BARBARA Gannon of St Andrew’s Travel is quite right to complain about the practice of Teletext agents sending clients to collect a brochure from her shop (Travel Weekly August 30).
As Teletext agents ourselves we always offer to post a brochure – subject to stocks being available.
Equally worrying for us is the commonoccurrence of shop-front agencies recommending their clients to call our consultants, wasting half an hour of their time finding them the best holiday to fit their budget.
These clients then ask the name of the touroperator, thank us for our help, and announce that they will take the booking to their local agent, “Who gives us a free taxi to the airport.”
Given the choice between doling out the odd brochure and giving hours of experience andexpertise, I know which I would prefer.
Teletext agencies have been the target of much moaning over the years.
Like our colleagues in the high street, we do a difficult and demanding job in a highly competitive environment – look at the recent demise of Florin/Travelbase.
Blaming Teletext agencies for all your troubles is to ignore the real issue – that we work in a low-margin, rapidly changing business where consumer power is dominant.
Antony Bradley, Director, Direct Line Holidays, London