If customer service is important to a company, the question to ask is:
What problems are we trying to solve for our customers?
To answer that question, student travel providers have to walk in the shoes of teachers, educators and administrators. At Forum Travel, here’s what we’re seeing.
- Financial – Yep, no question about it. If you are teaching students and wanting to introduce them to travel opportunities, then raising funds definitely figure into your daily concerns.
- Recruitment –teachers planning travel have to think about how to recruit new students. Why should this be difficult? Because kids have a huge desire to participate, but the many pressures and choices they face can make it difficult. So, how do you keep the party going?
- What is my purpose? We’ve stood at many a conference chatting with educators who are struggling with the everyday-ness of their interactions with administrators, parents, and students. You were a person who loves teaching and loves travel and wants to share the enthusiasm. But did you realize how difficult it was going to be to stay focused and enthusiastic about your vocation?
So, what kinds of suggestions and tools can we offer you?
- Promote Advocacy – helping to promote YOUR program to YOUR community and administration will help you with a couple of things. If your group can become a presence in the community, you’ll not only gain exposure within the community, you may also garner a few bucks towards your fundraising goal.
- Embrace a little fun in your schedule. Your program is competing against a host of other enticements for your students – sports, video gaming, social, or just plain apathy. Nothing breeds success like success! Plan a trip that incorporates educational elements but also includes some time for your group to develop a little camaraderie and have some good fun! Word gets out that your department gets to go somewhere and have some awesome experiences and …tah dah! – your program grows!
- Keep your own learning going! Students want to be part of a successful program. They don’t want you to help them be just mediocre. Instead, they are counting on you to be excellent, too! Keep traveling on your own and experiencing new places and adventures you can explore with your students.
- Do what it takes to cultivate your purpose. Getting outside of yourself and your classroom would be a great place to start! Chances are your own great memories of school include a trip with your music ensemble, drama team, or history class. Don’t forget about these moments and strive to create those memories for your students.
At Forum Travel, brainstorming with you to plan a great experience for your students is a very enjoyable part of our purpose. In our own toolbox, we have lots of ideas for…
- Inexpensive overnight trips
- Theme park choices that include performance or workshop options
- Performances for music ensembles
- Destinations throughout the country with many cool things to put in front of your students.
- How to feed and water your herd! We can suggest lots of ideas for inexpensive meals.
- Shaking up your program – that is, doing something different or outside the box to stimulate your students’ interests.
- Fundraising options – there are millions of ideas here.
Customer service is not just a word to us – it’s our goal to provide the best service you will experience. Feel free to call us to discuss your individual needs for your school. We’re happy to hear your challenges and we’re dedicated to finding some solutions that fits your program! We’d love to welcome you and your students to a Forum Educational Travel trip! Give us a call at 1-888-76-FORUM or contact us at info@forumtravel.org.