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Actionable Feedback: Concessions Policy and Cross-Functional CX/TREX SOP

Purpose:

​​This card provides the framework for understanding how to differentiate between various kinds of feedback about Context tours and how to respond appropriately. The SOP also outlines how actionable feedback is managed between CX and EX.

Related Cards:

Context:

In 2024, we began working towards long-term SGI goals. As part of the Profitability SGI - Reduce Cancellation and Refunds -- and specifically the Bring Refunded Dollars to 10% or less KPI -- we reviewed the concessions we were providing clients when they shared negative feedback about a Context experience. It was determined that oftentimes, the credits we were providing clients were never being used or incentivizing them to return. As such, we tightened up our concessions. Although we still want to be generous with clients, there is no value in offering them something that doesn’t make them want to rebook with us.

Please always review this card to determine whether you should offer a concession to the client or escalate the feedback for further decision-making support and response. If feedback merits a discussion with other teams cross-functionally, then please always escalate it to your manager.

Where do CX and EX receive feedback?

  • Email or SMS from client or TA informing us
  • Feedback directly from clients or TA as a survey response
  • Feedback directly from Expert
  • Google or TripAdvisor Review

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HANDLING FEEDBACK?

  • EX always reviews survey responses and feedback directly from an Expert. If it is actionable, they will flag it for CX, as well as the corresponding regional TPT rep in Slack
  • CX/AX always reviews and handles email or SMS feedback directly from a client/TA. If it is actionable, and no survey task exists on the schedwalk, they will create a task to begin the process of communication and resolution with EX

What are the three levels of feedback we receive?

Positive feedback = comments, emails, messages, or survey responses from clients or guides who share a positive experience. We always want to share this feedback with the Experts and thank the client for their review.

Example Language:

  • This tour was great!
  • We had the best time with guide and can’t wait to do another Context Tour
  • Thank you for the amazing experience!

Light negative feedback = comments, emails, messages or survey responses from clients or guides that share a mixed review. Most of the tour was a success, but there may have been 1 or 2 elements that didn't quite make the mark. Associates and Coordinators can mostly handle this kind of feedback without needing to escalate to a Manager, but can do so if they are unsure.

Examples:

  • We enjoyed our tour however the guide wasn’t always consistent or clear when sharing information which made some of it hard to follow
  • Guide was amazing and made up the missed time, but the car was 15 minutes late and the driver was rude
  • This tour was really expensive and for the amount we paid, we expected more depth to the tour
  • We thought this tour had skip-the-line tickets but our guide informed us that isn’t the case. Can you please explain why the tickets weren’t purchased in advance?

Serious negative feedback = comments, email messages or survey responses from clients or guides that share an entirely negative review and/or feedback that requires more extensive follow-up actions. The tour was not a success, and usually, the client or guide will have provided a concrete example of what went wrong. Please note that sometimes, this level of complaint is subjective and clients can be upset because their expectations were not properly aligned to what we can provide as an experience. This level of feedback also takes into account when basic expectations are not met by the guide (ie, cutting it short, altering the itinerary, etc.). Serious feedback should always be escalated to a manager to handle communications and coordinate cross-functionally to get further information if needed.

Examples:

  • This tour was horrible and a complete waste of our time and money. I am incredibly disappointed. The guide was rushed, didn’t provide consistent information and seemed to be lost. They had to continually check the map on their phone.
  • Today was a disaster. From starting an hour late to not being able to figure out how to buy train tickets to seemingly rambling thru random neighborhoods and learning nothing…it was a waste of a day. She even said she had never done the tour before and that was evident. We even ended an hour early, because we felt like it was a waste of time.
  • Guide cut the tour short for reasons that aren’t very clear. We paid a lot of money for the full tour and don’t appreciate having promised time cut out.

EX & CX timeframe to resolve actionable feedback

  1. 48 hour is reasonable and what we are aiming for,
  2. Never to go above 72 hours and if we don’t have further info from expert within this timeframe, CX/EX can move forward with offering appropriate resolution

CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS AND CONCESSIONS

  1. Determine what level of feedback it is and if it needs to be escalated
  2. If the feedback is positive:
    1. CXA or AXA: Reply to client/TA using the positive feedback macro in Front
      1. Client - Positive Feedback - Google Review
      2. There is no message template for TAs. Please respond with a thank you!
    2. Share feedback in #client-feedback in Slack with a link to Admin order + Email/SMS
      1. If the feedback should be shared with the Expert, please tag @expert-team to flag them to share
  3. If the feedback is light negative:
    1. We do not immediately want to offer the client or TA credit for light negative feedback. Instead, we want to thank them for their review and let them know that we’ve flagged the issue with the appropriate team. CX/AX has the following macros to use as a starting point to reply
      1. Client - Light Negative Feedback
      2. TA - Light Negative Experience Feedback
    2. If the client/TA pushes back and is seeking financial compensation or other concessions, CX and AX Associates should feel empowered to give up to $100 dollars in Context Travel credit. They can also consider a different concession, such as a comped Audio Guide or Pre-Trip lecture if that seems like a more appropriate solution. If the client/TA continues to persist or provides more negative feedback, then please escalate it to the appropriate person.
    3. CXA or AXA must always add an order note explaining feedback and action taken, including relevant links to any communications.
  4. If the feedback is serious negative (ie: actionable feedback):
    1. CXA or AXA: Please respond to the client / TA using the actionable feedback macro in Front
      1. Client - Bad Negative Feedback - Escalate to Manager
      2. TA - Bad Negative Feedback - Escalate to Manager
    2. CXA or AXA: tag the email with actionable feedback and assign it to your Manager

