Travel consumers do not value travel agencies
By Darren Cronian on Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Lee Harrison from Select World Travel gave me a little bit of a hard time in a recent comment and asked consumers to value the high street travel agent more. Lee was annoyed that I mentioned I would go into a travel agency, pick up a brochure, and go away to find the best deal.

Travel consumers do not value travel agencies knowledge

I’m pretty confident that I am not the only consumer who does that.

Is the problem therefore that we don’t value the travel agents knowledge and experience anymore or is it a simple fact that we don’t have the time anymore and find it quicker searching for the best package holiday deal ourselves.

Let’s forget the internet for a minute.

Is it quicker for me to sit down with one agent, or call a number of travel agencies with my holiday requirements, and ask them to call me back with a quote. Maybe independent travel agencies need to act a little more like a price comparison site and search around.

Lee did make a good point though.

As consumers we do not think about the holiday in it’s entirety.

Book a holiday in Thailand, for £700 where the cost to eat, drink and get around is much cheaper than a £400 holiday to Benidorm, because the Euro is weak. How many of you would base the cost of living in your holiday destination when factoring in holiday price.

I know I haven’t in the past.


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14 responses to “Travel consumers do not value travel agencies”

Kirsty | 2 June, 2008 at 10:12 am

The cost of living in my chosen destination is probably one of the most important things I look at. The cost of getting there doesn’t bother me too much but that’s probably because I tend to travel for months or more at a time. I guess for a short trip it wouldn’t matter quite as much.

I’ve worked as a travel agent but I was terrible at it and I wouldn’t trust me! It’s so easy to screw things up and I’ve had other agents make mistakes too in the past. I trust the net a lot more and know that if something gets screwed up, it’s probably my own fault. I don’t take their fliers though… the internet has enough on offer.

Nick | 2 June, 2008 at 2:29 pm

Darren

We do act as a price comparison service. In fact taken a quick poll of 7 local independent agents 4 always search, 2 offers to search and 1 only searches on request.

Just to give you an idea I have shown below last search I had requested, with the companies check for prices…

Half Moon, Jamaica for November

Tour companies checked.

Abercrombie & Kent
Caribtours
Carrier
Kuoni
Thomas Cook group
TUI group
Sunset

In addition to this we also check to see if it was cheaper to buy the hotel, transfers and flights separately.

On all these quotes the customer gets full financial protection, a 24 hour helpline or local rep service.

Difference in price between the most expensive and cheapest option was £953

And the lowest quote could not be found on the internet! Ok it was only £2 cheaper than the next lowest, but the customer made a 5 minute phone call, how long would it of taken on the web?

And to let you know how agents get brouchures, we order them and these are limited by number of bookings that agents do. We also get a fair few returned after people have used them… I am hoping after this more people will think of returning them.

Darren Cronian | 2 June, 2008 at 2:57 pm

@ Nick

There’s obviously alot consumers don’t know about that a travel agency does behind the scenes, so thanks for commenting, it’s good to get the full picture.

@ Kirsty

Least your honest - I think it helps if you have been to the destination when advising a customer but then you cant visit every destination that the company offers.

Nomadic Matt | 3 June, 2008 at 12:51 am

I don’t go to agents. I find i can always find a better deal or find the deal they found on their computer. A little computer saavyness and you can find what you want…commission free.

Robbo | 3 June, 2008 at 12:14 pm

Darren, it’s obvious you don’t consider the cost of living when you choose destinations. That’s why you went to Oslo !

Darren Cronian | 3 June, 2008 at 1:01 pm

@ Matt

Who do you book with though, a travel agency, or book your own flight, hotel independently? A consumer emailed me this morning, and said that they didn’t want to comment publically.

“The question she asked was would a travel agency sit with you for an hour looking through your options, that is why most of us use the internet now.”

A good question.

Darren Cronian | 3 June, 2008 at 1:03 pm

@ Robbo

Well dur yeh, that’s why I mentioned that, but, the main reason I chose Oslo was because the price of the hotel, flight, and public transport was considerably cheaper than other destinations.

Rohan | 3 June, 2008 at 5:14 pm

I am a holidaymaker and regular reader of this site. I think the reason why travel agents are not valued is because they lack the time to really sit down with the customer.

Before I chose the destination I would have to read up on it. Travel agencies wont want to help me choose a destination they just want me to tell them where I want to go.

Julie | 3 June, 2008 at 6:01 pm

Holiday makers are only ever price lead. They are happy to ask for lots of advice, flight options, hotel ratings, discuss Trip Advisors comments, as for weather forecasts, local customs, are there fish in the sea etc, locations of nearest restaurants, things to do and visit, all of which takes up an experienced persons time and knowledge. Then ring around (or look online), get lots of quotes and book it for £5 cheaper elsewhere. I am sure there is a list somewhere with all the time wasters names and details on. So if you get the cold shoulder, you may be on it!

Darren Cronian | 3 June, 2008 at 7:01 pm

@ Julie

Thanks for the comment.

Do you really think that there is a black list of timewasters? I’d be shocked if this was the case..

The problem is.

I go into ABC Travel Agency, and I want to go to Spain, but have no idea where. I have x amount of money to spend per week.

I am not going into ABC travel agency and jump straight away at the package holidays that they offer, I am going to shop around.

Am I a timewaster?

You wouldn’t go into a garage and enquire about a car, and then jump at the first one you see, so why should travel agencies be any different?

Don’t get me wrong - I value travel agencies, but I think it’s important to look at it from different perspectives.

Julie | 3 June, 2008 at 11:18 pm

That’s the nature of selling, customers will shop around. If you are looking for a coffee maker, you’ll hop between two electrical stores to buy the cheaper one. But you don’t need to speak to anyone, you can see the price, it does the same thing, you just buy the cheaper one.

You mention the car trade and a phrase comes to mind “no tyre kickers please”. Yes time wasters can be spotted a mile off, in any kind of sales environment and you may not get the sales attention you think you deserve. But next to you (or next holding on the phone) their could be a genuine customer who wants to book.

A good sales person, will be rewarded with genuine happy customers and repeat clients, because its about offering the customer something that suits them, providing value for money, making sure it all runs smoothly and giving them the service and attention right up to the holiday has finished. You can’t put a value on good customer service, it’s worth its weight in gold.

@ Darren - Of course there’s no list, it would be too long. Why are you worried you might be on it?

Darren Cronian | 3 June, 2008 at 11:26 pm

@ Julie,

Good points and great discussion here.

Of course people can shop around easier than they can a holiday, so is this not a case for more transparant holiday prices that makes life simplier for the consumer when entering a shop, and then the agents won’t have to deal with the time wasters?

As for the blacklist, I’m pretty sure I am not on it prior to finding the internet, but prior, oh yes I would have been a marked man ;)

I have booked with a travel agency for the last two years and must admit I felt much confident about my holiday than booking and organising my own.

Nick | 5 June, 2008 at 1:00 pm

Darren

There is also a difference between independent agents like Lee and myself and large chains.

The chains are there to sell their product, much like a Sony centre, independents are just that; they have a range to choose from. Both ways work or they would not be in there, but it is down to the consumer to choose what they want.

Ask Lee if he would spend an hour going though options with a customer and I think you find the answer is yes… most independent agents will, we will help you find what your after and make suggestions.

Also it is worth pointing out a lot of websites are travel agents, even expdia start that way in the UK, now how ever they are a mix of travel agent and tour operator.

Darren Cronian | 6 June, 2008 at 8:18 am

@ Nick

Yep, I know the different between independents and large chains, and your right, and its a positive reason why you would book with an independent.

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