“Oh, yes,” he replied. “We love her – we’ve been with her for 30 years. She knows what we like, and what we don’t. Travel agents just make it so easy.”
I was reminded of his words at last week’s TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies ceremony, where the UK and Ireland’s best travel agencies were celebrated at our event in Birmingham.
While interviewing the shortlisted agencies, I heard incredible stories of ways in which agents endeavour to make life easy for their clients. From the consultant who contacted a hotel at 2am (UK time) because their client had received the wrong order on room service, to another who sourced a Kosher chef for their Jewish customers on safari in South Africa. And that was just the agents I met.
The rest of the TTG team heard similar stories of brilliant service, including my favourite – placing reading glasses on every desk in the store, just to make life easier for customers who forget their own.
Such service not only impressed the judges, it also impressed fellow agents. The managing director of the Republic of Ireland’s new top agency, Marble City Travel, used ideas he heard at last year’s Top 50 awards to boost his business and help secure his victory this year.
Recent reports have referenced the doom and gloom of the high street, sounding a supposed death knell for travel agents. But even when retail suffers, the number of homeworkers continues to grow, proving there is still a place for agents, whatever their form. All the agents who made it into last week’s TTG Top 50 list are very much alive and kicking. And their sales success shows they also remain very much in demand. Just ask Jerry…