What to Learn from Travel Cancellations

Well, if you read my last post, I had stated at the tail end that I was going to spend St. Patrick's Day in Ireland. Needless to say, that didn't happen.

My trip was canceled before I could leave, but I have friends out there who weren't so lucky; some were stranded in countries including England, Thailand and Israel to name a few. Thankfully, they're all home now.

I'll make this post short since I was supposed to have something completely different here. I'll focus on a few things to do when a trip or travel plans are canceled for any reason at all (not just pandemics) so that if this happens to you, you'll be a little better prepared.

Traveler's Insurance

Always buy the traveler's insurance. Depending on the company or third party you're booking through, expect to add on a minimum of $100 to include the insurance. The insurance does more than just cover any possible medical expenses, it also covers the trip itself.

In the event your trip is canceled for any reason that is not of your choosing, the insurance will cover just about all the expenses booked with your trip. With cancellations due to world crises, the insurance will give you the power to apply the funds put toward the trip elsewhere.

Now, depending on the company policies of the agency you book through, you may be offered a refund for the trip itself, or you may be offered a credit for the next trip you book through the same agency. Sometimes the agencies will also have sister agencies and that credit will be available for any of the companies under that company umbrella, as it were. Not all companies will be able to issue refunds, but with the insurance, they may offer a way to request a refund through paperwork requests. It will entirely depend on the agency, so when booking directly with an agent, make sure you find out about any refund policies that will be included in the fine print.

Unfortunately, the insurance usually doesn't include the airfare since they are a separate entity from the agency, so you will likely still have to pay the fines associated with airfare cancellation. There's rumors going about that some airlines are starting to implement this now, but I haven't received any confirmation yet.

With health insurance, you really don't know what'll happen when you're out and about across the globe. While I have gotten sick almost every time, it was never too severe that I needed to see a doctor. However, I have had friends who needed to be hospitalized while in another country, and if they hadn't had the insurance, they would have had massive doctor bills for treatment.

For more information regarding the coverage travel insurance provides, please check out this site here.

Dealing with Customer Service

If your trip is canceled before or during its scheduled time due to a crisis, the first instinct is to speak with the agency you've booked with, right? Right. But there is something you need to take into consideration before you call them: there are lots of other people in your same situation.

Here, I'm not just speaking as an extremely disappointed traveler (although that description still doesn't put into words the depths of sorrow I still feel), I'm also speaking as someone who has worked customer service for years. You'd better believe me when I say this: I know what it's like to be on both ends of the line.

First things first, if you're upset, it's understandable, and it's okay to feel that way. What's not okay is taking out your frustrations on the representative on the other end of the line. If you become emotional while on the phone, that's okay. But it's never okay to be angry at the person who's trying to help you out. Keep these things in mind when speaking with a representative from the agency you booked from in the case of a cancellation:

1. They are following company policy

A representative's power tends to be extremely limited. Travel agencies have hundreds of policies they need to follow and they can only do so much depending on what's going on. A good customer service representative will do their best to do everything in their power to find the most satisfactory outcome to your situation, but they will most likely not have many options.

There may be a few situations were they can try to pull some strings, but they will be more willing to do this if you are cooperative with them. When you are communicating well with this representative regardless of how upset you may be, it'll make things easier for the both of you.

Also remember that if you start taking out your frustration on the representative that's trying to help you, they may be less inclined to help you during the call. If they want to keep their job (as most calls are recorded for training purposes), they will still provide the best service they possibly can. But as said before, they may also be able to pull some strings for you, and a cooperative caller is one they will usually go above and beyond for. If you become hostile, they may withhold better deals for you. So you be nice to those reps as the good ones truly want to help you.

2. They've been dealing with frustrated customers all day

In following my previous point, just because you're on the phone with this representative now doesn't mean they haven't spoken with a frustrating caller before you. In the case of a crisis causing travel to be canceled, you're not going to be the only one calling. There could be hundreds of people dialing in to find out what their options are to reschedule their trip or even leave the country they're now stranded in. The latter of these situations is highly stressful and even scary. Regardless, everyone calling will be at different stages of agitation.

If you are angry and scared at your situation and feel like you could snap, it's best you wait before calling the agency you need to reach. With so many people calling in, it begins to take its toll on the representatives both mentally and emotionally. Think about it: these people are among the first that travelers are talking to in regards to their ruined travel plans. The representatives will be dealing with an array of unsatisfied customers and have to placate them all somehow.

