Cape Town: Guest Experience Specialist posted by Kendrick Recruitment

Guest Experience Specialist African Safari & Tours Company | Cape Town

Kendrick Recruitment is seeking a professional and proactive Guest Experience Specialist to join a leading African Safari & Tours Company based in Cape Town. This role offers a salary of R30,000 per month (negotiable depending on experience) and provides a unique opportunity to enhance guest experiences while supporting travel agents and operational teams.

The ideal candidate will have strong crisis management skills, excellent communication, and a passion for luxury travel and safari operations.

Key Responsibilities Agent-Centric Support:

• Serve as the first point of contact for travel agents after-hours, providing accurate, swift, and empathetic responses

• Manage agent-only channels, including hotline, WhatsApp, and Live Chat

• Follow strict agent-first communication protocols, contacting guests directly only when safety or urgency requires

Key Responsibilities Crises & Emergency Management:

• Respond rapidly to in-safari issues such as flight disruptions, lodge changes, weather events, or medical needs

• Provide same-day incident reports to agents, outlining actions taken and recommended recovery measures

Key Responsibilities Guest Experience Enhancement:

• Deliver surprise-and-delight touches on behalf of agents, including personalised notes or special experiences

• Ensure all guest-facing interactions are white-labelled to match the agents tone and brand style

Key Responsibilities Operational Partnership:

• Handle itinerary changes, special requests, and rooming issues outside standard hours

• Collaborate with Booking Ops and Product teams to proactively manage operational disruptions

Key Responsibilities Proactive Trip Monitoring:

• Track VIP and high-touch itineraries in real time, providing agents with proactive updates

• Flag potential service issues before they impact the guest experience

Qualities & Experience:

• 35 years experience in travel, safari operations, or luxury hospitality (DMC or agent support experience preferred)

• Strong crisis management and problem-solving skills under pressure

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with adaptability in tone and style

• Tech-savvy, with experience using CRM and instant communication tools

• Fluency in English; additional languages advantageous

• Proactive, detail-oriented, diplomatic, and discreet

• Strong collaboration skills to work across time zones

Work Practices & Conditions:

• Promote the companys reputation and values in all external and internal interactions

• Uphold high standards of service, quality, and professionalism at all times

• Attend staff events, training, and development programmes as required

• Shift-based 24/7 coverage, including nights, weekends, and public holidays

• Rotational roster to ensure continuous service across regions

• Remote working options available with stable internet and secure workspace

• Occasional travel to properties or partner locations for training or familiarisation

This is an exciting opportunity for a dedicated hospitality professional to play a key role in enhancing guest experiences and supporting a world-class safari and tours operation.