TRAVEL agents are refusing to input customer mobile phone numbers into Thomson’s Travel Buddy resort messaging system after clients were bombarded with promotional text messages.
Thomson says claims that customers are receiving advertisements by text offering everything from car hire to insurance and persuading them to book direct is not part of a sales strategy to poach agents’ clients and is pure coincidence.
However, some agents have responded by resorting to entering Thomson’s own help-line numbers in the booking system or in one case even their own personal mobile phone number.
Holiday Experts homeworker Colin Whotton said: “My colleagues and I have all been experiencing it – it’s diabolical. They seem to be using the numbers as a chance to do another mailshot.”
He added the move would only further alienate any third party travel agents still loyal to Thomson. He has taken to inputting the operator’s help-line numbers where the mobile number is requested.
Kinver Travel owner Sue Foxall also believed the practice is widespread and she inputs her own mobile number in order to prevent customers receiving the adverts.
She added: “I have received several texts offering me this, that and the other.
“Customers already know they can book direct if they want and Thomson doesn’t need to offend the trade by doing this any more than they have done already.”
Thomson launched its Travel Buddy system in January this year. It offers customers resort details and travel advice as well as news, weather reports and even football scores.
Thomson head of sales third party Jeanne Lally said the mobile phone numbers are only taken for the Travel Buddy system and agents do not have to provide them. “We are not using Travel Buddy to sell a direct message to anybody,” she said.
A Thomson spokeswoman added: “The timing of the adverts’ arrival must just be a coincidence.”