This is a huge burden for anyone to take on during a crisis. Before your call, they've probably been screamed at, accused of not really wanting to help, had people demanding their money back, very scared people not knowing what to do, or even people who won't hang up the phone because they keep repeating their problem instead of allowing the representative to do their job. In my own call center environment, there was a punching bag set up in the gym downstairs for representatives who may need it after a very difficult call. And believe me, it was utilized.

At last, I have an excuse to use this gif!

Remember that when global crises arise, you are not alone, the customer service representatives are the first responders in these situations. Put your frustrations aside to help these reps help you. 

3. Know the differences between a good and bad representative

I've gone over good customer service so far, but to be fair, there are plenty of bad representatives out there as well. Some may be inexperienced, others may be thoroughly drained after a long day, and some may just not be good at their jobs. Here's a few ways to identify a good customer service representative versus bad.

A good customer service representative will listen and empathize. A bad rep will do anything to get you off the call.

Usually the best way for you to know if the representative wants to provide you the best option available, they will say something along the lines of "I'm so sorry this has happened and that you feel this way, but let's work together to find a solution." A bad rep will say something like, "yeah, sorry to hear that. Here are your options." If the person you're speaking to acknowledges that your feelings are valid, they are good.

A good rep will be reassuring, a bad rep doesn't care how you feel.

The best service you will receive will come from someone who will let you know they are doing everything in their power to help you, even if the options aren't particularly favorable. If the case is that none of the options open to you seem suitable, a bad rep will ignore your issues and offer no sympathy. They may also express rudeness toward you to further demonstrate their lack of interest in your current needs.

These calls are being recorded

As far as I know, the majority of the calls made to a travel agency are recorded for quality assurance, or QA. All good reps are aware of this and will provide the service required to make the best of their calls. Company policies often have random calls pulled to ensure that all the quality assurance points are met, and sometimes these reps can receive bonuses for higher QA scores. Good reps will be aware of this and have not only your well-being at the forefront, but also their potential for good scores and bonuses. 

Bad service will come from a representative who doesn't care about their QA or you. And if you do encounter a bad customer service rep, you are within your rights to escalate to a manager who can likely pull the call for review later. 

Remember that these reps are human beings and their income depends on ensuring that the best possible outcome for both you and their company is reached. Calling in with a cooperative attitude regardless of the unforeseen stress you're now under is the best move for both you and whoever it is you will be talking with. And remember, if you're emotional when this happens, it is okay. It's understandable given the circumstances, but bad behavior is never an excuse. Your customer service rep is here to help, so let them.

Don't Panic

Easier said than done, right?

There's a lot of things to worry about in the event your travel plans are canceled due to a crisis of any kind. The most important thing to do is keep a cool head during this time, especially if you are a solo traveler. If you're stranded in another country, reach out to your family and/or friends, make the necessary arrangements to get home, and stay focused. Unfortunately, agitation can put you in a mindset that people can take advantage of, so stay in control as long as you can.

If you have any issues, such as anxiety or depression, do what you need to so that you can find yourself in a good mental place. As I said in my previous post about walking, you are at your most vulnerable when you're distracted, and allowing crises of any kind to distract you is no exception. You must stay alert for as long as you can and not let your emotions or fears take over you. I know it's an immensely hard thing to do, but until you are on your way home, take time to pray, meditate, breathe, gorge yourself with some chocolate, or whatever you need to do to hold yourself together.

You will be okay.

Final Thoughts

I know that right now is a horrible time for travel and the whole world is in turmoil, but don't think for one minute that travel is out of your hands. Just keep those hands clean and do what you can to help stop the spread. Be safe now, and be ready to take personal risks when it's safe for everyone to do so.

In the meantime, my next blog will be on solo road trips. So yes, as I'm waiting for my chance to get out there I'm going to keep blogging about solo travel and plan for my next excursion. I couldn't do St. Patrick's Day in Dublin, so I'm hoping to shoot for Oktoberfest in Germany. 

And remember that since many countries across the world rely on the tourism industry for their country's income that prices are probably going to be insanely low for a while. We'll get there, and we'll be helping these countries recover when we do!

Images courtesy of Giphy