How many tour operators are there around these days which would pay you commission for direct bookings, where the booking form has your agency stamp on it?The answer must be very, very few.
Full marks and many thanks to The Villa Agency then, which recently sent us a cheque for £91.60 for just such a booking.
But that’s not all. This is the third such cheque we have received from the operator in the last 18 months.
To hell with your award ceremonies – this sort of honest gesture deserves to be shouted about from the rooftop of every decent agency, where honest staff slave away lifting, unpacking, stamping, racking all those tour operators’ brochures every week of the year.
The number of direct bookings after the customer has picked up their brochure from the agent must be considerable. And how do the vast majority of tour operators thank us for our free distribution?Not only do they never say thanks, but on top of it all they even reduce our commissions for the bookings we do make – and would dearly love to do without us altogether. Who are the mugs in this game?
Many thanks Karen Lippitt at The Villa Agency. We appreciate your awareness of our role.
Mike Carter, Travel Plans, Surbiton, Surrey.