Mystery Shopper: Stoke on Trent travel agents sell a US fly-drive

A massive opportunity for Stoke travel agents this week, but unfortunately none of them really took it up.

Mystery Shopper was half of a young couple looking for fun and sun in the US, and wanted to see Las Vegas and Los Angeles, but would take care of their own accommodation.

 

Agents could have suggested a better itinerary and offered to book accommodation and attractions, saying they were risking missing out by going it alone.

 

 

The Co-operative Travel

 

2 Fountain Square, Hanley Score: 69%

 

An agent acknowledged me with eye contact, but I think she thought I was part of another group, so didn't greet me. I was then approached by the agent at the next desk, who asked if I was alright.

 

The agent said that, as the carriers tend to have 11-month contracts, she would be unable to give me a definite quote for flights, but quoted £534.84 for car hire. She tried phoning an airline for a quote, but was waiting for an answer throughout the consultation.

 

She gave me a guide price of £933 for flights into Las Vegas and out of Los Angeles, but pointed out that prices seemed to rise year on year, and that they would be much cheaper when first released the following month.

 

I found her friendly and pleasant, and she encouraged me to call back the following month when she expected to have all the information I required.

 

 

Connect Travel

 

47a Bryan Street, Hanley Score: 74%

 

All three agents were busy with customers, so I browsed the brochures. After about three minutes, an agent at the back of the shop approached me to ask if she could help. She asked whether I wanted to wait for her colleague, or whether she could take my details and get them to call me.

 

A second agent then said she could serve me and rang Virgin Atlantic to get a quote of £1,802 for flights and car hire, although she hadn't asked me about budget. She suggested it might be worth booking a couple of nights' accommodation in Las Vegas on arrival.

 

The consultant then called another carrier, which confirmed she wouldn't be able to provide a price for a few more weeks. At this point, she recommended I return then.

 

She offered to call me when the prices became available and gave me a business card. Although I wasn't asked many questions, the staff were patient and well informed.

 

 

Going Places

 

22-24 Tontine Street, Hanley Score: 88%

 

The agent here had to liaise with a colleague several times over how to obtain a price for the flydrive, pointing out it might be difficult to get prices for some carriers unless we were booking at least one night's accommodation through the agency.

 

She gave me a quote of £1,670 for flights and £599 for car hire flying into Las Vegas and out of Los Angeles, both via Chicago. I was again advised to return in a few weeks for the latest prices. The agent gave me a copy of the Thomas Cook Signature brochure and mentioned relevant excursions.

 

Another member of staff mentioned visas, and asked if I wanted some information to take away with me. The agent tried to close the sale, gave me a three-page printout of the details, and arranged to call me in a week's time. Although friendly and helpful, she did need input from colleagues to handle the enquiry.

 

 

Thomson

 

12 Tontine Square, Hanley Score: 92%

 

I was immediately served at this professional-looking agency. After noting my request, the agent advised that a number of carriers wouldn't have their prices for next summer out yet.

 

She got a quote from Virgin Atlantic, making pleasant conversation with me while we waited. It was £1,118 per person, including car hire. This broke down into £533 each for flights to Las Vegas from Gatwick, and returning from Los Angeles to Heathrow, plus £585 for other costs including fuel supplements, car hire and insurance.

 

She also had another quote, but it included a week's accommodation. Like the other agents, she advised me to return in a few weeks for more competitive rates. She wrote out the quote, pointing out her contact details.

 

She was helpful and efficient, but I would have liked the quote to include accommodation for comparison purposes, as it might have been cheaper than booking direct.

 

 

Top 5 Tips

1. Las Vegas and Los Angeles are both fun, but there's not much to see when driving between them. Agents could have suggested a broader itinerary, taking in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Carmel and Santa Barbara or San Diego. For something quieter, there's also Death Valley and Yosemite National Park.
2. The clients wanted to travel in peak season, and hotels in popular attractions, such as Yosemite National Park, can get booked out a year in advance. Hotels at destinations such as Santa Barbara get booked up at weekends far in advance by locals.
3. Agents could have also offered to book shows and attractions in advance, ensuring they don't miss out, particularly in Vegas.
4. Driving in the US is easy, but make sure the customer is at least 21. Cheap petrol means it's economical and you get to see more than you would if you took flights.
5. For more product knowledge about the US, visit Gazetteers.com. The site also contains photos of resorts and hotel reviews from fellow travel agents.

 

 

Got a driving ambition?

 

Every month the highest-scoring agent wins the chance to drive a Porsche Boxster S for a month, courtesty of Elite Island Resorts.

 

For pics and video of agents in the £46,000 car, go to Elite Island Resorts' TWacademy page…