08h00 - 09h00
As a Consultant at Thompson's Africa you are in daily contact with international Travel Agencies and Wholesalers throughout various parts of the world, some on different time zones. As such, time is of the essence and email is the most efficient means of correspondence. So you log onto your PC and retrieve the new requests for quotes, bookings and any general queries that you need to work on today.

09h00 - 10h30
Working closely with an Operations Co-ordinator in your department, you start on the new bookings which you received this morning. You call up several hotels and check availability for your new bookings, and then follow up with an email or fax to the hotel to confirm the space you require. You're having a problem finding accommodation in Cape Town over New Year, so you discuss this with your Department Head, who helps you to re-arrange the itinerary, thus solving the availability problem. You load the bookings into our online system, write up a file, and then diarise to follow up on hotel confirmations later this afternoon.

11h00
Some creative thinking is required as one of your agents needs a suggested itinerary for a client travelling to South Africa on a 'Holiday of a lifetime' with his family. After checking out the Holiday Planner and Thompson's Africa brochure, you decide on an itinerary that includes all of the hot spots of South Africa: a Safari in Mpumalanga in search of the Big 5, some time lazing on one of the gorgeous KZN beaches and snorkelling at St Lucia, an escorted tour along the magnificent Garden Route, and some wine tasting and culture in the 'Mother City', Cape Town. And then to top it off, a trip to Victoria Falls for some thrilling adventure activities! You compile a quotation which includes all of the transfers, accommodation, day tours and necessary flights, which you then email through to your client. You schedule to follow up in 2 days time.

12h00 - 13h00
A well-earned lunch break!

13h15
You receive a call from a passenger who arrived in South Africa earlier this week, and who requires some information on the day tours you have suggested and booked for him. As you have recently travelled to Cape Town on an educational, and visited Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula, you are able to offer your client a personal perspective on the day tours included on his itinerary.

13h30 - 15h00
Together with your Operations Assistant, you follow up on the bookings which you processed earlier today, in order to revert to your clients with a same day turnaround, thus ensuring you close the sale.

15h30
One of the Meet and Greet representatives at Johannesburg Airport calls to let you know that a flight has been delayed and your passengers will probably not connect to their onward Domestic flight. After calling the airline and confirming the flight delay, you log onto Worldspan to check on the next available flight and you pass on this information to the Representative. You diarise to call the clients in the morning to ensure they have everything they need, and to reassure them that you are available should they need any assistance.

16h30
After ensuring that you have not left any quotes, queries or bookings unanswered, you log off your computer and head off home, knowing that tomorrow will bring another exciting, action-packed day at Thompsons.