Holiday Reps What do they do? - General Holiday Enquiries, Hints and Tips, Holiday Forums

Holiday Reps What do they do?

Brit5Alpha

2006-06-29 14:58:51

Most holiday reps greet us when we land, take us to our chosen resort/hotel, give us our information meeting then try to sell us trips etc etc.
I have just come home from visiting my daughter who is a rep in Turkey for a very large UK holiday company, to say i was shocked at what she actually had to do, the hours she had to put in is an understatment
Most people have the same idea that your holiday rep is there to have a good time, fleece you out of your money for trips etc

Airport

I would like to give you a little insight to what your rep actually does
On first meeting your rep at the airport he/she has probably just had an hours sleep they will have been working in there hotels quite possibly between 3/6 hotels each rep and will have already worked between 8/14 hours before they pick guests up from hotels to take them back to the airport for departure. After checking in there guests and saying goodbye they then wait for the next plane of guests, then procede to take the new guests to resort/hotel this can take between 4/5 hours of checking in guests and awaiting the arrival of new guests fingers crossed your flight has not been delayed, after dropping off the very last guest they then try to get home and if they are lucky grab another few hours sleep before they attend your welcome/information meeting ( my daughter was thrilled she actually had 4 hrs sleep in 24 hrs its normally 1 or 2 sometimes they have not slept in 36 hrs

Welcome/Information Meeting

They will have been at your hotel/apartment an hour or so before your meeting to sort out everything needed for your meeting, now this is where they usually tell you about booking trips, generally tell you about your hotel the area etc, this is where your rep will try to make some money for themselves but the going rate is generally 2% commission ( not a great deal is it) so yes they do try to sell the trips but they dont make a great deal of money on selling us trips (have actually heard people say well the rep gets a good cut of the charges for trips booked with them 2% i dont think is a good cut)

If you have a complaint your rep will try his/her hardest to sort it out for you as soon as possible if he/she cant sort it they will then forward it on to his/her head rep if they cant sort it out for you its then passed on to the manager and thats generally where the book stops its up to the manager to then sort it out, please dont think your rep is not trying to sort your problem out as he/she is doing everything in there power to sort it out for you but if the manager cant or wont sort the problem out its then up to your rep to tell you and this is generally where we get mad at the rep but please believe me he/she has tried every possible angle to sort the problem out for you

Its an easy job and a great life being a rep... ok yes they are working in the country you have just chosen to have a holiday in but did you know that your rep is paid after tax etc 80 pence an hour yes 80 pence, they may if they are lucky live in the hotel usually more likely they have a room like a broom closet with no air conditioning they can at times work up to 48 hours with no sleep, they get 2% commission on trips they sell to us and if they are unfortunate to have hotels with distance between oneanother they also have to pay out of there own pocket any travel expenses, also any calls made on your behalf they have to pay out of there own money

I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for the reps they love doing there job but maybe just take a little time to get to know your rep they really appreciate you stopping by and having a chat and also when your on your flight home try and fill in the questionaire they hand you as it does have a little bit about your rep and if they do get good comments they get to keep there job next season

Also your holiday rep would be grateful for leftover shampoos, conditioners etc as they dont normally have much money LOL

perfume

2006-06-29 15:09:39

reps

very interesting post.... is it the first job she's got, did she get to chose the country or was she just allocated.

joan.pw

2006-06-29 15:33:39

Holiday reps

Well that posting certainly makes you think.!!!!
Will give all my left over goodies to the rep in future, instead of the maid, who I am sure has lots more money than your daughter.
We always make a point of getting to know anyone who looks after us on holiday after all they could be your child or grandchild, and they work so hard in Turkey to make our holiday special, hope she meets lot's of really nice people.

brave inca

2006-06-29 17:02:27

80p an hour?is that typo error.

Brit5Alpha

2006-06-29 17:39:23

Thanks for the replies, Yes im sure the reps will be delighted if you leave them your left over goodies trust me i know how delighted my daughter and her friend were when they were given a pkt of salt & vinegar crisps and a packet of choccie biscuits and some hair mousse ( you would think it was christmas the way they were when they were given them)

Yes this is her 1st time as a rep they dont prepare you for the long hours the hard work and especially the low pay when your at training in the UK you only find it out when you get to resort, she requested turkey when she applied for the job she was delighted to get her first choice

yes that was'nt a typo error yes she does get paid 80pence an hour disgusting dont you think, they work for a company in the Uk pay tax and insurance and dont even get paid minimum wage the companies get around it by saying they pay your accomodation and meals

Chivas69

2006-06-29 19:08:16

Well to be honest a weeks rent is quite a lot of money! Plus how much would you spend on food in a week?

Sanji

2006-06-29 20:36:14

Plus I believe reps get ......
Free flights to and from the resort.
Depending on company free accomodation and meals based on Half board
Subsidised private medical insurance
Paid holidays of up to 4 weeks
Excellent holiday discounts.

