Advantage defends role of agents

Independent travel agent consortia Advantage has hit back at a survey showing that customers know more than agency staff about destinations.

The group representing more than 800 agencies nationwide was responding to the claims made in research by Galileo International, reported by TravelMole on Friday.

Advantage managing director John McEwan said: “We pride ourselves on the high level of training that we provide to all agents not only on an in-house basis but also through both our members and suppliers.

“Agent training is certainly something we see as a clear priority and we are more than satisfied that all our frontline member agents are competent in their knowledge of the products that they are capably selling on a daily basis.”

Advantage argued that independent agents are often very valued members of the local retail community because of their expertise, their length of time they have been present on the high street and their impartiality.

“As well as offering in-house training, Advantage works closely with both its member agents and its tour operator partners to encourage the tour operators to offer training and fam trips for agents ensuring their knowledge on both destinations and hotels is up to date,” a statement said.

“Its only through this knowledge that agents can provide an accurate picture to the customer – which means their holiday lives up to their dream.”

The development of the Advantage intranet and its Insider brochure has meant a centralised source of information for all agents above and beyond the literature and collateral sent to them by operators, it added.

“Our monthly ‘Spotlight’ initiatives focusing on regions and holiday types give a chance to talk in depth to agents about a holiday type be it cruising or skiing or destinations as diverse as Thailand and Norway.

“In addition Advantage has worked hard to develop innovative products to benefit the customer. A dynamic packaging offering has been launched which offers customers the choice of the low cost airlines and accommodation only sites but packaged up through an agent who is able to offer impartial advice and price compare in a fraction of the time that it would take the customer at home.

“And let’s not forget the value of an agent as a one-stop shop selling hire car and foreign currency at competitive rates.”

Advantage added that feedback from customers showed that “the high street travel retailer is still very much a valued part of the holiday buying experience – an informed, impartial, independent advisor that cannot be substituted by a website”.

Report by Phil Davies