Application
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to proactively sell tourism, travel, hospitality or event products. It requires the ability to identify specific customer needs, suggest a range of products to meet those needs, provide current and accurate product information and close the sale. The unit only covers sales skills and not related product and destination knowledge which is covered in other units.
The product can include any international or domestic product sold by any tourism, travel, hospitality, or event organisation.
The organisation could be a principal (the supplier) or an agent selling products on behalf of the principal. The sale may be made for a single product or multiple products making up a complete package or itinerary.
This unit applies to frontline sales or operations personnel who operate with some level of independence and under limited supervision. This includes travel consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour guides, restaurant managers, banquet coordinators or managers, resort activities coordinators, tour desk officers, reservations sales agents, and owner-operators of tourism organisations.
The sale of travel and tourism products is subject to specific regulations under several federal and state or territory pieces of legislation:
Personnel selling travel insurance to a client must meet the requirements of the Financial Services Reform Act (2001)
Inbound tour operators (ITOs), irrespective of their location, selling tours that operate within Queensland are subject to the Queensland Tourism Services Act (2003). They must register with the Queensland Office of Fair Trading. This law also applies to tour guides residing anywhere in Australia when working in Queensland and selling local products. ITO personnel and guides do not need to meet any training or certification requirements.
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Identify customer product needs. | 1.1.Establish rapport with customer to promote goodwill and trust. 1.2.Determine customer needs and preferences, including cultural preferences and expectations. 1.3.Identify appropriate products to meet customer needs and specific information and advice relevant to these products. 1.4.Identify any customer requests which, if met, would breach ethical and legal commitments. |
2. Suggest products that meet customer needs. | 2.1.Use product knowledge to tailor product options to specific customer needs. 2.2.Make any product suggestions according to current promotional focus and organisational preferred product arrangements. 2.3.Make customer aware of additional products that may enhance their request and maximise the sale profitability. 2.4.Source additional information to meet specific customer needs. |
3. Provide specific product information and advice. | 3.1.Provide appropriate scope and depth of current and accurate product information and advice, including relevant product conditions, to meet customer needs. 3.2.Suggest alternative products if desired products are unavailable. 3.3.Promptly present all options in a clear format and style. 3.4.Disclose any sales and product coordination fees in a clear and accessible manner. |
4. Sell the product. | 4.1.Clearly explain and promote product features and benefits. 4.2.Provide additional information to address customer questions and objections. 4.3.Select and use techniques at the appropriate time to close the sale with the customer. 4.4.Identify and act on opportunities to enhance the quality of service to customers. |
5. Follow up sales opportunities. | 5.1.Where appropriate, make follow-up contact with customer. 5.2.Provide required after sales service according to organisational procedures. |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit in the context of the job role, and:
proactively sell international and domestic destination products from the list in the knowledge evidence to meet the requirements of at least three different customers
demonstrate the following skills during each of the above customer service interactions:
communication with customers to correctly interpret their requirements
use of different sales techniques in response to different customer types
integration of product knowledge into the sales process
complete sales within commercial time constraints and deadlines determined by the customer or the organisation.
Evidence of Knowledge
Demonstrated knowledge required to complete the tasks outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit:
types of international and domestic destination products:
accommodation
activities
airfares
brochured tour packages
cruises
entertainment
entrance to attractions or sites
event management services
food, beverage and catering
functions
incentive tours
inclusive products or optional touring products
meals
meeting or event equipment
speaker services
special event consumable items
special items with customer’s corporate branding
specially tailored itineraries
technical equipment and services
tour guiding services
tours
transfers
transportation
travel insurance
vehicle rental
venue hire
sales techniques:
opening techniques
recognising buying signals
strategies to focus customer on specific products
selling intangible products
selling add-ons and complementary products
overcoming customer objections
closing techniques
ethical and legal commitments relating to the sale of tourism products:
consumer protection
products that breach environmental laws
products that are known to cause negative environmental, cultural or social impacts
products that breach known or advised customer cultural or religious taboos
selling air tickets
those dealing with Australian-based customers, the general characteristics of the main social and cultural groups in Australian society and the key aspects of their cultural and religious protocols and preferences for tourism products
those working in inbound tourism, the general characteristics of the main inbound tourist markets and the key aspects of their cultural and religious protocols and preferences for Australian tourism products
regarding the specific industry sector and organisation:
considerations for selling specific products:
negotiated costs
contractual arrangements
preferred supplier or agent arrangements
primary components of consumer protection laws that relate to selling tourism products and, organisational responsibility for supplying products as described or substituting suitable products
primary components of and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations under the Criminal Code Act 1995 for child sex offences outside Australia
inbound tour operators and guides selling and delivering Queensland-based products:
primary components of and actions that must be adhered to by tourism organisations under the Queensland Tourism Services Act 2003
where travel insurance is a product:
primary components of the Financial Services Reform Act 2001 and, organisational responsibility for supplying product disclosure statements and providing accurate information on the provisions of the insurance policy
formats and inclusions used to present information to customers and, styles that cater for those with special needs.
Assessment Conditions
Skills must be demonstrated in a business operation or activity that sells tourism, travel, hospitality or events products. This can be:
an industry workplace
a simulated industry environment set up for the purposes of assessment.
Assessment must ensure access to:
computers and information systems currently used by the tourism, travel, hospitality and event industries to store product-related information
internet
printer
storage for computer data
telephone
specific computerised systems and software programs currently used by tourism, travel, hospitality and events industry operators to:
administer travel documents
control product inventory
control the reservations function for the supply of product
facilitate airfare calculations
prepare quotations
process reservations
process event registrations
store industry-related and product information
computerised reservations systems (CRS) currently used in the tourism industry to administer booking and operational functions, book supplier services and maintain accounting records
customers with whom the individual can interact; these can be:
customers in an industry workplace who are assisted by the individual during the assessment process; or
individuals who participate in role plays or simulated activities, set up for the purpose of assessment, in a simulated industry environment operated within a training organisation.
Assessors must satisfy the Standards for Registered Training Organisations’ requirements for assessors; and:
have worked in industry for at least three years where they have applied the skills and knowledge of this unit of competency.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance in this unit, but not explicit in the performance criteria are listed here, along with a brief context statement. | |
SKILLS | DESCRIPTION |
Reading skills to: | interpret product features, benefits and conditions and plain English regulatory documents. |
Writing skills to: | record all options in a clear format and style to provide a product overview. |
Oral communication skills to: | select and use appropriate verbal and non-verbal language to respond to different personal and cultural customer needs. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret and calculate any sales and product coordination fees. |
Planning and organising skills to: | promptly source and provide customer information. |
Sectors
Tourism
Competency Field
Tourism Sales and Operations