How do we deal with managing the unexpected ?
Although rare thanks to extremely well thought-out organization, problems can arise during a group trip. From simple human error in booking to Mother Nature’s whims, dealing with the unexpected is part and parcel of being an incoming agency like ours. At Receptour, we have our own way of coping, and it involves anticipation, responsiveness and mutual support.
Prevention is better than cure!
If Receptour were a crew, its motto would be: “Never take anything for granted”! That’s the way Camille and her entire Operations team work every day. The logic is simple: demonstrate excellent upstream management to avoid the unexpected. This involves three golden rules:
1 – It’s important to have all our suppliers confirm our orders. In other words, we need to keep a written record of each group of travellers and follow up on their file. This simple reflex of always double, even triple, confirming all bookings, at various times before the group’s arrival, is essential. A working attitude that has given rise to the famous “never take anything for granted”.
2– We communicate a great deal internally, throughout the season. Even if each group has a manager who oversees operations at Receptour, every team member has a duty to know what’s going on at the other end. This applies to both the Operations and Sales departments. At Receptour, we have a real overview, always across the board.
3– We learn lessons and anticipate. Here’s a recent, concrete example. This year, our first winter group arrived at Pourvoirie du Cap au Leste on December 23. Unfortunately, Mother Nature hadn’t spoiled us with snow, so we had to relocate our travelers for the snowmobiling activity. We knew that other groups would be affected later on, so we anticipated with our suppliers and took the necessary steps to ensure the smooth running of the next stay as well.
Generally speaking, our processes are paying off, and unforeseen events are rare. But, as with anything, travel can sometimes be a bumpy ride. Problems can arise on arrival or during the stay.
Every contingency has its own management!
When we talk about the unexpected, what exactly are we talking about? Any unexpected situation that interferes with the smooth running of your trip! These can range from the minor, such as a lost suitcase, to the complex, such as the relocation of a group following a forest fire or landslide. Let us put you in context:
- On arrival
“For us, there’s a scale of severity, and fortunately, the call we receive most often is a traveler at the airport who can’t find their guide or driver,” points out Camille, Operations Manager. In season, from April to October, the whole team takes turns manning the assistance telephone. This is your customers’ preferred channel of contact with our team. We can be reached at any time, and the number is noted in the group program. No unforeseen event is taken lightly, since even a lost suitcase will put its owner under stress, and this has an impact on the general mood of the group.
Once on the road, the guide in charge is the first line of defence in the event of a problem. He or she is in a position to take charge of the management of the group, while demonstrating a high degree of autonomy. Receptour works with experienced local experts, with whom we are in regular communication throughout the itinerary. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, Receptour teams will brief the guide so that he can present the situation to travelers in the best possible way. They are true colleagues in the field.
- Transport, catering and accommodation contingencies
The bus may be delayed due to traffic or a breakdown. In such cases, we adapt the itinerary, notify suppliers of the delay or ask passengers to wait a few moments. Our mission? To solve problems with minimum impact on the customer experience.
Among the situations we fear most, finding a closed door in front of a restaurant or a hotel reception that can’t find our reservation top the podium. Remember our motto “never take anything for granted”? Well, mistakes can happen, and that’s where the paper trail comes into its own. Thanks to a solid network of partners, our trusted relationships with our suppliers and the responsiveness of the whole team, we do our utmost to find a quick solution or a nearby alternative. “We’re not going to waste time picking on the person who makes a mistake in a hotel. The priority is always to solve the problem and avoid our travelers standing around in the cold!” comments Camille.
Certainly, if it turns out to be proven negligence on the part of an unprofessional supplier, it serves to skim the cream off our base. When Receptour’s brand image is at stake and a partner no longer meets the quality standards we seek for our travelers, it’s also our responsibility to cease collaboration.
- The whims of Mother Nature
Canada is a magical destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Here, nature is everywhere, even at the gateway to the big cities. As beautiful as it is unpredictable, Mother Nature sometimes throws up nasty surprises, disrupting your guests’ stay. It’s our responsibility to keep abreast of the weather and any major climatic events. Understanding what’s going on and to what extent it affects us means we don’t needlessly raise the alarm. If a forest fire, a lack of snow or a landslide leads us to make the slightest change to the program, our client agencies are always warned.
A business partner who cancels a bear-watching activity because of the repercussions of a forest fire is showing common sense. And in the majority of cases, the management of this unforeseen event calls on our good relations. Indeed, it’s someone who won’t hesitate to recommend other places or use his contacts to help us find an alternative activity for our travellers on the spot.
With the weather, it’s sometimes difficult to anticipate. However, the whole team is mobilized and very responsive.
The whole team on the front line!
At Receptour, each group of travellers has its own manager. But when a complex contingency arises, the whole team moves as one.
Of course, we can be reached at our Montreal offices from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, and then the on-call telephone takes over. From April to October, whenever we have groups on site, we’re just a phone call away, 24 hours a day. In short, we’re ready to go the extra mile thanks to :
- Our mastery of the subject
Managing unforeseen events requires a thorough knowledge of your subject, your destination and your contacts. It’s an ongoing learning process, the result of a skilful blend of professional experience, lessons learned from the different seasons, and hands-on experience in the field. With its different profiles, ages, training and specialities, the Receptour team is a patchwork of skills. What’s more, each new recruit is given training so that he or she knows the processes inside out and is able to manage the on-call telephone.
Our expertise enables us to keep a cool head, create a sort of “crisis cell” and divide up the roles for managing an emergency.
- Our responsiveness and cross-functionality
Dealing with an unexpected situation that interferes with the smooth running of our travelers’ stay can quickly become stressful. What makes Receptour so strong, and what we’re particularly proud of, is our cross-functional approach. All positions and departments work together towards a common goal: solving the problem for our group on site. “Having to find 15 rooms in a hurry is never fun. It happened once this season, and it was all hands on deck! Helping each other is important, and at Receptour it’s a matter of course,” says Camille. Typically, this is where recruitment makes the difference and the skills of our members. Team spirit is never an empty word, and neither is responsiveness. Whether it’s for a quote or to deal with the unexpected!
- Working with our guides
As mentioned above, guides are the first line of defence in the field. Their experience in the field is a major factor in their ability to take charge of certain situations. What’s more, we don’t leave anything to chance. We make sure your trip is well prepared. Each guide is briefed and receives a complete kit before departure, with all the information concerning the travelers and the program. He or she is responsible for carrying out certain checks throughout the trip to ensure smooth running and avoid unforeseen events. Will the bus leave at 9am? Does the restaurant have our reservation and any allergies? Another level of checks to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
To conclude…
There’s no doubt about it: instead of dealing with the unexpected, we’d rather avoid it. That’s why we do everything we can. Our pre-trip preparation involves obtaining as much information as possible about travelers. The more details our clients provide, the more we can gather and pass on to the guide in charge of the group. A guide who knows his travelers perfectly will be more serene and will have more time to devote to anecdotes about the destination and moments of exchange.
At Receptour, we strive to be responsive and transparent. Our customer agencies are always informed of any emergency situation, any program changes, and are given news during their stay to keep track of them from afar. At all times, our team of experts is ready, but we remain modest and honest. There’s what we can handle quickly and well, and what we can’t. Mother Nature will always give us a hard time. However, we believe that a well-informed traveler is an understanding traveler.
For us, communication is key, both internally and externally!
To write us, go to our contact page!
To discover our stays, visit our programs page!