Tauck most review tour Directors performance

mel0849

This is one topic... that I have heard way to many times, lately....
I personally had the same experience on my last trip, this time India.

This is what I just read from a reviewer....

" the worst part was your tour guide. He never engaged with group. At best, he took restaurant reservations, but other than that, he took very little interest in making sure our group was looked after. "

The guides (TD's) are not! Engaging with the groups! and people are noticing it. They don't feel taken care as Tauck has always done..... I LOVE TAUCK and I'm already booked for my 2018 trip and looking at 2019. so I would hate to see , that Tauck would start having issues with their services.... If they do Good! we do better!!.
Please, take this comment very serious my best wishes.....

British

Perhaps we have been lucky, but we have never had a tour director that did not engage with the group and have some laughs along the way. Most have bent over backwards to help individual tour group members from everything from retrieving forgotten passports and computers from the last hotel, to dealing with heart attacks, booking other things for guests, getting broken cameras fixed and solving all sorts of problems with cheer and sometimes no thanks from the clients. I've seen tour directors have to deal with quite obnoxious clients at times, how they keep their cool with these unreasonable people that sometimes take the tours, I really do not know. On our last tour we had yet another exceptional tour director. I'll not go in to details but the ---sorry no other word for it---crap she had to deal with from one couple was frankly disgusting, it took several hours of her time for something that was inexcusable. I think people forget what a hard job being a tour director is and the stuff they have to do behind the scenes, I think clients forget how long it takes. Before cell phones and internet, it was even harder for them. Ok, we pay big prices for these trips, but as someone who has taken lots of independent travel to other countries, the tours take a heck of a lot of organization that we have not had time to do these past few years and it is appreciated by us.
I believe the Morroco tour is new, I have taken a couple of brand new tours in the past, yes the first ones, there have been teething problems but nothing more, just a bit of time management. Yes maybe we have been lucky. To avoid risk of a tour not being up to scratch, I suggest not taking a brand new tour.
Where were you reading these comments?

mel0849

Hi British.
Check out the reviews, that's where I read it.
I've had the same great experience in all my trips, and I do agree with you ..some clients ( not talking about the reviewer ) are not at STD with the quality and professionalism of Tauck and some are just high maintenance & will never be pleased.... also, yes! this is a new tour that needs to be revised & refined to better please the clients. But last year I was pretty disappointed with the TD on my trip to India . and this TD was highly recommended as the best.... He would not say good morning while I was next to him @ breakfast, not a good bye, not a how are you guys doing, do you like the trip, is everything ok? NOTHING!!! and this was a general perception among those of us that are regulars with Tauck. of course a rep from tauck called me within the week and apologize and I know they truly meant it and that they did talk to him.

I think they just lose the sensitivity towards the group trying to make everything come out perfect.... it happens to all of us. But it does makes you experience as a client not entirely jolly....
That's why it's so hard to be that perfect TD. we are all humans after all.....
Milena

queenie1

And this is why I could not say more!!!!!

[Deleted User]

My comments are based on only two trips but in both cases the Tour Directors were highly professional and looked after the needs of the quests. They were always friendly but not chummy. I understand that there are strict rules about the TD not becoming overly chummy with any particular quest lest someone else feels left out. I found that they were available for a chat, answered questions and even asked questions. Maybe I have just been very lucky.

tomh

I have been on 32 Tauck tours to date with 5 more planned this year. I too may have been "lucky," but on everyone of them so far, the TD has been excellent, in many instances extremely knowledgable of the tour that they were leading. Just another reason why I enjoy traveling with Tauck and, yes, not that you asked but I have on occasion traveled with other companies in the past. :-)

mel0849

Hi all.
I guess is not even "luck" , Tauck has always offered excellent service & high quality tours... ( 90 years) says it all Their TD's are super qualified and highly professional, but lately.... and is not just /or only Tauck ; I had heard complains of many friends and clients here at the clinic that I work for.. about the way tour industries are missing the human aspect of their profession.
which is a sad because part of the experience and success of a trip is the interaction of the group as such and a good TD does integrate the group by interacting with them.... no need to be xtra friendly as the old 60's & 70's but
a good joke, a tale of some traveling experiences a quick game of best travel memories while driving on the bus... makes the group dynamic friendlier and it does not hurt if the TD walks around to ask how's everyone doing? )
I have travel on my own for 30 years, I booked my hotels, flights, trains , day tours etc... and as I became wiser.. I decided to change to Tauck tours only!!! ) 4 in my count , 1 next 2018 and 2019 and my bucket list keeps growing.:))
I just want to address my concerns , in hope this helps to keep the highly professional service alive.
Happy travels everyone.