Online booking sites have had traditional travel agencies running scared – for no good reason. You have the competitive advantage in every respect. The question is, do your customers know that? Here are my top five reasons you can tell your customers to quit booking online.
1. Ease of use. What’s easier than clicking a few buttons for a plane ticket and hotel package? Calling your travel agent. And here’s why: It’s our job to know the best deals for every destination, we don’t charge a fee (at least, if you run your agency the same way I do), and we make life far easier if anything should go wrong during your trip. You know what’s not easy? Getting bumped from your chosen resort because you don’t have a travel agent to fight for you.
2. It’s all about experience. Not only do good travel agents have first- and second-hand experience of the properties they recommend, they also have the expertise to create unforgettable experiences for their customers. Booking sites are just a jumble of code – and ones and zeroes don’t care about giving your grandparents the 50th anniversary cruise of their dreams.
3. “No Refunds, No Changes”? No way! After you’ve paid up front, nearly every booking site includes text saying “No refunds. No changes.” With a travel agent, you can make changes or cancellations to your reservation at any time for reasonable change fees.
4. Support American Business! Travel agencies like mine are family businesses that support the local community and economy. Just like you would go to a farmers market to support your local farmers, it’s important to support your local businesses as well.
5. 24-7 Service. Unlike an impersonal booking site, we offer our clients 24-7 service whenever they need help. You never know what can happen on a trip – one of my clients was marooned in Turkey with a broken hip! Who did he call? Elite Travel. Was he glad he hadn’t booked his cruise through a website when we sent a translator to his hospital bed and helped organize his transportation out? You bet! What would have happened if his call had gone straight to a call center in Asia?
If booking engines have been damaging your business, here’s what I recommend:
- Offer a price-match guarantee (if a customer finds a lower price online, match it!)
- Make sure your customers know that your services are free.
- Promote your 24-7 customer service.
- And…publicize. You know why you’re better than a booking site – tell everyone! Put it on flyers, posters, business cards, and your website. Let everyone know that customer service, personal attention, and travel agents who care are here to stay.
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Tammy Levent, Public Speaker & Business Mentor
Click here to read Tammy’s bio and a sampling of her achievements.