Tell your daughter to get transferred to Benidorm, because there reps are as rare as rocking horse :swear

SanJi x

shell

2006-06-29 21:17:09

They must do it surely for the love of it otherwise why do it. You rarely get reps who only do it for 1 season so it can't be be all that bad :wink:

BenidormHereICome

2006-06-29 21:49:20

With all due respect to Holiday Reps. It cannot be as bad as all that otherwise, why on earth do it?

Would you work for .80p an hour? I'm not sayoig they don't work hard, and work long hours, but they certsinly don't do it just to receive .80p an hour.

Justval

2006-06-30 06:38:49

that is incredible.. especially when you think what we pay for our hols...mind you, there was a guy at our last hol in GC who was the diving instructor at the hotel ( they did try dive sessions in the pool and stuff and if you liked it they would take you into the sea) and his pay was so bad, he asked us to go and get him a plate of food every so often from one of the outside buffet bars as he could not afford to eat and was not allowed to have anything at the hotel..he was from northampton and had worked all over the world doing these diving things and at that resort had lost almost 3 stone in weight.. he also only got one day a week off and that was decided by how many guests in the hotel wanted to try this diving lark. When we were there, he had not had a day off for 16 days...so it is not just reps who have it hard. Maybe we should all think a little more about the efforts behind the scenes to give us all a decent holiday (especially those people who are serial whiners!)

zebedee

2006-06-30 08:08:05

The Companies dont "get round it" bed &borad constitutes a huge amount of most peoples outgoings - if you get the as part of your job you should expect it to be taking out of the going rate - although I expect reps also work way over the hours they are paid for.

It must be an awful job - but watching some of the rep documentaries they don't make it easy for themselves - it might be the 10th time you've given someone bad news that day, and it might not be your fault but it isn't your customers fault either so you could try and be a bit more sympathetic!

I didn't realise commission on trips was so low - makes you wonder why they try so hard to sell them - is it worth the effort? They probably get other incentives over an above the 2% like a day off for selling the most of something!

Last year we didn't buy any trips from the First Choice rep, the meeting was in the hotel next door and was all about the facilities there, and in Laganas down the road - he totally ignored anyone that wasn't there for some 18-30s type holiday and didn't tell us anything about our own resort. And he tried to sell us every single trip on the list.

In contrast the year before the Libra rep came to our hotel even though there was just us there. And sat with us for 30 minutes explaining how to get everywhere, where the banks and post offices were, recommending retsaurants etc. He showed us the list of trips and told us which ones his guests hadn't liked and which were reccomended and then he suggested the best ONE for us take based on what we liked doing and how long we were there. We were so impressed we signed up right away. At the end of the meeting he thanked us for coming.

Just to show the "hard" sell doesn't work in most cases.

Brit5Alpha

2006-06-30 08:58:06

Yes reps do get free flights to and from resort
Free accomodation (usually a room with a bed, toilet ,sink and wardrobe No airconditioning) Meals (if they have time to eat them)
Health Insurance
NO paid holidays
Excellent holiday discounts (10%)
2% commission on trips sold ( no incentives like a day off) the only incentive for selling trips is they wont be moved or have your manager screaming at you, if you dont sell your going to get the wrath of the company on you
They can be moved at a minutes notice to another resort
1 day a week off (if your lucky)
Always work over the hours they are paid for

Every rep i spoke to hated the pay, the long hours the living conditions most of them wanted to go home ( 7 had left in a month from my daughters resort the reps left in resort then had to take over hotels that found themselves without a rep thus increasing there workload) that was the negative side but on the positive side they wake up to beautiful weather, some great guests (and yes they do get upset when some guests leave) and some great friends in there fellow reps each and every one of them felt by leaving they would let there fellow reps down and also themselves so most choose to stay

My daughter has lost 2 stone due to the fact of not getting a minute to eat and when she does she has a bowl of rice to fill her up for the day so i do understand what your saying val and rob about the diving instructor, i have just come back from seeing my daughter and in the time i was there i got to see her for 2 hours in the evening even then she was falling asleep, (except for airport days when i didnt get to see her generally 2 a week)she was due like all the other reps there to have a day off did they get it NO they havent had a day off in 3 weeks the last day off they should have had they had to go by ferry after being picked up at 4am to greece so they could get another turkish visa to allow them to stay in the country for another 3 months yes they can only stay in the country for 3 months just like us holiday makers( so picked up at 4 ferry to Greece stay in the port for 4/5 hours then ferry back into Turkey get new visa then back to resort 1 hour at home then collect guests for night shopping trip(already been arranged) drop guests back at hotel finally get back into bed at 3 am

please dont think im a disgruntled mum i wanted my daughter to leave and come home as i think she and the other reps are worth more than that but i couldnt force her to come home and as she said " i chose to do this job" she works in some beautiful 5 star hotels in a beautiful area with fantastic weather, brilliant people she's met some fantastic friends some brilliant guests who she will keep in touch with and most importantly she's doing a job she loves

Sanji

2006-06-30 09:47:17

It must be an awful job - but watching some of the rep documentaries they don't make it easy for themselves

I wouldn`t say it was an awful job, an exploited one ,Yes.!
With regards to not making it easy for themselves, they are under constant pressure to reach targets, and taking 18-30`s on a club crawl is somebodys interpretation in head office, as customer relations.

