Senior Travel Counselor

American Express Global Business Travel • New York, NY

4d

About The Position

Amex GBT is a place where colleagues find inspiration in travel as a force for good and – through their work – can make an impact on our industry. We’re here to help our colleagues achieve success and offer an inclusive and collaborative culture where your voice is valued. Job Description – Senior Travel Counselor - Concierge and Entertainment In the Traveler Experience organization, we provide more than just one booking. Through the combination of people and technology, we are focused on the complete travel experience – delivering world-class service to our customers through the channels they prefer. We are on a journey to become the leading digital travel management company, and we will get there by moving forward together. We are hiring for shifts that include working Weekends and Evenings Position Overview Accurate completion of complex travel requests (car, hotel, air, rail) for a high touch top tier travelers such as VIP, Concierge, Film & TV Production, News, Sports and Publicity Travelers Act as a trusted advisor by offering informed and insightful recommendations which provide the best traveler experience in each situation High level of creativity and booking in obscure production locations Handle special requests common to entertainment, and news industry. Hotel upgrades, artist riders, junkets, charter flights, car service, meet & greets, excess baggage, and production vehicles. Proactively offer best travel options based on client travel policy and requirements for multiple divisions Respond to phone, email and chat requests professionally and promptly Follows and applies client travel policy based on travel type and client expectations Demonstrates excellent professional customer service and problem resolution skills May function as a subject matter expert with specific client knowledge and/or serve as the customer point of contact Handle first level customer complaints, problem solving and escalating when needed Resolve complex problems including non-standard and multi destinations, ticket exchanges and complex fares for all traveler types and destinations globally Traveler Experience (TX) is seeking positive, energetic, highly skilled, customer focused, Senior-level Travel counselor to join our Global Entertainment Client Hub as the Lead Travel Counsellor. This team provides end-to-end, full-scope travel services for the highest-level travelers of our client account in the Entertainment, News/Media, Sports professions. Candidates must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and providing white-glove-level service. Top candidates will be proactive, motivated, accountable, always willing to jump in to lend a hand and organized with excellent follow-through. Travel counselors would be supporting global accounts, including booking for travelers in multiple countries. The Lead Travel counselor will be supporting a global account, including booking for travelers in multiple countries. Position is Evening shift with some overnight shifts. Position Description Assists Travel Counselors on a real-time basis with questions related to client specific policies, standards in creating Passenger Name Records, and questions related to the use of various technical tools Monitors call and email queues to ensure timely servicing of inbound contacts; participates on “MOD” real time rotation when required Creates or maintains training documents with current processes and procedures Schedules and training new and existing counselors on new clients, scope and/or processed Assists Team Leader with monitoring customer service and technical skills and provides immediate feedback Communicate new information to ensure consistent procedures are followed Provides feedback via one-on-one and mini-coaching sessions as needed Maintains appropriate level of confidentiality for information shared/observed by position May function as a SME with specific client or scope knowledge and/or serve as the customer point of contact Creates and accurately completes complex travel requests (car, hotel, air, rail) for high touch accounts and top tier (VIP, Concierge, Film/TV Production, News and Publicity) travelers Acts as a trusted advisor by offering informed and insightful recommendations which provide the best traveler experience in each situation – entertainment client sector requires a high level of creativity and booking in obscure production locations at times Handles special requests common to entertainment/news industry (hotel upgrades, artist riders, junkets, charter flights, car service, excess baggage, production vehicles, etc.) Use available online resources to ensure compliance with clients’ travel policy Advises clients of international travel requirements such as visas, passports, immunizations, etc. Operates within general procedures with supervised results and under minimal direct supervision Interacts with travelers, travel arrangers, and travel managers with highest level of quality and professionalism Provides 1st level of support for customer service and technical issues to determine root cause and resolution Resolves complex problems/escalations including non-standard and multi destinations, ticket exchanges and complex fares for all traveler types and destinations globally Ability to thrive as a positive individual contributor in a high-touch, complex interaction environment Proactively assist the team and other team members in resolving problems, learning and research Provides new ideas, feedback and out of the box thinking to leadership Uses correct grammar during all interactions Effectively demonstrates patience, empathy, understanding while controlling the contact Must be a “Team Player” and work cohesively with others internally and externally Ability to work and adapt in a constantly changing, fast paced environment Assignments include both routine and non-routine work

