Application Form for the Quality Seal

To be able to check if your agency fulfils all criteria to obtain the Tour Guide Quality Seal, we kindly ask you to answer the following questions and to forward the corresponding materials.

We hereby assure that all documents will be treated confidentially; they will only be used by TINTKO in the evaluation process.

Important: This document must be authorized/countersigned by a member of the agency’s board of directors.

1. Tour guides: Job specification/job description

The job specification and the job description are binding parts of the tour guide selection process of our agency.

yes
not yet, to be introduced shortly

2. Individual selection procedure for new tour guides

The following measures are part of the selection process for new tour guides

a detailed personal interview with the applicant (one to one)
an introductory seminar (minimum 1 full day) incl. a German language test*
an introductory tour (minimum 3 full days) conducted by an experienced, German speaking tour guide*

IGNORE – 2. Individual Selection Procedure for new tour guides

* The last two requirements can be waved for applicants with proven “on-the-job-experience.”

3. Contact person at the agency

The competent authorities in our agency for all tour guide related concerns are

3. Contact Person at the Agency (substitute)

substitute

3. Contact Person at the Agency (german language)

If none of the above mentioned persons speaks German, the below listed person will valuate the candidate’s command of the German language

4. Rules for the scheduling of tour guides

Our agency has defined mandatory rules for the scheduling of tour guides on all round trip tours and on excursion of two days or more. These rules apply also if we have to replace the original tour guide for whatever reason — be it before or during the tour.

yes
if at all possible
this cannot be guaranteed

5. Monitoring and reporting

We check the performance and the quality of our tour guides

by regular telephone contact throughout their tour
by a personal meeting with the tour guide after the tour
by written reports of the tour guides that have to be submitted as soon as possible after the tour.
Copies of such a report will be forwarded within one month.
by questionnaires which are handed to the customers at the beginning or at the end of the tour. These questionnaires are returned …

5. Monitoring and Reporting (These questionnaires are returned …)

by the tour guide
by mail
by other means

5. Monitoring and Reporting (If you use questionnaires for customers)

If you use questionnaires for customers:

the questionnaires are analyzed informally (manually, from time to time) — in order to obtain information on shortcomings
the questionnaires are analyzed systematically (earliest possible) — in order to obtain information on shortcomings and to be able to react immediately

5. Monitoring and Reporting (b)

individual complaints are filed and weighed statistically over a certain period of time in order to obtain information on shortcomings and to be able to make the necessary structural changes

5. Monitoring and Reporting (The rate of return of our questionnaires is approx. %)

The rate of return of our questionnaires is approx. %

6. Further vocational training

Our agency arranges advanced training courses/seminars for tour guides

at least once per year
not regularly – approx. every 2nd year
not yet established

6. Further vocational Training (b)

All tour guides are officially authorized and are committed to participate in advanced training courses

7. Safety training for tour guides

is part of the official tour guide training program in our country
is part of our agencies training program (introductory and advanced level seminars)
will become a mandatory part of the advanced training seminar for all tour guides of our agency within the next 12 months

8. Agency shopping policy

we have binding rules for shopping activities and the sale of additional excursions
these rules have been agreed upon with the tour operators in Germany/Austria/Switzerland
our tour guides only offer shopping activities and excursions that are listed in the tour operators catalogue (incl. activities listed as facultative/opportunity to…)
our tour guides have the right to decide upon such activities on their own responsibility. The rights and interests of the guests have to be kept in mind.

9. Sustainability

The agency is committed to the sustainability of its measures regarding the qualification of its tour guides. All quality standards must become a fixed and permanent part of its corporate culture. All managerial staff must be trained in these matters.

All entries in this documentation were made truthfully and to the best of our knowledge. They can be checked at any time. Documents not yet available will be forwarded within one month.

9. Sustainability (name)

Name

9. Sustainability (function)

Function

9. Sustainability (agency)

Agency

9. Sustainability (place)

Place

9. Sustainability (date)

Date

9. Sustainability (comment)

Additional comment