service hospitalitygds sabreitinerary designluxury travelsupplier networks
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Craft of the service
35% weight
Probe how they build itineraries: GDS or Sabre use, Travefy or TravelJoy tooling, multi-leg routing, visa timing, DMC and hotel contacts they book directly.
Evidence to listen for
Command of the treatments, techniques, or service standards the role requires
Holds current qualifications where regulated
Can explain contraindications, limits, or when to decline
Keeps skills current rather than coasting on training
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unsafe or unqualified; cannot explain their own technique.
2
Needs Improvement
Basic competence; gaps in contraindications or standards.
3
Satisfactory
Competent across the standard menu; less confident beyond it.
4
Very Good
Skilled and current; clear on limits and when to decline.
5
Excellent
Walks through a real 14 day multi-country itinerary, naming carriers, ground handlers, fare rules and the supplier they called personally.
02
Evaluation factor
Client care
30% weight
Assess how they read a client brief: budget honesty, pace preferences, dietary or mobility needs, and how they handled a trip disrupted mid-journey at 2am.
Evidence to listen for
Reads what a client actually wants versus what they asked for
Handles a complaint without defensiveness or capitulation
Maintains discretion and appropriate boundaries
Clients ask for them by name
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Dismissive of clients; boundaries or discretion are a concern.
2
Needs Improvement
Task-focused; complaints escalate rather than resolve.
3
Satisfactory
Good with straightforward clients; less sure with difficult ones.
4
Very Good
Strong client rapport with repeat requests and calm complaint handling.
5
Excellent
Describes specific clients by travel style, cites repeat and referral rates, and recounts rebooking a stranded family within hours.
03
Evaluation factor
Standards and hygiene
20% weight
Check booking accuracy discipline: passport and visa validity checks, ATOL or IATA obligations, insurance disclosure, deposit deadlines, and how they avoid name-mismatch ticketing errors.
Evidence to listen for
Treats sanitation, preparation, and turnaround as non-negotiable
Keeps the space to standard when nobody is checking
Knows the regulations that apply and follows them
Reports a problem rather than working around it
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about hygiene or preparation standards.
2
Needs Improvement
Meets standards when supervised only.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable standards; occasional lapses under time pressure.
4
Very Good
Standards hold under pressure and without supervision.
5
Excellent
Names their pre-departure checklist, error rate, and a near miss caught before ticketing, plus the compliance rules they work under.
04
Evaluation factor
Commercial awareness
15% weight
Test grasp of margins: commission versus planning fee models, supplier override deals, preferred consortium benefits like Virtuoso, and average trip value they carry.
Evidence to listen for
Understands how the business makes money from their time
Recommends and rebooks without pressuring
Manages a schedule and turnaround to keep utilisation up
Handles retail or upsell honestly
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No commercial awareness, or pushes sales at the client's expense.
2
Needs Improvement
Passive on rebooking and recommendations.
3
Satisfactory
Reasonable rebooking; scheduling sometimes loose.
4
Very Good
Strong rebooking and utilisation without pressuring clients.
5
Excellent
Quotes average booking value, fee structure they defend to clients, and consortium or supplier commissions they actively negotiated upward.
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