and vendors.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Appropriate and professional written and verbal communication.
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, handle and prioritize simultaneous requests.
• Creative and analytical thinking with strong problem-solving and consultative skills.
• Demonstrates calm under pressure – is a proactive contributor and eager to learn.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office