| ICCA’s Interview with a Cruise Expert – Guy Batten

ICCA General
Manager, Brett
Jardine asked Guy
Batten (pictured
left) from
Concierge Traveller
to share some
thoughts.
When did you complete your ICCA
Accreditation?
March 2009 then Masters in 2010.
How has this helped grow your sales?
Attending the ICCA training seminars,
the Masters conference and various
other ICCA seminars has greatly
increased my knowledge,
understanding and appreciation of the
cruise industry and my personal role in
it. These courses have given me a
confidence in selling that has made it
relatively easy for me to overcome
objections and to close the sale. The
result has meant a discernible increase
in the number of cruises sold this last year.
How do you promote your ICCA
Accreditation?
The Concierge Traveller website
describes my status as a Cruise Master.
We regularly host in-house functions for
new and existing clients where my
accreditation is acknowledged. In
addition, I am regularly delighted when
existing clients tell me that they pass
this important information on to other
prospective clients.
What makes you stand out from your
competitors?
I have a deep and loyal core of repeat
clients who have become more friends
more than clients and who gladly refer
their friends to me. My goal is to keep
abreast of their changing likes and
dislikes which helps me to qualify and
recommend the right cruise line that
best suits their needs.