Pros and Cons of using a Travel agent
Before you make any judgement and think, well Sarah you are a Travel Agent, you have been in the industry for years, of course you will be talking about the Pro’s of using a Travel agent. That would be a fair assumption, however I want to clarify, using a Travel Agent is NOT for everyone.
So, I thought I should give you the Pro’s and Con’s of using a Travel Agent and then you can decide if it’s right for you. However, let me point out, that not all Travel Agents are the same, so unless otherwise stated, I will be speaking about my travel services and some of the colleagues that I have had the pleasure of working with.
Con – They like to speak with you.
Why is that a con? Well, some people prefer to not speak to anyone. I have had enquiries in the past that ask about holidays and want quotes, however when I ask for 5 minutes of their time to speak with them, they disappear. Not everyone thinks it’s good to talk.
I like to speak with all my customers, why?
Because 1) It really saves a lot of time, going back and forth on email is not only time consuming, but it can also be mis-read, sometimes not all questions are answered things can get lost in translation.
2) I get to understand exactly what they want and therefore I can put a suitable holiday together for them.
3) An initial consultation is really important and after that if your busy and just need to ask me a quick question, we can text / email, we can work out between us the best way of communication.
Pro – Everything is taken care of.
Any holiday is an investment, you are investing your money into something that you hope will bring you some happiness. It’s an investment of your time, which you may not get much of, so getting everything right is important.
I will make sure we have covered everything before any holiday is booked, have we found the right hotels, have we discussed your flight arrangements and any requirements you may need, will you require transfers or perhaps car hire, if the latter, what size will be big enough, will you need to pay locally for anything, etc etc.
I run through everything like a fine-tooth comb, to make sure your trip runs smoothly. I take care of all the big and small things, making sure nothing is over-looked,
Con – Finding a Travel Agent
Finding a travel agent can be hard. Why?, well it’s not ONLY the holiday you are getting, but also the customer service.
Now I know unless something goes wrong, people don’t often think about how they are going to be treated once they have booked, but it’s an important thing to consider. Finding a Travel agent that is going to be there for you after you booked your holiday, is very important.
So how do you know you have found the right one? Firstly, make sure they have ABTA and ATOL or ask for their ABTA / ATOL number – Mine is 65310. This means that your money is protected if the unthinkable happens. Find out more about ABTA and ATOL
Secondly, have a look at their reviews, what are people saying about them, not just the holiday, read reviews about their service, how they were treated, what service did the travel agent provide. What were the pros and cons of using them? You can see mine here …. Sarah’s Testimonials
Thirdly, by having a conversation you should know if you are going to work well together, are they listening to what you’re looking for? Do they speak to you when it’s convenient? Do they explain the booking and after sales process? Here’s mine …. https://www.travelwithsarahspriggs.co.uk/travelservices
Pro – They love what they do.
When you book with a Travel Agent, they have a passion for their job, and it shows in their resilience, take Covid-19 or the Ash Cloud in Iceland as an example of their resilience. We certainly aren’t in for the money, we do it because we care, and we love creating memories for our customers. It does sound like a cliché but it’s more than just a job, and you are more than just a number, we want you to have those experiences you dreamt of and look forward to hearing all about it when you return. Would you agree it’s much nicer to work with someone who is passionate about what they do?
Con / Pro – They are honest.
Some people love honesty, others do not, so I decided to place it in a Pro and a Con.
Let me give you an example, if you asked to go to Bora Bora and you only had one weeks holiday, I would be honest and tell you that by the time you arrived, as it can take a minimum of 28 hours, and 2 stop overs, you wouldn’t have much time before coming home again, therefore I would recommend that you either, increase your stay to make the most of your trip or you look at going somewhere similar but with a shorter flight duration. However, as it’s your holiday, if you wanted to still go ahead, knowing the information, then of course I will help you. That is honesty.
The above example is a real-life situation, I did give my honest feedback, but they insisted that’s what they wanted. I quoted several options; however, they never did book with me, I am unsure whether they booked at all?
If you want honest advice, now I am not talking about opinions, that’s different, if you want honest advice based on facts and experience, then using a Travel agent is a positive.
I hope that helped you get a better understanding of the Pro’s and Cons’ of using a Travel agent, there are of course many more pros but I didn’t want to be biased.
If you think that using a Travel Agent is a Pro, then thank you, I think we will work well together, please get in touch when you are ready to make plans and I will do my best to help you.