ACV tackles long telephone wait times with more self-serve tools

Air Canada Vacations (ACV) has increased its self-service tools to allow travel agents manage their client’s bookings through its website.

To help agents save time, the tour operator has enhanced its self-serve tools through TripBook for bookings made online.

These enhancements include the ability to view and print bookings, access location maps, travel guides and e-documents, add payments and seat selections, cancel bookings and edit passenger information.

In addition, it has implemented online submission forms for some requests previously only available through its call centre, including requests for cancellations under CareFlexPlus or with a reduced deposit of $50, and requests for a refund under its Price Drop Guarantee.

“We’re all rolling up our sleeves so that we can rebuild our industry together. Our priority remains giving our partners the support that they need, and we’re doing everything we can to respond to them and tackle any issues that arise,” said Nino Montagnese, vice-president, Air Canada Vacations. “These enhanced tools are a new way to help agents service their customers quickly without the wait.”

To access ACV's self-service tools for bookings made through its Call Centre, agents are encouraged to visit the Manage Your Booking page on aircanadavacations.com.  

On hold  

The update comes as travel advisors continue to face extremely long telephone wait times when calling into ACV’s call centre. It’s a problem that many tour operators (not just ACV) are working around the clock to solve.

In October, Lucy Sabella, vice-president of operations at Air Canada Vacations, addressed the issue at Travel Professionals International’s (TPI) 2021 fall conference,“Emerge,” and, at the time, hinted that more self-serve tools were coming to help agents save time. 

“In the end, we’re serving you, who is serving the end customer. You’re in the middle, and it’s frustrating. I can really, really understand that,” said Sabella, participating in a virtual panel discussion alongside Joseph Adamo, president at Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) and chief sales and marketing officer for Transat and Andrew Dawson, chief operating officer at Sunwing Travel Group.

The reality, Sabella said, is that “there’s a lot involved before we can put somebody on the phone,” noting the extensive training that goes into hiring people in the call centre.

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