According to the UKs post graduate website.

Quote removed for copyright reasons, but may be accessed via the Copyright link below .... David HT Mod

Quote removed for copyright reasons, but may be accessed via the Copyright link below ..... David HT Mod

Spend time with clients in the hotel.? I`ve been on holidays and because I didn`t go to the welcome meeting, which BTW they expected me to walk to another hotel in the resort, as soon as I had finished my breakfast, to meet the time schedule....Apart from the airport, then I have never clapped eyes on a rep, and I have gone looking for them...explain that one .!!!!
24 hr help line....that`s a joke, when you can get through to speak to someone.

Free accomodation (usually a room with a bed, toilet ,sink and wardrobe No airconditioning) Meals (if they have time to eat them)

Some holidaymakers end up in accomodation not much better and they part with their hard earned cash for the privilege.
Meals...if they are fit to be eaten.
In all fairness to reps, they are someone`s daughter/son and maybe our comments should be aimed at the tour operators who not only fleece the Hotels and the general public, but also the reps as well. :twisted:

As far as the bleeding hearts tales of woe for reps is concerned
There`s a saying...if you don`t like the pay, then don`t take the job, there are plenty of people who work long hours and receive rubbish wages in the UK and I`m sure they would swop places with reps at the drop of the hat.!

Sanji

Justval

2006-06-30 10:01:40

i think most of us would only swap for the "glamorous" bits that we get to see, rather than all the behind the scenes work.. mind you i think that is true in any job...

ndshelton

2006-06-30 12:51:17

i always put the shoe on the other foot.I got a post taken off for talking about capitalism but i really have say this is why all this is happening..people being to greedy.I always leave a big tip for the maid and the waiters but must admit i never really thought about the reps..must be because they are english ..lol

Chivas69

2006-06-30 13:34:50

I think lots of our jobs suck big time!!!
I'm still waiting for the 'LILT' truck driver job becomes available in the Carribean. "Here comes the Lilt man,"

Justval

2006-06-30 13:39:16

i suppose i would go for being the flake girl... all those endless days lying on a sun kissed beach eating chocolate... heaven!

BenidormHereICome

2006-06-30 14:05:39

Every rep i spoke to hated the pay, the long hours the living conditions most of them wanted to go home

But they would have been aware of the hourly Pay rate and Contracted number of hours they would be required to undertake BEFORE they even left the UK.

"I chose to do this job"

Precisely. Your daughter would have been well aware of what she was letting herself in for before she even completed her training course.

And I would never leave a 'tip' to a Rep. Cetainly not the english ones. More often than not I know more than what they do. If the Rep is a 'local' and has provided excellent service, which local reps native to that country tend to do anyway, then I always tip.

Whilst I would agree that for first time travellers, the elderly or disabled a Holiday Rep can be a help. But sadly whether or not we like it, the days of a Holiday Rep are numbered. Some 'Reps' are nothing more than teenagers just out of school with no experience of travel, no local knowlegde, and are simply there to *wear* the Uniform as an *advert* for the Tour Operator. They do it for 'pocket money' and what they believe is the glamour that goes with the role.

Incidentally, there is a other long tread running somewhere about Holiday Reps, but where I cannot recall now. I think it may be under the THOMSONS bit on the Tour Operator Forums.

ndshelton

2006-06-30 15:26:08

val..wouldnt the choc melt ..lol

Brit5Alpha

2006-06-30 15:58:55

You know when i first started this post it was'nt to get at anyone it was just to make people aware that Some reps do actually work hard, they are not out on bar crawls every night, looking to fleece the next guest out of there hard earned cash, i didnt start this post to make people feel sorry for the reps but just to make people aware that if you have a problem and it seems like the rep is not doing anything He/She actually are trying to sort out YOUR problem, they work hard its there job not there holiday and they try there hardest to make it a good holiday for YOU

Precisely. Your daughter would have been well aware of what she was letting herself in for before she even completed her training course.

No nothing at the training course prepares you for what your letting yourself into

But they would have been aware of the hourly Pay rate and Contracted number of hours they would be required to undertake BEFORE they even left the UK

Yes they were told what to expect (basic monthly pay) and also they could work up and over 88 hours but they would still only get basic pay no overtime no extra days off

)

And I would never leave a 'tip' to a Rep. Cetainly not the english ones.

I am not asking anyone to leave tips for the reps, my daughter as well as the rest of the reps she works with are not teenagers just out of school they are not there to just wear the uniform and they certainly Do not do it for pocket money and there is definatly no glammer in the job

sanji i am not trying to give a bleeding hearts tales of woe for reps maybe just trying to make people aware that they do do there best to give guests a good holiday, to sort out guests problems and if you havent seen a rep in days maybe just maybe they are having to work in other hotels ( a rep can travel on a dolmus on a 2 hr journey just to see 1 guest

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