Requirements

• High School Diploma
• 7+ years of experience working in a customer service environment that includes 5+ years as a travel counselor
• Concierge, VIP, Specialty, Entertainment/Production/Publicity, News, Sports experience highly desired
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• High attention to detail
• Great active listening and information gathering skills
• Proactive consultant - solutions oriented and accountable with high focus on customer service
• Specialist skillset and experience as a travel counselor in the areas of VIP, Concierge, Talent, Publicity, Productions and Event Travel
• Excellent working knowledge of the travel industry, and application of client travel policies, procedures, and processes (including complex international reservations, pricing rules, procedures, and changes)
• Proficiency with fare calculations, pricing, processing tickets, refunds, and exchanges
• Must be Possesses the ability to thrive as a positive contributor in a high-touch, complex interaction environment
• Must be a “Team Player” and work cohesively with others internally and externally
• Highly skilled in Sabre GDS, Power Turbo
• Able to efficiently use current technology and easily adapt to changes in technology as they come. Must be able to thrive in an ever-changing technical environment.
• Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel

Responsibilities

• Accurate completion of complex travel requests (car, hotel, air, rail) for a high touch top tier travelers such as VIP, Concierge, Film & TV Production, News, Sports and Publicity Travelers
• Act as a trusted advisor by offering informed and insightful recommendations which provide the best traveler experience in each situation
• High level of creativity and booking in obscure production locations
• Handle special requests common to entertainment, and news industry. Hotel upgrades, artist riders, junkets, charter flights, car service, meet & greets, excess baggage, and production vehicles.
• Proactively offer best travel options based on client travel policy and requirements for multiple divisions
• Respond to phone, email and chat requests professionally and promptly
• Follows and applies client travel policy based on travel type and client expectations
• Demonstrates excellent professional customer service and problem resolution skills
• May function as a subject matter expert with specific client knowledge and/or serve as the customer point of contact
• Handle first level customer complaints, problem solving and escalating when needed
• Resolve complex problems including non-standard and multi destinations, ticket exchanges and complex fares for all traveler types and destinations globally
• Assists Travel Counselors on a real-time basis with questions related to client specific policies, standards in creating Passenger Name Records, and questions related to the use of various technical tools
• Monitors call and email queues to ensure timely servicing of inbound contacts; participates on “MOD” real time rotation when required
• Creates or maintains training documents with current processes and procedures
• Schedules and training new and existing counselors on new clients, scope and/or processed
• Assists Team Leader with monitoring customer service and technical skills and provides immediate feedback
• Communicate new information to ensure consistent procedures are followed
• Provides feedback via one-on-one and mini-coaching sessions as needed
• Maintains appropriate level of confidentiality for information shared/observed by position
• May function as a SME with specific client or scope knowledge and/or serve as the customer point of contact
• Creates and accurately completes complex travel requests (car, hotel, air, rail) for high touch accounts and top tier (VIP, Concierge, Film/TV Production, News and Publicity) travelers
• Acts as a trusted advisor by offering informed and insightful recommendations which provide the best traveler experience in each situation – entertainment client sector requires a high level of creativity and booking in obscure production locations at times
• Handles special requests common to entertainment/news industry (hotel upgrades, artist riders, junkets, charter flights, car service, excess baggage, production vehicles, etc.)
• Use available online resources to ensure compliance with clients’ travel policy
• Advises clients of international travel requirements such as visas, passports, immunizations, etc.
• Operates within general procedures with supervised results and under minimal direct supervision
• Interacts with travelers, travel arrangers, and travel managers with highest level of quality and professionalism
• Provides 1st level of support for customer service and technical issues to determine root cause and resolution
• Resolves complex problems/escalations including non-standard and multi destinations, ticket exchanges and complex fares for all traveler types and destinations globally
• Ability to thrive as a positive individual contributor in a high-touch, complex interaction environment
• Proactively assist the team and other team members in resolving problems, learning and research
• Provides new ideas, feedback and out of the box thinking to leadership
• Uses correct grammar during all interactions
• Effectively demonstrates patience, empathy, understanding while controlling the contact
• Must be a “Team Player” and work cohesively with others internally and externally
• Ability to work and adapt in a constantly changing, fast paced environment
• Assignments include both routine and non-routine work

Benefits

• Flexible benefits are tailored to each country and start the day you do. These include health and welfare insurance plans, retirement programs, parental leave, adoption assistance, and wellbeing resources to support you and your immediate family.
• Travel perks: get a choice of deals each week from major travel providers on everything from flights to hotels to cruises and car rentals.
• Develop the skills you want when the time is right for you, with access to over 20,000 courses on our learning platform, leadership courses, and new job openings available to internal candidates first.
• We strive to champion Inclusion in every aspect of our business at Amex GBT. You can connect with colleagues through our global INclusion Groups, centered around common identities or initiatives, to discuss challenges, obstacles, achievements, and drive company awareness and action.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED