“Seventeen Critical Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Travel Consultant and How to Avoid Them.”
By
Greg Duggan
Daydream Travel
22102 E Canyon Pl
Aurora, CO 80016
www.daydreamtravelsite.com
Email: greg@daydreamtravelsite.com
303-728-9657
A qualified travel consultant can be an invaluable asset to you in planning your next vacation. The agent can, and should, do most of the leg work for you, get you the best value, be there for you when you need them, and generally act as “your” advocate.
The agent can be the difference between a great experience and so, so or worse one. But…..only if you know how to avoid the mistakes most people make when selecting someone to work with! In this report, we “walk you through” the 17 Deadly Mistakes that most people unwittingly make because they don’t know the right questions to ask when evaluating a particular agency and/or agent.
So, here we go….. the 17 Mistakes
#1. Believing that Travel Agents are Obsolete
Many people are of the mistaken belief that in this day of the internet where you can get “anything” online, the days of the travel agent is either dead or their days are numbered. My answer to this is a four word phrase…. “Don’t You Believe It!” True, you can book your next vacation on the internet and maybe even get an excellent price. But that’s only half the story…or less! Statistics show that the travel agent is making a comeback, and for very good reasons. A truly good travel consultant with whom you establish a relationship will be your advocate for life. They will do the research for you saving you time (and after all, time is money right?). Many times they can get the same price or better than the internet price through suppliers that will price match. They will take the time to explain things to you in terms you can understand (by the way, ever tried to talk with someone in a call center half way around the world that doesn’t speak good English? And that’s after you have been placed on hold for a half hour or more!). They will be there for you before, during and after your trip should problems occur (and they do from time to time). They will provide value added services like tips for traveling abroad or what you need to know about passports (Did you know that most countries now require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond your expected departure date from their country?) And, I’ve just scratched the surface…Don’t get me going here! So you see, there are a whole host of things that a good and knowledgeable travel consultant can do for you.
#2. Choosing the Wrong Type Travel Agency for the Need.
There are two basic types of travel agents in this world, those who deal with “corporate” travel and the “leisure” travel specialists. Then there’s the hybrid agency which does a little bit of both. If you are in the market for leisure travel, choosing a corporate travel agency may not be in your best interest. Most corporate agencies are very busy booking business travelers and may not devote the time to you that you deserve. The message here is to use the right tool for the job. Don’t try to eat soup with a fork!
#3. Thinking the Mega-Agency will Always Result in the Best Deal.
Some people think “bigger” is always “better”. Not necessarily true! Many of the larger “mega-agencies” are extremely busy with thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of clients. You may become just a number in their system. As a result, you may become the victim of shoddy service. Sometimes, great things come in small packages. The one or two person “mom and pop” shop can provide you with great value if you find the right fit. A good, small sized, agency will seek to establish a relationship of trust with you. Why? Because their livelihood depends on it. They need you! They will do EVERYTHING they can to satisfy you because they want you to become a repeat customer. Not only that, they want you to be so thrilled with the value of the services that you will refer your friends, relatives, co-workers and even the mail man.
The smart travel consultant realizes what YOU mean to THEM!
#4. Thinking that Booking on the Internet Will Always Result in the Best Deal.
There is little question that the internet is a great resource today to everyone including the traveler. And yes, you can sometimes find great deals on travel on the web. Travel consultants use the web too! But many people have the mistaken impression that they will always get the best deal by booking online. This is just not true from a total value point of view! Have you ever tried to get telephone assistance from an online service if you have a problem with a reservation or need to make changes? How long have you been placed on hold? If and when you get connected, can you understand the person on the other end of the line? Are you able to wade through all the fine print at the bottom of a quote online? Our advice is sure, go ahead and use the internet as a research tool if you wish. But many travel consultants will work with you to take the research you have done and get….not just the best price….but the best overall value for you.
#5. Believing an Agency’s Membership in a Trade Association Translates to Better Service.
Many people mistakenly believe that if a travel agency has a seal of approval of a trade association, they must be a good and reputable agency. Again, not necessarily true! Membership in the trade associations is easy to come by and does not make the travel agent perform to standards. Do YOUR Homework! Interview several candidate agencies before choosing one. Ask hard questions. Ask for references of past clients that you can talk with. Caveat emptor! Let the buyer beware.
#6. Dealing with an Agency who is Not a Member of a
Consortium.
Many travel agencies belong to consortia such as vacation.com. A Consortium is the bridge connecting consumers with experienced, knowledgeable travel professionals in your local area. The consortium’s large membership base allows it to provide you with better deals and better tailored experiences than you could find elsewhere. Essentially, the consortium strengthens the consumer’s buying power. When interviewing a prospective travel consultant, ask them what consortia their agency belongs to. If they answer “none”, consider going a different direction.
#7. Choosing an Agency that Does Not Specialize in Type of
Travel or Destination You Want.
As much as possible, you want an agency that specializes in the type of travel (i.e. cruises, land vacations, guided group tours, destination weddings and honeymoons) and/or the destination (e.g. the Caribbean, Mexico, Ireland or Italy) you are looking for. Agents who try to cater to too many specialties can’t possibly be as affective as one who truly specializes in one or two areas. The reason is obvious! It takes a lot of time and dedication by the agent to be truly educated in all the aspects of a particular type of travel or destination. If you were in the market for a BMW, would you shop for it at a GM dealer?
#8. Failing to Check the Reputation of the Travel Consultant
with their Customers.
Most travel consultants (this one included) in this day and age
make use of a fancy website to attract and inform prospects about their products and services. If they are smart, they have an area of the website dedicated to reviews of their services, sometimes referred to as testimonials. This is a good starting place for you, the consumer, to learn something about the agent. But beware! Don’t stop here! How do you know that those website testimonials are not just made up by the agent? Call the consultant and ask for references. If the agent balks at this, run the other way as fast as you can. Now, having said this, sometimes it can be difficult for the agent to get permission from his or her clients to talk with you (e.g., the client may be concerned about their privacy). But usually, they will be able to get at least one of their clients to be willing to do so.
#9. Working with a Travel Agency who Keeps Strict Hours and
Isn’t Available When You Need Them the Most.
This is a really critical mistake! If you work with an agent who keeps 9-5 hours, you might as well book through an online agency. Make sure your agent is delivering the value you expect from them. If they are not available to handle problems and emergencies, what good are they? When you are on vacation and the airline does a schedule change that affects your return flight, the last thing you want is to call your agency and hear…”our office is currently closed, please call back on Monday after 9am.”
#10. Believing that an Old Agency is Always Better than a Newer Agency.
The theory here is that an older established agency with many years of experience has more and better knowledge in how to assist you, the traveler. Maybe! But, on the other hand, perhaps they have all the clients they need or want and you are more of a nuisance to them. A newer agent, one who has enough experience to know where to turn for answers to questions they don’t know, may be your best bet. Normally, these types of agent will be eager to please you as they are busy building their client base. You may just find that you get much better service from a newer agent!
#11. Not Asking If the Agency Has Access to Consolidator
Airfares.
Many agencies have arrangements with Air Consolidators who can provide highly discounted air fares. This works mostly on international routes. The consolidator buys blocks of seats from the airlines at large discounts and resells them to you (through an agent). This doesn’t always work for the consumer but it can. It just depends on what is available at the time you want to travel to a particular destination. When interviewing a prospective travel agent, ask them if they have access to an air consolidator.
#12. Choosing an Agency That Won’t Go the Extra Mile to Find
the Best Value for You.
Again, if you choose an agency that won’t work hard on your behalf, you might as well just book through one of the online travel companies. You want an agent who is committed to being your advocate! Make sure you check the agent’s references. Is he or she known for searching for the best value for their clients? Do they take care of their clients from the beginning of the travel experience to the end, and beyond? This is what you want!
#13. Working with an Agency that is Inflexible on Service Fees,
Discounts, and Incentives.
This one is a balancing act! Don’t expect an agency to give super large discounts. Travel agents work on slim margins to begin with and most of the good ones work very hard. However, if they are not willing to “give” before they “get”, then they aren’t worth your time. An agent should be willing to work with you to get your business. After all, what they should be interested in is obtaining a new client and satisfying the client so they become a customer for life and refer others to the agent. That is how successful agencies build a business!
#14. Failing to Find an Agent Who Will Provide Extra Added
Value Services.
Does your agent ask if you need travel insurance? Will the agent search for an air quote for you even though they get no commission for it? Will the agent call the resort to request a ground floor room or a special amenity? A great agent will go out of their way for you. Don’t you deserve it?
#15. Choosing an Agent Who Doesn’t Endeavor to Understand
You and Your Needs.
You and your agent should seek to establish a relationship of trust and understanding. The more an agent knows about you, your likes and dislikes and the activities you like to engage in, the better they can serve you. You should expect a prospective agent to ask numerous questions to establish a profile for you. If they don’t, it may be a sign that they are more interest in a quick sale than a long term relationship.
#16. Dealing with a Home Based Agent who is not Affiliated with a Bonafide Host Agency.
This is not an iron clad rule. Just be careful! Just about anybody in the U.S. today can build themselves a fancy website, get some business cards, and “voila”, they are a travel agent. An agent affiliated with a good Host Agency has many more resources at their disposal to serve the client. Furthermore, the Host Agency will normally monitor the client carefully to protect their own reputation.
#17. Expecting Your Travel Agent to Work for Free!
Finally, be realistic! Don’t expect your agent to work for free! Your agent has bills to pay and mouths to feed just like anyone else. You know the old adage, you get what you pay for.
So, there you have it… the seventeen mistakes you want to avoid making when choosing a travel consultant! To put this in perspective, realize that “travel is not a commodity, it’s an adventure.” And like all adventures, the best ones come from having done some advance planning but with some flexibility built in.
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