There has been big prejudice against online travel agencies for several years now. A prejudice that is fed by people who haven’t or don’t want to understand the modern era and the changing face of travel. Namely, this: that online companies are just ‘get them in and out’ with no customer service at all.
This is simply not true. In this modern age where the competition is bigger and fiercer than ever, online agencies must offer the best customer service and knowledge possible. The top online agencies probably have better customer service and help available to the consumer than high street agents.
Personal service is available with 99% of online agencies, as most have a call centre made up of old school agents mixed together with the new wave of agents who have a new enthusiasm to help the customer, fed by the online help and information that was not available 20 years ago.
Add this to better prices and more choice and there is undoubtedly an argument that online agencies have developed into the modern day travel agents that have the whole package.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for the high street travel agent. Some of my own family still go to the same agents in the village where they live instead of shopping online.
How much longer that agency will survive I have no idea. The harsh reality is that with more and more of the everyday things we need being available online such as food, clothes, concert tickets and insurance, as well as online social networks such as Twitter, I believe there will be a time where that travel agency simply won’t have enough business to continue trading.
The future of travel
There is a new wave of traditional agencies that have spent the last five years watching the online industry grow and expand, and who are now ready to be the second wave of all-round agencies. The future of travel.
These companies have been watching and waiting for their chance to step up and be the next big thing. And they have a good chance of doing it, especially with the knowledge gained watching the likes of Travel Republic and On the Beach grow and develop. They will have the added bonus of seeing what has happened in the event of madness such as the ash cloud and the airline failures. They can plan and strategise.
Modern-day agents need to be more open-minded and find different ways of doing things. Those who do so will survive or be very successful. Any agent that thinks they have better customer service or is ahead of the online revolution is very much mistaken and will need to change their attitudes fast, or it will be a long and hard fight to survive.