Comments on: It’s time for a change

By: Laura Frazier

Laura Frazier — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 01:44:31 +0000

You can get great advice from other travelers. But you can’t get an upgraded room, room at a sold-out hotel, flights rearranged during a blizzard, candlelight dinner on the beach, or helped out during a hurricane from another traveler or online site. I had a client call me from Mexico at 6:30 a.m. this Wednesday morning with food poisoning. Within an hour we had a doctor in his room, and had rescheduled his excursions.You can’t get these services from an online site or from your fellow travelers.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 22:33:19 +0000

I’m in my mid-20s and I know to go to the internet to look for info. No agent’s knowledge will beat the knowledge of thousands if not millions of past travelers willing to share their advice. In 5 or 10 more years… when ALL people know and are comfortable with researching their trip over the internet, where do you think agents will be if they get their pay only from service fees?

By: Sonny Duplantis, ECC

Sonny Duplantis, ECC — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:14:44 +0000

When we go to net pricing I see some problems. First customers will then call agency after agency to see who will work for almost nothing. Second, you will always have companies that will sell strictly price – they may stay in business for a short time but another will try and another and another. Companies will never shut down anyone who is selling their product. Once cusomers know about net pricing I believe they more than ever would run everyone directly to the companies to book. Your playing right into vendors hands.

By: Maya Northen

Maya Northen — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:24:46 +0000

Since I focus on FITs and often get requests for unique or boutique properties that may not pay a commission, I’ve had a fee structure in place since I started. I also just began charging a research fee that clients pay me whether they book or not. I tell my clients about the structure up front and if they do not like it, they’re not clients I’d want anyways!

By: Joy Crutchfield

Joy Crutchfield — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:38:57 +0000

60 days ago I began a mandatory fee system for all clients. Anyone contacting my agency pays a fee for my services, whether I book their trip or not. If we, as professionals, do not begin to respect ourselves and demand respect for our time and services, how do we blame consumers for their “beat the travel agent” mentality?

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:44:30 +0000

While I am a firm believer in selling our services rather than products I have some concerns about this.
Unfortunately there are already far too many agents that are willing to rebate commissions and give away their work just to make a fast buck. Going net would only increase competition based on price, rather than placing the emphasis on service. You can make a great living as an agent now, charge fees for your services, and be competitive without rebating. I would rather see vendors put a stop sell on the mlms and rebaters than go net.

By: Mike Davies

Mike Davies — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:01:10 +0000

I have said for the past few years that the cruise lines are going the way of Air and Hotels and if they reduced the number of categories they would be doing away with travel agents.

I see a net pricing system on the way. The same way a retail store decides how much the should charge for an item. This would do away with 80% of the travel agent communty who are not willing to work on small mark ups.