Here's the dilemma that was in my column this week - what would you do?
Oh dear. You may recall the occasions on which I have written about the misadventures of one of our elderly clients who suffers from Alzheimer’s. To date he has made his way home in his slippers from Germany after missing the return coach, and in Dublin he sparked a missing persons search when he got hopelessly lost.He called this week and our hearts were in our mouths. “I want to go up the Suez Canal,” he told Rick, “I’ve been watching Death on the Nile and I fancy a trip to Egypt.” Rick sourced availability and prices for a single. When he rang back, the old boy was shocked at the cost. Rick explained that travelling alone costs more because of the single room supplement. “But I sleep in a double bed at home and it’s no extra…” came the reply. Rick promised to investigate further and put the phone down hoping he’d forget the enterprise.A couple of hours later, I picked up the phone. Same man. “Do you know, I’ve been watching Death on the Nile and I’d like to go to Egypt.”Modern dilemma: Do I book him and warn the operator even though I feel uneasy about him travelling or do I let him book with another agent who won’t know his history but who will be happy to take his cash?
hi maureen, what did you do in the end? did you book him?
I`m still waiting to hear from him.........and still have the dilemma!
Maureen
I think you should take the booking and warn the operator!! At the end of the day, if he really wants to go he will - with or without your help, but it would be better if he went and you warned the operator and then someone could keep an eye on him. What do you think??
You are spot on! I had decided to do just that! I just hope that he surfaces somewhere near our shop again before he changes his mind.
We had something similar where a lady (in her 70s) booked many coach booking in one go. She had been a difficult customer and rude to the staff although apologetic later. Once the first trip had ended, we heard from fellow passengers & the coach operator that she had been very difficult and had behaved irrationally throughout the tour. It transpired that this lady did have some kind of mental problem, certainly not dissimilar to alzeimers. She came into the office wanting to book more tours but we spoke to the Tour Company concerned and a refund to her was arranged discreetly and no further bookings were made. She has since been hospitalised I believe. For an independent traveller, such as your customer - I wouldn't accept the booking. It is not fair to the customer, to fellow travellers or to any family members of that customer.
Hello
We have a similar lady who recently started coming in to book a local coach company's tours. Since we booked her on a few trips, she has been in and out of the office claiming she want's to cancel, and when we tell her to cancellation rules and what she will lose she screams ''That's it, I'm never booking them again.'' Even though the rules are not too dissimilar to any other tour operator.
At a later stage the lady came in explaining that she couldn't get to this place they were going even though the coach was picking her up. Then went on to explain that the whole coach will be 'looking for her' and they'll have to call a search part for her. Obviously we are so concerned about this lady, she turns up and explains she's got depression/mental illnesses/hospitalised for so long etc & we feel now, that we cannot book her no longer, because it is becoming more hassle than it is worth.
We would clearly love to see this lady travelling more & independently, but at the end of the day, you feel the responsibility & burden. Possibly if you have contact of local carers/wardens they may be able to advise whether or not your man is fit/stable to travel or if you know of family members.
I know our lady comes in and says her daughter won't help her, won't take her to places, so we feel terrible, so you may come up against some barriers, but at the end of the day you need to do what's best for the client, fellow travellers, yourself & the tour operator.
Rebecca
Very interesting replies QueenBee and Dobbo.
I can understand from an agents' point of view, there is a big burden on your shoulders if you feel one of your clients won't manage on their holiday.
Do you worry they will go elsewhere and book?
No there too busy bothering us!
*Tongue in cheek!
No - but I don't think our lady is going anywhere for a while, I'm afraid!
Before my current job i worked overseas for a tour operator as a rep and on several occasions I had guests who clearly suffered with alzheimers and other degenerative brain illnesses, often travelling on their own.
I was always astonished that a travel agent had sold them the holiday - these particular guests would forget where they were staying, get lost in the airport and end up terrified and disorientated.
With the best will and in resort care in the world it is impossible to keep an eye on people at all times and nothing angered me as much as seeing these guests in a terrible state when they should never have been allowed on holiday alone in the first place.
I'm not a travel agent but I'd imagine it's can be a tough one to call on occasion because even with someone sat in front of you it can take a little while to realise that perhaps they are not fit to travel alone.
We book customers like this all the time. We have become the first stop for DSS customers and other local charities and homes. When we get a customer on there own we will often contact DSS for a comment on if they are up to travelling on there own. If there not often we will see them back with a carer, which of course means 2 people instead of one. There was some effort on our part to get in this position, need to go extra mile, but once you understand this market it becomes fairly easy.