Price Is Not Everything

 by: Dean Owen

Booking a cheap holiday might be a short term gain, but what about the long term?

So I got a cheap holiday, 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 £1500 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 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.

3. 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.

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!