Customer Service Sales

KATHY HIGGINBOTHAM

***** ******** ****** ~ Pride, Louisiana 70770

225-***-**** ************@*******.***

TRAVEL INDUSTRY MANAGER

Branch Management ~ Leadership and Mentoring Skills ~ Vendor Management

Accomplished, results-oriented Professional with over 30 years of proven

success in supporting and managing travel agencies. Extensive domestic

and international travel experience with proficiency in multiple travel

systems paired with strong leadership and people skills, resulting in

consistent delivery of exceptional Customer Service and increased sales.

Strong training background and the ability to collaborate with internal

and external entities to reach goals. Additional capabilities in:

( Sabre / Apollo ( Training Delivery ( Client

Relations / Retention

( Internal / External Sales ( Internal / External Sales (

Staff Development

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Malcolm Travel & Cruise, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Present

Leisure/Corporate/Group Sales/Training

. Group sales coordinator, leisure and corporate.

. Manage cruise, bus, and hotel, air groups for individual clubs, schools

and corporate functions.

. Contract negotiation with hotels, air, ground transportation, catering

and events.

. Onsite trainer for multiple agency locations, computer proficiency,

customer service and updates.

Louisiana Travel Services, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 2000 -8/2009

Branch Manager

Oversee travel operations, domestic and international, for multiple

corporate branch accounts.

. Utilize my proficiency in Sabre and Apollo to support travel needs of the

State.

. Hire new site personnel; train, mentor and develop new and existing

staff.

. Conduct staff performance reviews, maximizing each individual's strengths

and identifying and addressing weaknesses.

. Capture new accounts utilizing internal and external sales leads,

maintaining ongoing strong and positive customer relationships; also

write proposal for new business.

. Negotiate contracts with vendors, hotels and air carriers.

. Resolve conflicts among staff and swiftly address and effectively handle

customer complaints.

. Led efforts for a back office conversion project.

. Supervised project to upgrade the agency's computer system.

. Maximize utilization of resource by developing, implementing and

enforcing standard processes.

. Maintain the onsite printers and online booking tool.

. Issue paper and e-tickets.

CWT / MUNDUS TRAVEL, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1993 - 1999

Lead Agent / Training Supervisor

. Served as in-house trainer for five branch locations statewide.

. Earned promotion to Training Supervisor.

. Developed, wrote and implemented company new-hire processes.

. Group Specialist and escort. Event Planning.

. ARC / IAR Specialist.

INTERNATIONAL TOURS AND CRUISES, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1986 - 1993

Lead Travel Agent for the State of Louisiana

ADVENTURES, INC., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 1980 - 1986

Travel Agent / ARC Processor

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Providing and Maintaining Consistent Customer Service Destination

Specialists

Managing and Supervising Difficult People in the Workplace Numerous

Travel Seminars

Conflict Management and Confrontational Skills - Fred Pryor International

Faring and Tariffs

Sales - How to Win Your Customer Train the Trainer

Powerful Telephone Skills Apollo Training

SKILLS

Sabre Worldspan Apollo

10-Key Proficient Excellent Phone Skills Numerous Travel Seminars

Outlook MS Excel MS Word

PowerPoint Lotus Notes Excellent Typing Skills

Contact this candidate