Guide for DMCs and event teamsHow to keep your client updated on arrivals

On arrival day your client wants to know one thing: is everyone getting here? Give them a live view, a short summary each evening, and a call from you when the plan changes.

5 min read

Short answer

Give your client one private live link that shows totals and flights, with traveler names hidden if they do not need them, and send a short summary at the end of each travel day. Call them yourself only when something changes the program, such as a cancelled flight, a long delay or a VIP arriving late.

Key points

  • Clients want totals and exceptions, not every flight.
  • One live link replaces most "where are they now?" messages.
  • Hide names when the client does not need them.
  • A short daily summary closes each travel day.
  • Call in person for anything that changes the program.

What clients actually want to know

Your client is the couple, the company or the agency that hired you. They trust you with the details, but they are nervous on arrival days, and every silent hour feels long. Most of their questions come down to a few points.

  • How many guests have arrived, out of how many.
  • Whether anyone is late enough to change the program, such as the welcome dinner or the first session.
  • Whether the VIPs, speakers or family members are in.
  • Who arrives tomorrow.
  • On the last day, whether everyone has left.

They rarely need flight numbers, gates or belts. Those matter to your airport team. Giving the client the full operational picture often creates more questions than it answers.

Give them one place to look

When updates come by email, by phone and in group chats, the client ends up asking you to repeat what you already sent. One live link that is always up to date answers most questions before they are asked, and keeps your phone free for the airport.

  1. Decide what the client sees

    Totals and flights for most clients, with or without names.

  2. Send the link with one line of explanation

    For example: "This page shows your guests' flights live. You will also get a short summary each evening."

  3. Say when you will call

    Tell them you will call personally if anything affects the program, so they do not worry about every delay label.

Decide whether to show names

Names help a couple who want to know when their grandparents land. They are often unnecessary for a company sending 300 employees on an incentive trip, where the client mainly wants totals and a few key people. Fewer names on a shared link also means less personal data passed around.

ClientWhat they usually wantNames
Wedding coupleWho is in, especially familyOften shown
Corporate incentive clientTotals, VIPs, delays that affect sessionsOften hidden
Event or congress organizerTotals by day and by airportOften hidden
Partner travel agencyTheir own travelersDepends on the agreement

Send a short daily summary

A message at the end of each travel day lets the client stop checking. Keep it short enough to read on a phone, and write it the same way every day so it is easy to scan.

  • Arrived today: 84 of 90 expected.
  • Still on the way: 6, all on the last flight from Madrid, landing at 22:40.
  • Checked in at the airport: everyone who has landed.
  • Tomorrow: 45 arrivals, first flight at 9:15.
  • Anything that needs the client: nothing today.

Tell them yourself when the plan changes

A live link shows facts. It does not explain what a cancellation means for tomorrow's program. For that, the client needs to hear from you, ideally before they see it on the board.

  1. Say what happened

    One sentence: which flight, how many guests, the new arrival time if known.

  2. Say what it means

    Who will miss the welcome dinner, or whether the program is unaffected.

  3. Say what you are doing

    New pickup, hotel informed, meal kept aside.

  4. Say when you will update them

    For example, as soon as the airline confirms the new flight.

Close the group well

On the last departure day, send a final summary: everyone has left, any guest who stayed longer, and any open point. A short thank you with the numbers is often what the client forwards to their own boss or family, so it is worth writing well.

Questions about client updates

How often should I update my client on arrival days?

Give them a live link they can open any time, one short summary at the end of each travel day, and a call when something changes the program. Most clients need nothing more.

Should my client see every delay?

Usually not as an alert. Small delays rarely change the program. Send alerts to your team, and tell the client about the delays that matter.

Can I hide traveler names from the client?

Yes. In GroupArrivals, names can be hidden on the client board, so the client sees totals and flights only.

Can the client board show my company's logo?

On GroupArrivals monthly plans, the client board can show your own logo and color, and on every plan you can add a banner note.

What should I do if the client calls during a busy arrival?

Answer briefly with the totals, point them to the live link, and promise the evening summary. Save the long conversation for when the airport is quiet.

See your own list on the board today.

Upload your guest list and see every flight on the board before you pay. Live tracking starts at $29 per group.

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