How to become a (successful) booking agent in a nautical charter

• 22.04.2024.
• News, Management

Can it be said that the success of a yacht charter company is measured by the number of chartered boats or reservations sold? It can. And if vessel booking is the most important thing in a charter company, then booking agent is one of the most responsible job positions. But what exactly is the task of booking agents? How can one become a (successful) booking agent?

Can we say that booking agents are central to every boat rental company? 
  
We can. 
  
Booking agents are also a central part of the yacht charter company's marketing strategy because they are the guests' first point of contact. 
  
The connection they (on behalf of your yacht charter) manage to create between themselves and the charter guest has a more significant impact than you think. 
  
The booking agent really has a great influence on the guests' satisfaction and on their decision to use your yacht charter company's services again. 
  
Just as a quality booking agent can bring success (bookings) to a yacht charter company, it can also set it back with inappropriate communication or poor performance in front of guests. 
  

What does a booking agent do in a yacht charter company? 

A booking agent is a specific occupation, and we can consider it the backbone of the yacht charter company's business. 
  
Main task of a booking agent is the professional reception and dispatch of guests/sailors to the vessel owned by the agency. 
  
Agents communicate directly with boat charterers, and they also perform the administrative part of the boat reservation process. 
  
Booking agents present the yacht charter company's offer to potential guests, clients and business partners around the world. They do all this using various communication channels such as email, telephone or directly at nautical fairs. 
  
Therefore, highly developed communication skills and knowledge of as many foreign languages as possible are desirable for agents. 
  
In addition, the booking agent needs knowledge in management, marketing, IT, etc., to successfully execute all the above-mentioned tasks. 
  
Which is no small thing. 
  
Some booking agents only work related to sales and reservations, while in smaller yacht charters, they also welcome guests during the season, i.e., they also perform the work of receptionists. 
 

 

What skills should a booking agent have? 

Communication skills 

Booking agents need sales skills, and to develop them, they must first have (or acquire) communication skills. because they are the basis of every sale. 

Among the communication skills, it is important to know how to apply active listening, i.e. carefully monitor what the guest is saying, what he is complaining about, what his needs are, what he is worried about, and how he is having fun... 

Selling skills 

Booking agents can benefit from many sales skills. Some of the most important but also the most useful are flexibility, patience, empathy, a positive mindset, and detailed knowledge of the fleet's vessels and the services they charter. 

Openness to learning and using new tools 

Modern technology is constantly changing and advancing, which is also true of the nautical charter. Therefore, every booking agent should be prepared to receive additional training, especially on using new tools, when the need arises. 

There are many digital communication tools that will delight clients, such as live chat or chatbots. A successful booking agent, like a successful seller, will quickly be able to adapt to new technologies without feeling afraid or threatened. 

Organization skills 

The work of a booking agent is dynamic, and it is essential to know how to organize well so that all tasks can be completed and, ultimately, the guests are satisfied. 

In addition, agents who communicate directly with guests collect information about them, which is vital for creating individual offers and personalized communication. They also need to know how to organize this data meaningfully for other team members. 

Knowledge of foreign languages 

A booking agent is the first point of communication with guests and business partners, so the more foreign languages he knows, the more successful he will be in that communication and, finally, in selling reservations. 

 

What challenges does a booking agent face in a nautical charter? 

Every job has its own challenges, including working as a booking agent in a nautical charter. But they are nothing insurmountable or something that is not encountered in other industries. 
  
Are you considering this position? It is best to prepare in advance for all those situations you might encounter, such as: 

Yacht charter working hours 

The first and biggest challenge for a booking agent is the working hours because they are by no means the classic office hours of 8:00-16:00 or 9:00-17:00. 
 
Many people will be attracted to this job because it is dynamic and allows them to test their abilities. 
 
Also, there are no classic free weekends during the sailing season in the yacht charter, so most booking agents also work on Saturdays when guests check in/check out. 
 
Some smaller yacht charter companies do not have separate teams, so the booking agent is also a receptionist. This is why they may be needed at work in shifts of up to 12 hours. 
 
Yacht charter and seasonal workers are mainly used to this pace because they know that summer should be used to the maximum to increase income. 

Sale in yacht charter 

There are many who shy away from the very word sale. Probably because they have fixed beliefs, often acquired through previous experience, that selling always means tricking and forcing the other person to spend money on something they don't want. 
  
Unfortunately, some salespeople still communicate this way, which often gives the wrong impression about all sales situations. 
  
They are not quality and genuine sellers. Booking agents who have and maintain such a view after employment could face many challenges, especially with the part of the business related to the sale of reservations. 
  
And that's why we want to look specifically at the sales challenge. 
  

What is the actual sale in yacht charter? 

Actual sale means recognizing the needs of the people you are talking to, asking important questions and providing answers and adequate solutions. 
  
Such a sale is then a pleasant experience for both the guests and the seller. Everyone achieves their desired goals and satisfies their needs. 
  
The booking agent should directly and clearly get answers to the questions of where the client wants to go, their budget when he wants to sail, and how many people will be with him on the boat. 
  
Once the booking agent learns this information (which can be even before the conversation itself, depending on the marketing strategy of the individual yacht charter company), he starts the real art of selling. Here, the guests' individual wishes are known, and suggestions are made for their realization. 
  
The basis of every successful sale is the seller's good information - about the client and about the services offered by the yacht charter company. 
 

10 tips for those who want to become booking agents 

Finally, we will summarize and simplify everything with a few guidelines for all those who wish to become a yacht charter booking agent (and be successful at it): 

1. Accept the challenge of work as part of personal development 
2. Learn the basics of communication 
3. Learn as many foreign languages as possible 
4. Continue to educate yourself 
5. Learn to listen actively 
6. Put customer needs at the centre of communication 
7. Get to know the offer of the yacht charter company you work for well (so that you always have a solution ready in advance for the problem the guest has) 
8. Don't promise something you can't deliver 
9. Introduce the guest to the adventure that awaits him by telling him a story in which he is the main character. 
10. Enter every sales conversation, check-in or check-out with a clear mind and a positive mindset. 

And one more thing - don't forget to have fun with it all! 
  
If you like the booking agent job, we hope you will soon find an opportunity to try it. 
  
The best booking agents know how to present the story about vacation to guests in advance, as an experience they should not miss at any cost. 
  
They not only enrich their lives but also become invaluable members of the yacht charter team they work for! 
  
  
Want to know more or have more questions? Feel free to contact us. 
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