Senior Journey Specialist x2 - Yellow Zebra at Wilderness

Detailed Responsibilities

Develop relationships with the UK Operations Specialists

• Take over file from TD at prov stage ready to be confirmed.
• Manage and complete booking confirmation process on Wilderness Window platform.
• Ensure accuracy and financial health of each booking.
• Foster and build strong relationships with TD and UK Ops specialists.
• Maintain in-depth supplier knowledge to maximize the mutually beneficial relationship with AP partners.
• Liaise with the Reservations Manager on booking issues, managing all the changes, and adding any developments from the ops specialist to the booking to ensure that the client’s trip is booked and planned perfectly.
• Continuous communication and excellent service delivery to the Ops specialist at all times.
• Strengthen the bond and partnership with stakeholders through effective communication and exceptional service, knowing their business trends and guests needs, ad hoc attending relevant familiarization trips with Ops specialist (if and when required).
• Focus on perfecting all intricate details of the booking process to enhance the guests' experience.
• A real pride can be taken in delivering the booking quickly, and perfectly – ensuring all suppliers are in sync with what was sold. Booking ownership and integrity is vital as well as effective communication with colleagues in the UK Ops team.

The Booking Ownership & confirmation of booking in accordance with company procedures

• Once sales confirm a booking in writing, a deposit invoice is to be sent and booking handed over to the Operations Specialist to action final checks & issue the client confirmation.
•   Once payment is receipted, confirm all services required and cancel those services not needed in the system with the relevant AP provider.
• Create the automated deposit invoice including all services that are confirmed and need to be delivered in accordance to the agents agreed T&Cs, ensure bookings are not exposed on the TFS reports.
• Manage the new confirmations handed over by the Travel Designer with speed, convert provisional on the WW into confirmed status based on all added information from Ops specialists whilst maintaining the booking integrity on itrvl.
• Working with UK Ops to ensure that the clients trip is booked and planned perfectly. Use this skill to build strong connections with all supplier reservations teams, nurture these relationships in order to help get more benefits when engaging regularly with them.
• Ensure the applicable specials are loaded correctly and confirmed by the supplier
• For special needs/high risk guests, Flag concerns with the WS24 incident management teams and follow protocol to ensure the guests are safe to travel in the planned journey.
• Escalate all suppliers with Res managers or product managers should there be any issue in the supplier service delivery.
• Keep updated with all Wilderness Safaris (WS) and 3rd party product (AP), as well as technology updates.
• Liaise with RARA if rates, accommodation, transit points and activities are not loaded or correctly linked on the WW for any changes that come up post confirmation that requires addition into the booking.
• Attend all WS and AP training on a weekly basis, this knowledge facilitates exceeding expectations and accuracy in the booking process.
• Keep apprised of company policies, procedures and system updates.
• Ensure that the deposit requirements in the WW match what the AP advises on the quote to mitigate exposure risk in each booking.
• Process any additional changes/updates after confirmation to the itinerary.
• Pay all supplier, ensure all payments are instructed in WW even on terms for deposits & balance via WW (finance process)
• Check that Supplier invoices in order, i.e. billing address correct, supplier bank details reflecting on invoice, invoice amounts matching
• Maintain booking file (electronically) incl. Agent correspondence, AP correspondence, costings, invoices & credit notes and updated booking file cover/summary and ensure all documents are uploaded.
• Identify and obtain all relevant information for passing a credit note as required and authorised with Reservations & MU Payments Manager. Ensuring this been applied correctly.
• Confirm that all services not required have been cancelled prior to invoicing final invoice.
• Highlight all VIP guests to the relevant Managers (reservations and sales) once qualified and advise on reasoning for VIP status.

Candidate profile

 Qualification:

• Matric certificate – with maths (minimum standard grade or above)
• Tertiary certificate in Travel & Tourism/hospitality is advantageous.
• Experience: 4-5 years with Senior experience in handling customer relationships and developing & promoting product and building journeys in the inbound travel industry.
• In depth knowledge of Southern and East Africa.
• Personal or educational travel experience is advantageous.
• Computer Literate (Microsoft Office: Outlook, Teams, Excel and Word)
• Proven English literacy.
• Working knowledge of TourPlan and WETU or similar booking/operating system.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Skills & Abilities: Dynamic, detail orientated, organised and excellent communication skills.
• Remain steady in busy environment and consistent with output, task driven
• Ability to problem solve without compromising accuracy and prioritise changes.
• Driven to offer high quality service levels, strong time management
• Highly detailed product knowledge – vital for speed in presenting alternatives
• Strong financial skills, self-starter with high integrity level and ethical conduct