Field Notes: How Tourism Makes Better Support Agents

Last Updated April 19, 2018

Geoffrey Tyler is a Support Agent here at EzTix, but also a passionate traveller and foodie. He just returned from what looks like a spectacular vacation which took him and his girlfriend to Puerto Rico. While there, Geoffrey sent me a note, saying, “Just took the Flavors of San Juan food tour yesterday. It was great! Here’s us and our fantastic guide Evie! In case you wanted to instagram it.” We do.

It was also a perfect opportunity to launch a new series I’ve been thinking about called “Field Notes”, stories from the road as we visit our Partners. A big thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his trip wth us!

Geoffrey Tyler and Laura Discepola, serving up “couple goals” on their vacation.

Before we dig into your trip, tell us about what you do as a Support Agent.

I help Partners with just about any issue they may have regarding their accounts, including assisting guests on their behalf. As well, I help guests book tickets and answer questions regarding future tours or current bookings.

And you escaped the office to have a little adventure!

I was in Puerto Rico on vacation recently and took the Flavors of Old San Juan food tour. It was a lovely experience! Our guide was wonderful, very personable and knowledgeable about the city. We tasted some great food, great local treats, and we got a great historic overview, while seeing some specific sights in Old San Juan. The food was delicious, and unique to me and we left with full bellies and great sense to the heart of the old city.

How does getting off the phone and onto an experience help you do your job better?

It was interesting to see how the tour partners operate on the ground. We have so much information on our partners but we don’t see how it all comes together. Evie, our guide, had all our information for her current tour in her hand. She was able to check any details or restrictions she might need to know for her guests right there on the tour, as well as alert the vendors and let them know when we were on our way. Because all our information is online, it makes it so easily transferable right to the guide in the field.

It was nice to see how all the details we are always working on in the support centre translated to the guide and the experience. As a guest it made it easy. We just showed up to meeting spot, she checked us in quickly, we all met and greeted the other guests, and the we were off. So simple.

Just this week the news has stories of major black outs in San Juan, so obviously hurricane recovery is still happening. How were the locals and vendors managing?

I was in a few caribbean cities on this recent vacation that had been hit very hard by the hurricanes. I was surprised at how equally they were recovering and still working at recovering all at the same time. Tourism really is a powerful tool to help them rebuild. It gives them not only incentive but resources to do it as well. Some parts are still struggling, but some have recovered so well that you’d hardly notice—sometimes from street to street. The people were also undaunted. Their spirits were high, and they were working as hard as ever at giving people a great experience of their home. Every place we went we were met with open hearts and bright smiles.

Mofongo on the Old San Juan Food Tour.

Which EzTix experiences will be on your list for future vacations, if we’ll let you away from the phones, that is?

Well seeing as, luckily, I’ve been to most places in North America through out my life, Europe is at the top of my list. There are so many more cultures and foods that we don’t get exposed to here in North America. A food tour in Europe would be such a great way to get acquainted with the culture and more of their authentic dishes, so when I have a chance to explore on my own, I’ll have just little bit more experience to know what I’m looking for. I’d like to take a month and just eat my way through Italy and Portugal. So Eating Italy Food Tours, and Taste Porto, save me some spots!

Big thanks to Geoffrey for sharing his trip with us, and to Flavors of San Juan for treating him well. We know passionate service is what you expect, and it’s what we look for with everyone on the EzTix team.

If you’re out enjoying experiences from the EzTix Partner Community and have a story to share, send me an email anytime.