AGENTS claim a second Preferred Agent mailing blunder by Thomson has cost them thousands of pounds worth of business.
Hundreds lost out last month when they were omitted from a mailing to customers which directed them to their nearest Preferred Agents (Travel Weekly September 20). It was targeted at customers who had booked through non-Preferred Agents.
Despite exhaustive efforts to correct the mistake, Preferred Agents in the Midlands claim a rerun of the mailing has again failed to include their shops.
Carol Lawton, from Letts Travel in Birmingham, said: “Customers have again been directed to agencies further away than us. I know of several people who have booked elsewhere when they would have come here had they known we were a Preferred Agent. We have lost at least £10,000.”
Another retailer, Dennis Brown from B&H Travel Service added: “Thomson want us to support them but then they cut our throats.”
Ross and Brown Travel managing director Ian Ross said mailings were sent to customers who had only recently booked with his agency.
“They were told to book their next holiday with a Preferred Agent many miles away,” he added.
All three agencies belong to Midconsort whose chief executive, Sue Foxall, is meeting the operator this week.
Thomson sales director Manuel Mascarenhas said the complaints would be investigated but added: “Mailings of this scale cannot be 100% accurate but a tremendous amount of work went into getting this right. I am sure there will be an explanation for this.”