A Out-of-Office (OOO) Coverage Plan for Travel Advisors

Define Your OOO Dates:
Start Date: ______________
End Date: ______________
Total days OOO: ______________

Critical Tasks: List all the tasks you regularly handle that need to be covered

☐ Responding to client inquiries
☐ Managing bookings (new and existing)
☐ Handling last-minute changes or cancellations
☐ Payments and invoicing
☐ Supplier communication
☐ Emergency client support
☐ Other: _______________

Identify Urgency Levels: What tasks must be addressed immediately? What can wait?

Urgent tasks: _______________
Non-urgent tasks: _______________

Seasonal Considerations:

Are you leaving during a busy booking season?
☐ Yes ☐ No
Expected volume of inquiries during your absence: _______________

Communication Needs: What will clients expect while you’re OOO?

☐ Regular updates
☐ Emergency contact
☐ Other: _______________

Assign Responsibilities:

Who will handle your critical tasks while you’re away?
Primary Contact: _______________
Backup Contact: _______________
Contact Information: _______________
Documentation:

Create a step-by-step guide or checklist for your coverage team:
☐ Key contacts (clients and suppliers)
☐ Access to tools (e.g., CRM, email)
☐ Login credentials (shared securely)
☐ SOPs for handling common tasks
☐ Other: _______________
Handover Meeting:

Schedule a meeting to review responsibilities with your coverage team:
Date/Time: _______________
Key topics to cover: _______________
Backup Plan:

What will you do if your primary contact is unavailable?
Plan B Contact: _______________

Notify Clients in Advance:
Send a notification at least __ weeks before your OOO dates.

Sample Email/Message Template:

Subject: Out-of-Office Notification

Hi [Client Name],

I wanted to let you know I’ll be out of the office from [start date] to [end date]. During this time, [Primary Contact Name] will be available to assist you with any urgent needs. You can reach them at [contact info].

For general inquiries, I’ll respond as soon as I return.

Thank you for your understanding!

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Set Up an Autoresponder:
☐ Include OOO dates
☐ Emergency contact info
☐ Expected response times

Example:
Subject: Out of Office – [Your Name]

Thank you for your email! I am currently out of the office from [start date] to [end date]. During this time:
- For urgent matters, please contact [Primary Contact Name] at [contact info].
- All other inquiries will be addressed upon my return on [date].

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

Best,
[Your Name]

Set Up Automation:
☐ Schedule social media posts.
☐ Automate email follow-ups or reminders.
☐ Enable booking systems for self-service options.

Share Tools with Coverage Team:
☐ CRM access (e.g., Travefy, ClientBase).
☐ Shared calendar.
☐ File-sharing tools (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox).

Test Your Tools:
Perform a dry run to ensure everything is working smoothly.