Summary:
The article offers 7 tips for hassle-free summer travel, advising on restaurant reservations, flight delays, and interactions with service providers. It suggests making reservations in advance, calling airlines directly for assistance, and using polite communication techniques. Additionally, it recommends shipping gifts ahead, opting for smaller airports, and utilizing Skype for communication. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of noting the names of helpful service personnel for future reference and problem resolution.
If you feel like you’re still recovering from last year’s summer travel season – made memorable by incredibly long lines at the airport, long delays when traveling to visit relatives and poor service at restaurants – you’re not alone. The summer travel season can be one of the most stressful times of the year. To cool down the heat of summer travel try these savvy traveler’s smart strategies:
1. Make restaurant reservations three weeks in advance of any summer holidays
Don’t leave booking that special restaurant till the last minute. Be sure to avoid problems by confirming all restaurant reservations at least one day before. If you have special food requirements let the restaurant know this when you call to make the reservation. Lastly, plan on arriving early for your reservation, this will allow for delays caused by holiday traffic.
2. If your flight is significantly delayed or canceled, don’t stand in line
Instead, use your cellular phone to call the airline directly. They’ll make travel arrangements for you by phone much faster than a harried gate agent with 200 other people in line with the same problem to solve.
3. Get the service provider on your side
Make direct eye contact with the person helping you as soon as possible, greet them with a pleasant “good morning” or and use the word “please” within the first 30 seconds. Use “I” Statements and avoid “you” statements so the service provider doesn’t get put on the defensive. For instance, “I’m frustrated that I can’t get help” works better than ” You are not being helpful.” If you need help in solving a problem ask the service person “What would you recommend I do?” and then stay silent. By giving them a minute to think about it, they will often come up with a workable solution.
4. Ship gifts ahead of time
If you’re visiting family this summer, why stress out yourself and anger other passengers by trying to stuff your gifts in an overhead compartment on a busy full flight? Instead save yourself the trouble by mailing all packages to your final destination at least one week prior to arrival. If you have to take last minute gifts with you, wrap them carefully and check them at curbside.
5. Choose a smaller airport
If you happen to be lucky enough to live in a city with more than one airport – choose the secondary airport to fly in and out of. Smaller airports are often easier to negotiate due to fewer flights.
6. Sign up for Skype
Now available on the iPhone, as well as your desktop computer, you can pre-order Skype minutes (even for overseas calls) at a fraction of the amount it would cost to call long distance.
7. Always write down the name of whomever helps you
This way, if there’s a problem later on, you’ll be able to resolve it quicker when you can give the name of the specific person who provided you with the information or a promise.
This post was originally published at Karen Leland’s Featured Small Business column on The Huffington Post.
Trying to deal with the airline by phone depends on whether or not you can get through or just end up on hold, in theory it can work, in reality depends on the your circumstances.
Great tips.
Tip number 7, that is a life saver, specificity is king.
another one should be double and triple check car rental information, as I find the rental desk the third ring of hell.
The restaurant reservation thing in advance, done it, kind of hit and miss. Personal opinion, better to deal with some delays rather than book in advance for a restaurant you find once on the ground isn’t very good.
I think with certain mobile packages,its better to skip calls from long distance and just go with text messaging which if your smart can be virtually free.
#2 is a great tip
Smaller airports are the way to go, so much less hassle, although sometimes it just doesn’t work as they don’t ofer service to where you want to go or do, but with too many stopovers.
Really like the Skype idea.
I try to research and plan most aspects ahead of time, and the restaurant thing is quite key,, be sure to read online reviews before making reservations.
I think not only writing down the names is key, but mentioning people by name when they provide good service ensures that servicecontinues for others and generally fosters better service across the whole company.
I think number 3 is key, paitence should be the watch word. Be calm and polite, and remember that the person is not personally at fault for your problem.
It’s hard to remember #3 when you feel like your vacation is ruined and you’ve just blown a lot of money.
Certainly some good stuff to think about.
The Skype thing is something I never thought about, but makes perfect sense.
Really good tips, be sure to keep them in mind.
I have always stood by the shipping gits ahead of time, some will say it’s impersonal or whatever, but it saves hassle and can save money when it comes to weight limits on bags.