REGARDING your letter of the week ‘Independents face new fears from multiples’ (Travel Weekly September 6).
My opinion is that good independent agents havenothing to fear. We areprofessional and extremely good in our field. Why are we winding ourselves up by spending our time watching holiday programmes that never show us in a positive light?
We should be proud ofourselves. We are gainingbusiness from the inefficiency, lack of knowledge and interest shown by the multiples to more deserving clients. Their attitude is appaling and isgetting worse, which shows our industry in a bad light.
Our sales have soared this year. New clients are amazed that we can find the late availability that many Teletext agents, multiples and holiday supermarkets cannot. Thanks to them we will survive.
In the late 1980s and until more recently, clients were very cost-conscious. Now they appreciate the good service, care and attention that independents can give.
Due to their greed and self-importance the multiples have missed what should be their main aim – giving the client what they really want and not what makes them the most commission.
You may say I am being harsh, but I am sick and tired of the internal politics and also of us independents being knocked down – and we are doing it to ourselves. Get more focused and be positive.
Serena Holden
Managing director
Travel Sense
Caterham
Surrey