- SITTTSL005A - Sell tourism products and services
SITTTSL005A
Sell tourism products and services
Application
This unit describes a key sales and operational function for a diverse range of domestic and international tourism and hospitality products and services and applies to the full range of industry sectors. The tourism or hospitality organisation could be a principal (the supplier) or an agent selling products and services on behalf of the principal. This unit has particular application to those personnel who sell as a key focus of their job role and for whom selling is an essential skill. It applies to frontline sales or operations personnel who operate with some level of autonomy or under limited supervision and guidance from others. It is undertaken by a diverse range of people such as retail travel consultants, corporate consultants, inbound tour coordinators, visitor information officers, account managers for professional conference organisers, event coordinators, tour guides, restaurant managers, banquet coordinators or managers, resort activities coordinators, tour desk officers, reservations sales agents and owner-operators of small tourism businesses. | |
Prerequisites
This unit must be assessed after the following prerequisite unit: SITTTSL002A Access and interpret product information. | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Identify customer needs. | 1.1 | Accurately identify specific customer needs and preferences, including cultural needs and expectations. |
1.2 | Identify any customer requirements which, if met, would breach ethical and legal commitments. | ||
1.3 | Establish rapport with the customer to promote goodwill and trust. | ||
1.4 | Disclose any fees determined by the organisation to ensure charges for sales and product coordination activities are clearly understood by the customer. | ||
2 | Suggest products to meet customer needs. | 2.1 | Undertake any required research to source information to meet specific customer needs. |
2.2 | Tailor product options to the customer's specific needs. | ||
2.3 | Make any product suggestions according to current organisation promotional focus and any preferred product arrangements where appropriate. | ||
2.4 | Make the customers aware of additional products and options that may enhance their itinerary. | ||
2.5 | Provide all options within the appropriate or agreed timeframe. | ||
2.6 | Present all options in a format and style most appropriate to the particular customer and according to organisation procedures. | ||
3 | Provide product information and advice. | 3.1 | Accurately identify the specific product information and advice needs of the customer. |
3.2 | Provide current and accurate product information and advice, including relevant product conditions in a timely manner. | ||
3.3 | Ensure the scope and depth of the information are appropriate to customer needs. | ||
3.4 | Present the information and advice in an appropriate format and style. | ||
3.5 | Clearly explain and promote product features and benefits to the customer. | ||
3.6 | Provide additional information to address customer questions and objections. | ||
3.7 | Select and use techniques at the appropriate time to close the sale with the customer. | ||
3.8 | Identify and act on opportunities to enhance the quality of service to customers. | ||
4 | Follow up sales opportunities. | 4.1 | Where appropriate, make follow-up contact with the customer. |
4.2 | Provide any required after sales service according to organisation procedures. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit: sales techniques fundamental communication techniques, specifically active listening and questioning literacy skills to read and interpret the content and format of complex product information documents, including rate schedules and supplier tariff sheets, and sufficient to read plain English documents that relate to legislative requirements of tourism product sales writing skills to present product options to the customer, such as in the form of an itinerary numeracy skills to calculate any fees that will apply to the sales and related product coordination activities. |
The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit: broad and working knowledge of the principles of selling and sales communication, especially as they relate to intangible products broad and working knowledge of the legal liability and implications of consumer legislation and regulations relating to selling tourism products appropriate to the particular industry sector and job role special laws relating to the sale of prohibited products and services, e.g. Child Sex Tourism Law product knowledge appropriate to the organisation or industry sector content and format of product information formats and styles of information presentation, including styles that cater for those with special needs (e.g. presenting information in large print or providing information electronically) considerations in selling, such as negotiated costs, contractual arrangements or preferred supplier or agent arrangements that may be in place. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: ability to communicate with the customer and correctly interpret the customer's requirements ability to apply sales techniques in response to a range of different customer situations underpinning product knowledge understanding of consumer liability issues demonstration of selling skills for multiple products and services and to meet varying customer needs project or work activities that show the candidates' ability to sell tourism products and services within the context of the particular industry sector in which they are working or seeking work; for those undertaking generic pre-employment training, assessment must cover a range of industry contexts to allow for a broad range of vocational outcomes completion of sales activities within typical workplace time constraints. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: demonstration of skills within a fully equipped industry-realistic office environment using appropriate computers, printers, information programs, publications and software programs currently used in the tourism industry to assist the sales function or demonstration within the applicable sales environment for the sector, e.g. a conference venue for the Events sector or touring environment for the Guiding and Tour Operations sectors interaction with customers to demonstrate selling techniques use of relevant and current product information to support the sales process, including brochures, timetables, tariffs and product sales kits. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the candidate using various sales techniques to sell a product or service project and role-play activities that allow the candidate to demonstrate selling skills, including sourcing initial and subsequent products to suit changing customer requests and finalising the sale written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of the consumer regulations that apply and communication principles that underpin sales review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended. Any related Tourism Sales and Operations units to which this unit has strong links, for example: SITTTSL003A Source and provide international destination information and advice SITTTSL004A Source and provide Australian destination information and advice SITTTSL006B Prepare quotations SITTTSL007B Receive and process reservations. |
Assessing employability skills | Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts. Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. | |
Ethical and legal commitments may relate to the sale of: | child sex tourism products or services products that breach environmental laws products that are known to cause negative environmental, cultural or social impacts such: damage to environmentally or culturally sensitive areas or sites disturbance or injury to fauna physical damage to flora introduction of exotic and feral species damage to roads, tracks and fire trails pollution from vehicle emissions and unmanaged waste noise disturbance to the local community trivialisation of culture. |
Fees determined by the organisation may include: | service fee transaction fee itinerary preparation fee visa and passport handling fee loyalty program (e.g. frequent flyer) redemption fee product booking fee amendment, cancellation or reconfirmation fee courier fee credit card fee communication fee. |
Specific customer needs may relate to: | preferences of different cultures and nationalities family status disability age gender available budget time available special interests. |
There is a broad range of products and services sold within the tourism industry, including: | transportation airfares travel insurance brochured tour packages specially tailored itineraries inclusive products or optional touring products transfers accommodation entertainment tours cruises hire cars entrance to attractions or sites tour guiding services activities meals functions special items with customer's corporate branding venue bookings speaker services audiovisual services meeting or event equipment special event consumable items catering. |
Sales: | may be made for: a single product or service multiple products and services making up a complete itinerary individual customers groups one-off touring arrangements series tours incentive tours meetings conferences |
could be: face-to-face on the phone in writing by fax by email or other electronic transmission related to the sale of a destination related to the sale of a specific product. | |
Sectors
Sector | Tourism |
Competency Field
Tourism Sales and Operations | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.