This week, Mystery Shopper was looking for a holiday in Tenerife from travel agents in Gillingham. She and her partner wanted to join their friends who were staying at the Sheraton La Caleta Resort and Spa, Costa Adeje, on a bed and breakfast basis.
The First Choice agent scored the most because she was cheerful, friendly and knowledgeable. Other agencies lost valuable marks because of poor service and outdated décor.
WIN accommodation in Tenerifewith TWacademy
The Co-operative Travel
The Co-operative Travel130 High Street
Score: 46%
The agent here seemed too busy to help me, even though there were no other customers. Once I’d explained my request, the agent gave me a brochure and told me to pop back if I wanted some quotes.
I was surprised at her response. If I was a real customer, I would have walked out. I said I wanted some prices, so the agent went to her desk but did not invite me to take a seat.
She could not find the hotel I wanted to stay at and said she would call me when she had the information. I received a call the next day and returned to the agency. The agent said she was not certain which day I wanted to leave. I said the 12th and she admitted she had asked for a quote for the 20th. She rang again for a quote, which was £1,566 for two adults, with Escape Holidays. Overall, I felt the service was poor.
Going Places
Going PlacesUnit 2 Hempstead Valley
Score: 64%
The décor of this agency was outdated with bright orange carpets and walls, peeling wallpaper, and chewing gum marks on the carpet.
The agent here was polite, friendly and professional. She was very chatty and found a quote for £1,615 with Flexibletrips, but she was very honest, telling me that for the same price I could stay all-inclusive at another resort nearby.
She also told me about attractions near to the hotel, advising me that there were plenty of affordable places to eat. The agent printed out a quote and took as many details as possible so that if I wanted to, I could just ring and book the stay over the phone with a credit or debit card.
I was impressed with the warm and helpful service I received, but the interior of the branch was in poor condition.
Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook 123 High Street
Score: 79%
As soon as I walked in I was greeted by an agent. I asked her what I was looking for and she asked me to take a seat. She worked really quickly on the computer and brought up an array of options and prices.
I was offered the choice of flying out from Luton airport, which is further away, but included a saving of £154. The total price of the hotel and flights from Luton with Monarch was £1,545. Flying from Gatwick was £1,700 with easyJet. No tour operators were mentioned. She also gave me the option of flying out a day later, which was cheaper than the previous day at £1,519.
I was pleased to have all of these options, which the agent wrote down for me. She left me the details and invited me to come back if I had any questions. She was not very chatty but was professional and efficient.
First Choice
First Choice110 High Street
Score: 85%
The agents were friendly and made me feel instantly comfortable. When I walked in, I received a prompt greeting from a cheerful agent who made polite conversation and asked if I had been to Tenerife before.
She worked quickly and printed two quotes. The cheapest was £1,601 with Thomson, which included accommodation, insurance, taxi transfers and easyJet flights. The agent said that if I booked with them I would get a VIP exchange voucher, which guaranteed the best exchange rate on the high street.
She said she would call me in a few days to see if I wanted to go ahead with the booking or if I needed any more details. The agent was genuinely friendly and very knowledgeable. I was very impressed with the service.
Top 5 tips
- Boost your commission by selling add-ons to water parks such as Aqualand or Siam Park. Book with Keith Prowse or dosomethingdifferent.com.
- Variety is a big selling point for Tenerife. Visitors can go whale watching, wine tasting, rock climbing or star gazing.
- Spa hotels are a growing market in Tenerife, so don’t forget to offer pamper breaks. The Aqua Club in Costa Adeje offers Europe’s largest spa complex.
- Tenerife can be booked any time of the year as it offers year-round sunshine. The average summer temperature is 27C and the average winter temperature is 19C. The south and west of the island enjoy the most sunshine.
- For more product knowledge about Tenerife, visit www.gazetteers.com. The site also contains photos of resorts and hotel reviews from fellow agents.
Got a driving ambition?
Every month the highest-scoring agent wins the chance to drive a Porsche Boxster S for a month, courtesty of Elite Island Resorts.
For pics and video of agents in the £46,000 car, go to Elite Island Resorts’ TWacademy page…