Why use a travel agent
In this day and age, everyone is a computer whiz. Everyone thinks they can find the best deals and thinks they know everything because Google told them so, and we all know that what is on Google is right. Right?
Granted, there are some great travel deals to be found if you have hours and hours to sit in front of your pc checking this and cross referencing that to save $20.00. Some people enjoy doing this and look at it as a sport which is absolutely ok! After all every female knows that little thrill you get when you spot and purchase a bargain don’t we? You may not be able to go exactly when you want to as the special is only for an off peak time but it’s ok because it’s a steal! Just don’t come to me when things go pear shaped.
Unfortunately there is a growing trend where consumers are happy to book themselves and snag that “too good to be true” “bargain of a century” but then come calling to the airline or a travel agent when they’ve made a mistake or when issues arise as they invariably do. Guess what, we can’t help you! The answer you are going to get is “I’m sorry, you need to go back to the person you booked your travel through”. Good luck with that, getting through to a call centre in the USA or elsewhere at a reasonable time or even speaking to someone human.
Volcanic eruptions and ash clouds, major weather events, medical emergencies, plane breakdowns, terrorism alerts…the list goes on and on of things that can and do disrupt travel. Knowing there is someone there who can help and has your back is worth $20 isn’t it?
More and more I find myself grappling with the need to charge a fee for quoting, especially with a new client as it seems the general public look at travel agents as a mere source of information. Guess what, this is our living! We don’t sit here checking fares and availability, using our tricks of the trade garnered over many years of working in the industry for the fun of it. When the client books the fee will come off their total. Easy! This should dissuade people who are only after my expertise and knowledge. Much of the industry is already heading down this route, so why am I loathe to do so too? Is it that I still believe in the ultimate honesty of people or am I just simply naïve?
Using an agent has numerous obvious benefits, many of which have been widely espoused in various publications. Personally, I’m not willing to spend thousands of my hard earned dollars on a family holiday via an internet site that offers no feedback, follow up, or help when it’s most needed. I want to sit down and talk to someone who has BEEN where I want to go, or in the least has expert knowledge and can give me some REAL information that will make all the difference to my holiday. I don’t really care if I get a $50 spa credit when I don’t really like spa treatments and am not willing to spend $300 for an hour massage that I could get at home for $70!
If a client wants to go somewhere I have been, I will give them my honest opinions and advice based on what I have experienced. I’ve yet to find a website that will do that. If it’s a place I haven’t been then it’s no issue. Having been in the industry over 23 years, I know where to find the most up to date information, I can utilise the feedback given to me from past clients who have been to the destination and most of all the experience of my 300+ colleagues who between them have covered every nook and cranny of the world. Many of them have lived overseas for many years and that insight is simply invaluable.
As agents we receive daily alerts on various travel specials so if we know that a client is after something particular, we can make sure that they are notified when a deal that may appeal to them comes up. This is especially true for cruises where agents often have an allotment of cabins at our disposal. This means if you check online and see a cabin is full, we may still have a few left to sell on our allotment and bingo, you get the cabin of your choice.
Specialist and luxury travel is another area where agents really come into their own. With MTA we are part of the Virtuoso program whereby we have specialists on the ground in most countries who can help to tailor make your trip to suit every whim and desire. And you don’t need to spend a king’s ransom either. This is the knowledge we can share with you that you simply can’t find on Google.
The internet can’t give personal recommendations, remember they are pushing a product that either brings them the biggest return or that no-one else wants (for numerous reasons) and is going cheaply simply so that the inventory can be filled. Please, please read the fine print people!!
Trying to book a group of people flying out from different cities on different days, airlines and times? I can see you reaching for the hair dye as I type for all the grey hairs this scenario will give you. Why not leave it up to the experts to sort it and possibly get you a group fare that the public can’t access? Do you still think you are saving money booking yourself on the net? And what happens if Uncle Jerry misses his flight when he’s supposed to be giving away his daughter at her Phuket wedding? Well tough luck Uncle Jerry……
A good agent will listen to your needs and look for hotels, tours and airfares that best suit your needs and your pocket. Good luck if you want to change a booking to add or subtract someone or change a hotel room. You will most likely be told you can’t unless you cancel, lose what you have paid and re-book all over again. You can’t tell Webjet that you want the cheapest fare, but please no stops longer than 3 hours, and it has to go via a particular route or offer a particular service. And God forbid you want to travel one way in economy and another in premium, business or first classes. Forget any multi destination fares, the internet simply can’t cope! But an agent can.
Complicated itineraries simply can’t be done on the internet. Transfers, tour times, train times, synchronising every aspect of your valuable holiday time, goodness, you will need a holiday to get over the hours you’ve just spent putting it all together, and “oh no”, where is that piece of paper you wrote that confirmation or booking number on? Forget it. Leave the hard work to your agent who can do it all in a fraction of the time, no stress, in a cost effective and efficient manner. We know some tricks that will SAVE YOU MONEY, time and sanity. Relationships built up over years of working in the industry with our trusted suppliers can serve to help when waivers or favours are required. And being accessible 24 hours a day means we are always there when an urgent emergency arises.
It is precisely this relationship you have with your agent, especially if you stick with one over many trips, that makes a tangible difference to your holiday experience. They will know what you like, your tastes, preferences and ensure that you are satisfied with every aspect of your trip, suggesting things they think you will enjoy or you hadn’t even thought of. Over the years I have become great friends with many of my clients and I always keep an eye out for trips that I think will interest them.
One other important aspect of using an agent is security. Good agents are part of ATAS (The Australian Accreditation Scheme for travel agents), which ensures that certain standards are met and that agents are reliable, well trained and run a professional business. The same can’t be said for many of the travel sites on the web that offer questionable service at best.
Dealing with an MTA travel expert such as myself gives you the extra peace of mind with our “Zero Flight Risk insurance, a first in the industry. Zero Flight Risk™ is a 100% guarantee* that any client purchasing travel products and services through an MTA member, can rest assured the company will reimburse their funds in the event of any approved travel intermediary or end supplier becoming insolvent, and being unable to deliver the product or service.
These suppliers include the following…
Airlines, intermediaries, overseas wholesalers, tour operators, coach companies and trains, cruise lines, resorts, hotels and villas, car hire companies and destination management businesses.
Zero Flight Risk™ goes much further than the previous protection afforded under the former Travel Compensation Fund (TCF) which only guaranteed clients funds in the event of the failure of a TCF member. Zero Flight Risk™ is not a replacement for travel insurance, but provides peace of mind to MTA clients.
It is saddening to me that some people would prefer to put their trust in cyberspace rather than a true travel professional. Is it really true that they trust the internet more than a person and that professionalism, service and experience don’t count anymore? I certainly hope not! I for one believe in value for money and dealing with a professional will always end up being more cost effective. Remember the old adage, “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”.