CX or AX Managers will handle all comms with the client/TA, coordinate with T-REX, and decide on the final resolution:

  1. Criteria to consider when determining refund/credit due:
    1. review client or TA profile notes for any past experiences Context has had with this client/TA
      1. Are they a long-term client/TA, or are they new to Context (first order)?
      2. Are they a strategic client or TA/Agency?
    2. review the order and the order history of the client / TA
      1. Is this a High Value Order (HVO)?
      2. Do they have many other tours in this order?
      3. Is this order one of several on this trip?
  2. Managers should feel empowered to offer up to a 50% refund or 100% credit, depending on the severity of the feedback. Try not to refund more than 50% whenever possible as we still have to pay the guide for their time. If you choose to offer a credit instead of a refund, please also pair it with an offer to help them book a new experience (over email or over the phone) so that we get them to use the credit ASAP.
    1. If you need decision-making support beyond a 50% refund, please contact Aleeshia, Bianca, or Milena.
      1. Aleeshia = direct clients and OTG-specific situations
      2. Bianca = direct clients, VIP, HVOs or other CX Consult Clients
      3. Milena (and/or Margot) = Agent-Placed Orders, AX Consult Clients, AX VIPs and AX HVOs

IF TOUR REVIEW COMES FROM SURVEY RESPONSE

EX PROCESS

  • Submitted survey reviews now live on the schedwalk level and automatically create an associated task
  • If a poor survey review contains no written explanation, EX will flip to managers_cx task list for initial reach out
  • If the poor survey review does include an explanation, the EX team member handling reaches out to the expert, collects their response, and posts the response in the task’s comment field. They then flip the task to managers_cx for further triage and outreach to client
  • If the guide is nonresponsive after 72 hours?
    • Flip back to managers_cx with note - CXMs will follow up with the client to offer appropriate concessions and close the loop

CX PROCESS

  • Once a survey is passed to the managers_cx task list, CX managers will triage to the appropriate manager (mark as “accountable”) according to the following specifications:
    • Consult (over 5k, or tagged)
      • Brittany
    • AX (any)
      • Elizabeth
    • Self serve, or consult handovers
      • Christian
    • Digital feedback (audio guides, lectures)
      • Corrie
  • Once surveys are triaged, CX Managers should respond to the client/TA no later than 48 - 72 hours after receiving the task to offer the appropriate concessions and gather further information as needed
    • If feedback is “light negative”, the task will be triaged to the appropriate general team inbox (advisors_cx, consult_cx, cx_isea, cx_papasuki, cx_france) for senior associate follow-up

HOW DO EX AND CX COMMUNICATE?

  • All communications between teams should take place through comments on the survey task, with the EX team and CX team flipping the task back to the other team with each response
  • The Actionable Feedback channel should be reserved for extreme or emergency feedback that requires additional conversation/input from higher management, additional teams or exec.
  • If necessary to post in actionable feedback, be sure to post a link to the order, a link the email and tag the appropriate regional TREX team.
        1. @trex-papasuki Dana and Mirko
        2. @trex-france-northern-central-europe Lily and Caroline
        3. @trex-isea Ilaria and Sabrina

IF TOUR REVIEW COMES THROUGH MAIN CLIENT INBOX

  • Responding CX member should send appropriate “negative feedback” (light/serious) template to client
  • Responding CX team member will then navigate to the order on Admin, leave an order note mentioning the feedback, and link to the client’s email in Front
  • They will then navigate to the affected schedwalk and create a task in the QA and Other Tasks section with the following criteria:
    • ACCOUNTABLE
      • None
    • TEAM
      • Expert
    • DUE AT
      • Date feedback received
    • CATEGORY
      • Surveys
    • PRIORITY
      • Based on feedback level
    • STATUS
      • Not_started
    • DESCRIPTION: Client left negative feedback for this tour, please reach out to [EXPERT NAME] to collect further details and flip back to managers_cx with their response. If no response from Expert within 72 hours, please flip back to managers_cx for resolution with client. [LINK TO FRONT]

DIGITAL FEEDBACK (WIP - APril 2024)

  • What is the process Team Digital uses for handling negative audio guide/lecture feedback?
      • Digital Feedback does not yet come through the tasking system
      • Digital will post negative feedback in the Actionable Feedback slack channel, and tag Corrie for reach out
      • Corrie will reach out to the client, and post further communications and final resolution in the Slack thread associated with the specific review
  • Concessions
    • Free lecture or audio guide, depending on the client's circumstances
  • Legitimate critical feedback is not kept hidden from the front-end of the website

EX How to respond to feedback received as a survey response

Follow: EX: How to handle Feedback

For more information or clarifications, contact your manager.

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