Customer Care Executive

We're looking for passionate individuals with customer care experience in the travel industry who are fluent in English and Japanese; Portuguese is a plus. If you thrive in a fast-paced, international environment, this is your moment Applicants must hold a valid work visa for Lisbon, Portugal.The Company“People don’t take trips – trips take people” …… and we’re in the business of planning and organising trips all over the globe for almost half a million travellers each year.We’re G2 Travel, a wholesale tour operator with a network of offices spanning Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America.We’re not a corporation and don’t behave like one – results are achieved through collaboration and teamwork – a place where everyone gets noticed.We believe that work should be enjoyable, stimulating and funThe DepartmentOur Customer Care teams are the dynamic interface between our global clients (travel agents) around the world and our suppliers (hotels) throughout Europe and the Middle East. The team manages groups of tourists arriving in Europe and in many parts of the world to satisfy customer and business needs.The RoleTake responsibility for the provision of excellent in-destination service for all groups. Check itinerary feasibility before tour arrival and make sure the operation is seamless. For exceptional groups with special needs provide a concierge level support. Effectively balance customer satisfaction with commercial outcomes. Negotiate, contract, maintain and foster relationships with supplier partners. Prevent issues from happening and solve unpredictable emergencies in a timely manner, maintaining the best service delivery.Groups Pre-ArrivalCheck itinerary details to ensure smooth tour logisticsObtain and supply contact details before deadlines so complete information is made available to groupsComplete reconfirmations if/as necessaryEnsure familiarity with group requirements before arrivalFollow up with reservations on any non-confirmed services and make sure all services are confirmedGroups on the RoadLiaise with tour leaders and suppliers to manage the delivery of high standards of serviceMaintain proactive contact with the group to anticipate and avoid issues via phone, social media and in-person (where applicable)Creative problem solving - resolve enquires or problems that arise – quick resolution with the best possible outcomesFacilitate change requests – negotiating additional hotel and service reservations, itinerary amendments or cancellation requests from Tour Leader or Sales. Minimise the cost to the business and the group for these changesAct as an emergency response support during any unexpected crisis situations that may ariseProvide on-call support to tour leaders- emergency after-hours coverage when required.Coordinate communication between all internal contact points to ensure ongoing transparency of tour progressEnsure alignment of service expectations between G2, supplier, and groupEnsure all actions taken regarding the group are logged and communicated including relevant cost informationEnsure any urgent issues are handed over out of hours for actionGroups after DepartureFollow up any open issues to resolution – investigation, communication, etc.Root cause analysis with recommendations to the business on how to avoid recurrence of the issue if applicableComplete reporting in a timely mannerMonitor quality standards of suppliers and provide positive and negative service examples to the sales, services and hotel teamsMeasuring SuccessPositive feedback from clients and internal customers ideally demonstrating that G2 was positively promoted, and actions have helped the Company’s growthResolution timeframe for issuesRepeat business for exceptional groupsEffective communication historyAll on the road contact details available to the Tour Leader within agreed timeframes ie. Driver/Guide contact numbersAcceptable level of itinerary mishaps & /or issues that should have been identified during reconfirmation and itinerary checks.Recommendations for process and quality improvementsAbility to demonstrate examples of cost minimisation to the business &/or groupsDemonstrate support for market requirements and delivery to customer expectationsThe Requirements Previous experience in travel industry or customer service essentialLanguages – Fluent Japanese and English essentialOther languages desirable: PortugueseLocation: Lisbon, PortugalFlexibility in hours including extended availability and willingness to act in an on-call capacity if neededProactive and customer focusStrong problem-solving, negotiation skills and detail orientationDemonstrated multi-cultural understanding and empathyMultitasker with the capability to prioritise and meet deadlinesAbility to work independently under pressureVersatility to work effectively as part of a wider team