Penny Sherrin and Jeanette Dickson
Personal travel managers often develop close relationships with their clients and this certainly proved true for TravelManagers’ representative for Pacific Pines (Qld), Michelle Kingston.
When her client Penny Sherrin ended up in hospital in Paris after a fall at the Louvre, she turned to her PTM for help.
“In the emergency department waiting to be x-rayed, I phoned Michelle to let her know I was in hospital and what had happened. Michelle spoke to the Orthopedic Resident on my behalf who advised I had a fractured shoulder that required surgery.”
Sherrin was grateful for Kingston’s support and efficiency, as Kingston communicated with the doctors, insurance company and kept family members back in Australia informed.
“I hadn’t realised but I had called Michelle at 6.30pm on Sunday night. She acted quickly and efficiently to help me by contacting Allianz Global Assistance Insurance and arranged for all of my treatment, hospital account as well as medical evacuation back to Australia. Michelle even contacted my daughter and phoned the hotel and arranged for my luggage to be delivered to the hospital. Michelle went above and beyond to help me. This type of personal service is invaluable,” said Sherrin.
Kingston said being working rom home allows her to work adaptable hours.
“I love the flexibility of being a home-based consultant where I am available for my clients when it suits them, rather than the normal business hours like a traditional travel agency. The fact I could help Penny late at night shows how working from home really works for clients.”
Sherrin discovered that her phone charger had not been delivered with her luggage and Kingston again came to the rescue, using the PTM forum to reach out to fellow personal travel managers for help.
“I asked if anyone was in Paris or was going and could possibly go to the hotel and take Penny her phone charger so that she could keep in contact with her family. Thankfully my colleague Jeannette Dickson was flying out to Paris the following morning and was happy to assist.”
Dickson, representative from Arundel (Qld) was flying to Paris the following morning and staying a night en route to join a TravelManagers Uniworld famil.
She and PTM Rosemary Kates from Wollongong (NSW) walked to the hospital – after a long international flight – to deliver the charger to a grateful patient.
Sherrin said this experience has underlined the value of having her own personal travel manager.
“There was another Australian lady in hospital who also fell at the Louvre but she booked her trip herself over the internet and her husband spent a couple of days sorting out her insurance and plans, they had no assistance.“
Executive general manager Michael Gazal said Kingston’s initiative epitomises TravelManagers’ belief in turning every single transaction into a long-term client relationship.
The post Personal travel manager(s) to the rescue! appeared first on Travel Monitor.