Price Is Not Everything When Travelling
by: Dean Owen
Booking a cheap vacation might be a short term gain, but what
about the long term?
So I got a cheap vacation, but how did it work out?
Was all my needs met? Was the hotel as I would have liked it to be?
Is the resort right for me?
I am writing this article to give you an idea of the perils of booking
your holiday in the competitive industry of Travel. I hope to raise
your awareness to the perils of searching for, and booking your dream
holiday. With the competitive nature of the travel industry gaining
pace, the loss of sincere and considerate travel agents becomes more
likely as the increase in hard core sales consultants takes hold.
As a previous employee for one of the largest travel agencies in the
UK, I can inform you first hand of the pressures now placed on the travel
agent that you are trusting to find a holiday for you and your family.
As the travel industry continues to grow and develop at breakneck pace,
you the consumer find a vast array of companies on the internet, on
television and in your high street all offering the same products.(The
package holiday, flights and hotels) The hotels are all the same, and
the flights are all the same. So what can make the difference in you
choosing from say Company A or Company B? Well like so many people it
all comes down to the overall price of the holiday, flight or hotel.
Very little consideration is taken at the time of buying to the after
sales commitment offered.
Every year, consumers spend an average of $2,500 per household on a
holiday abroad, yet many do not stop to consider the cost of service,
customer care, and holiday suitability - in other words, did the holiday
that I was sold fit the needs that I had?
Surprisingly, if you think back to what you originally asked for, you
probably didn’t get it. Think back to the phone call or visit
to the travel agent. Did they really listen to you, did they take the
time to look for all the options available. Could you get through to
them when you had a question to ask them after the booking was made?
Will they remember you next year? Do they remember you when you call
back? Probably not.
This is the scenario that is going on behind the scenes.
1. The travel agent is only allowed to give you 2 quotes regardless
of the request.
2. The agent cannot call you back because it costs the company money.
Although if you are spending a lot of money you might be allowed.
3. The travel agent will have a certain amount of time allowed to
spend with you. If that time is surpassed the travel agent will lose
commission at the end of the month.
4. The agent will pressure you into buying a holiday by repeatedly asking
to book the holiday for them or that there is only one room left regardless
of whether there is 1 or 9 rooms available.
5. You call back to ask a simple question, and they can’t remember
you, or you have to wait ages on an premium line waiting for the agent
to be found . You wait for ages only to be put through to customer services
and have to go over the same information again. The agent is there but
because of the large call centre think they can hide in the system.
6. The agent has to answer a set amount of calls per hour, and has
to reach a monthly target. If you only want a flight or a short city
break, you find you are mysteriously cut off. (You are not worth enough
to the agent) This tends to happen nearer the last days of the month
because the agent is nearing their target)
I am not saying that everyone in the business is like this, because
there are some highly professional travel agents about, and not all
are in it for the fast buck or commission. I have worked with many of
these agents and they really do care. However, I have also witnessed
many of them leave the industry because of the change in company philosophy.
Less service - more money.
I could go on with more potential problems that might occur, but do
not want to get away from my main point. Take care when choosing a travel
company to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds with. Make sure that
you are getting the best all round service. Price is not everything!
About The Author - Dean Owen - dean@otravel-holidays.com
- http://www.otravel-holidays.com
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