Delta Vacations - Sales Support Team of the Year
Company: Delta Vacations, Minot, ND
Company Description: Delta Vacations is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines and one of the largest providers of vacation packages in the United States. Delta Vacations has been in the vacation business for more than 45 years and offers travelers convenient, one-stop shopping for custom-designed vacation packages to more than 300 of the world’s top leisure destinations.
Nomination Category: Sales Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Support Team of the Year - Other Service Industries
Nomination Title: Reservations Support: Supporting sales and service
Tell the story about what this nominated team achieved since the beginning of July 2017 (up to 650 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes: REDACTED FOR PUBLICATION
Delta Vacations has a workforce of over 370 employees in an award-winning Customer Engagement Center (CEC) located in Minot, ND. These employees are dedicated to providing outstanding sales and customer service support.
The foundation for any great sales organization is an even greater support team. At Delta Vacations, our Reservations Support team supports our front-line Sales and Service teams. As long as everything goes fine, Reservations Support doesn’t typically get involved. However, when things start to go awry, no matter the cause, there is no better team to have in your corner.
Reservations Support is a team of highly skilled individuals who started in front-line roles in Sales and/or Service and were chosen to further their knowledge and skills to support the organization in an enhanced capacity. This requires every Reservations Support employee to be agile and ready for anything, as they truly never know what their next call will bring.
Putting the “Support” in Reservations
Reservations Support’s primary role is supporting calls from internal CEC employees who refer to this team as their “lifeline.” They provide help when others need it most, whether it’s assisting on a question regarding company policy, correcting a technical issue, or simply providing a confidence boost for an uncertain employee.
Reservations Support also provides support to our nation-wide external Sales team that is responsible for maintaining high-touch customers who have a significant impact to Delta Vacations revenue. This team contacts Reservations Support for assistance in providing unique and highly customized solutions befitting their clientele.
Our travel agent customers say it best, “I book with confidence knowing I have Delta Vacations support when things don't go right.”
One of the most unique call types Reservations Support handles is our 24/7 in-destination support. Reservations Support plays a critical role in our commitment to customers. They serve as a central hub between customers and our service partners, including airlines, hotels, transfer companies, and tour operators; ensuring everyone is aware of any situations that may arise. This can be anything from a missed flight due to a flat tire on the way to the airport, having to change the date of a tour, or changing vacation plans altogether because of a hurricane bearing down on a destination.
Reservations Support is also the elite team we entrust to handle escalated calls when a customer asks to “speak to a supervisor.” For these calls, they are empowered to think beyond policies and procedures, and look at the “whole picture” to take a course of action that balances the customer’s needs and wants with the company goals and values.
When it all comes together
The critical role Reservations Support plays in Delta Vacations success was highlighted in September of 2017. Two massive hurricanes, Irma and Maria, were impacting highly popular vacation destinations in the eastern Caribbean and Florida. Despite this huge influx of calls, our average speed of answer and our average associate Net Promotor Score (NPS), did not suffer.
We believe maintaining these key performance metrics during this very busy and stressful time showcases how special our Reservations Support Team is and the high level of customer service they provide.
We are the Difference
The 60 people who make up Reservations Support are integral to our success. They are the difference not only for our internal employees but also for our customers who depend on Delta Vacations to ensure the most memorable vacation experience possible. It is with great pride that we nominate them for Sales Support Team of the Year.