Carrick admits trade must improve service

Carrick admits trade must improve service

AIRTOURS UKLG and distribution managing director Richard Carrick admitted the industry needs to improve its service to clients.

Carrick reiterated his belief that the process of improving customer service had been slowed down by bogus or unsubstantiated claims (Travel Weekly October 9).

But he said that even though standards had improved over the past few years, the industry could not be complacent.

“We need to get better at brochure accuracy,” he said. “We also need consistency of overseas service and to get to grips with the pricing confusion in the industry.

“Too many people are still sold or buy the wrong holiday, partly because they are under such pressure to hit sales targets.”

Carrick said BBC’s Watchdog programme had done a good job in forcing the industry to focus on areas which needed improvement. But he urged the consumer programme to take a more restrained approach in its reporting of holiday stories.

“It needs to be responsible and give holidaymakers advice,” he said. “Don’t make it a game show or we won’t play it.”