Travel For Less

peejay67

After Martin's feature on Trevor McDonald's Tonight programme, you will all be aware that it is a buyers market out there. Consequently, dont just settle for TRAVELMAN's advice and prices.

I am an independent travel agent working IN a travel agency (not from my bedroom) in Surrey. We don't hide behind photos of models on websites, you can come and see my ugly mug every day of the week!!

Because we are independent we can book any ATOL bonded Tour Operator and tailor make any holiday you require including budget airlines and hotels.

We offer independent unbiased advice. My concern is to find you, the customer, the cheapest deal. Im not linked to any Tour Operator, and I'm not interested in targets or incentives.

Feel free to PM me or e-mail me directly and I will give you my personal details.

In the meantime feel free to post any enquiries and I will get back to you immediately.

WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN ON PRICE!

TRAVELMAN_2

Hello!!!

Welcome to the MSE boards! Ok...not going to get in to a 'bickering' session & this is my 1st & only reply to this post as I'm snowed under at present! Just regarding the points you made (copied below)-what is wrong with working from home exactly???

'QUOTE''I am an independent travel agent working IN a travel agency (not from my bedroom) in Surrey. We don't hide behind photos of models on websites, you can come and see my ugly mug every day of the week!!'

'QUOTE' 'Im not linked to any Tour Operator, and I'm not interested in targets or incentives.'

What makes you think I am linked to a Tour-Operator OR interested in Incentives/targets? I'm self-employed-no holiday booked-no wage. Incentives/targets make no odds to me.

'QUOTE' 'Because we are independent we can book any ATOL bonded Tour Operator and tailor make any holiday you require including budget airlines and hotels.'

Again, who says we are not independent?! By the way-what is your ATOL licence number to allow you to make a package up & offer full consumer protection & how many passenges is it bonded for??

Anyway...only post I'll make in reply to the above. You are right-it IS a buyers market. Just one small point, Pee-jay-which I'm sure you'll get reminded off by the MSE crew-the site says plainly 'no posts for commercial gain'. Ok-anyone would be daft to think that if an MSE poster chooses to book with me (yes-you are right-it IS abuyers market) I get nothing back, but the important point to all the MSE posters on here is that I HAVE CONTRIBUTED & helped/advised on this board. How many posts (not just offering quotes or saying 'we won't be beaten on price'!) helping people have YOU made!!

All the best,

Chris

almond

I am also a travel agent that watched the show and thought yes it was interesting but what I think was important was customer service and advice
if you want to ring round for ever and a day do so, remember a holiday is
something to look forward to and enjoy planning, yes I have had customers
that we call martini (anytime anywhere but cheap) and you can get some good bargains, don't look at us like we are double glazing sales men ! we
are here to help and I don't think any of us should be touting for business
on this site.

TRAVELMAN_2

Almond-some good points. I agree a lot of great info on Martins programme & take on board your points about service, etc...The thing that people forget is, by ringing round for a late deal-you run the risk of it being GONE by the time you ring back!

Ok-you've haggled down by some ££'sssss......not much good if the holiday has SOLD! I've had 3 customers last week who wanted School Half-Term-quoted my best price-told them to be quick (you can sense they're thinking 'yeah right-an agent would say that!) as seats were limited-they phoned back-holiday gone!

Nett result-no holiday to the Canaries-it was either a 'make-do & hope for the weather' jobby in Spain or stay at home!

Chris

peejay67

Dear Chris,

Just to answer your points. Nothing is wrong from working from home. I did it myself in the past.
I didnt say you were linked to a Tour Operator or are incentivised. I know full well who you are and where you are based, and who you work for.

Once again I never said you weren't independent. INstant holidays are independent owned by the Co-op.

As far as the ATOL is concerned I dont need to supply you with that information as you are not a customer of mine. If you want to book through me I will welcomely give you that information. We are a fully bonded agency with ABTA/ATOL and IATA licences.

Funny I thought at the start of your post you werent bickering??

With regards to commercial gain. Im not gaining anything commercially. If you look back on my posts I have offered advice to people and if they choose to book with me then that is up to them. As in the High Street, I can give any one of our customers quotes and information, if they choose to book elsewhere that is up to them. Thankfully they dont tend to because I offer impartial advice and I am very competitive in the market due to 25 years experience.

We are all here to give good advice and the best deals available

Have a great evening!

PJ

Haggis_n_Neeps

peejay67 & travelman - don't get personal and please don't start arguing. :mad: There is room here for the 2 of you, and if we the mere layman of the travelworld can save by using both of you, then I say so much the better.

looking to the positive (for all MSE'er)
I can see MSE'er posting their holiday requirements on here and getting you 2 to undercut each other to hit the price floor pretty quickly !! :cool: :cool:
What do you 2 think?

peejay67

As I said in my post Haggis. Im here to help people out

PJ

TRAVELMAN_2

Ok...definately last post on this.

Peejay-thanks for the reply. It was the 'I don't work from my bedroom' (??!!) bit that puzzled me....seems a funny thing to mention? & in fact WHY mention it? So there is an advantage to NOT working from your bedroom-do explain? Also, what do you mean by 'hide behind models' on the web-site-surely this makes no difference?

As it's of importance to people regarding the bonding as, I'm sure you'll agree is very important-what's the problem giving out the ATOL number (ours is 5704 by the way, details on the caa website). If you look back at some of the posts you'll see a huge amount of interest in ATOL as it gives the consumer protection. There is no need for it to be confidential.

You're saying you're not doing this for commercial gain, but as you registered about the same time as me I somehow feel the amount of 'advice' given out by yourself is not quite the same as mine? Please forward me to any of your in-depth posts on ATOL, the state of the market....etc...I'd be most interested (as would other MSE posters) to read them.

I've already had 2 PM'S from MSE posters saying that your post is a blatent 'tout' for business -how about the message at the bottom of your mail 'never beaten on price?'

As I've been on this board & helped & posted a great deal people ASK for help/advice-I don't have to 'ask' MSE posters to do this in my posts.

Anyway-I'm sure other MSE'R'S will make their feelings known-cheers for the reply!

Ok....to the last poster who mentions 'the price floor'. I don't know about other Agents on the board but I for one will NOT get involved in lengthy 'playing one off against the other' games. We all have to make a living & in the time taken to post endlessly & reduce your own income you can take 5 more calls!!! Secret is to offer a fair price to start with.

Don't forget, neeps & haggis-in the time it takes for people to keep haggling the holiday CAN GO! I had a lady the other day who kept going backwards & forwards & 'playing the game' (honestly-on a £999 pp holiday yes to a small degree but on a holiday costing £199??? Total gross commission direct to the agent of £17-91....& we're going to reduce???!!) for a Hotel she'd fallen in love with (done all the reviews on the web....etc....) & she kept saying things like 'go on-knock me £5 off & I'll book now!' etc....upshot was I said no (in the politest way of course!) she said 'ok I'll book with the other agent' he obviously said no as she'd come back to me!!!! Looked up the Hotel-FULL-nearest date she could not do.

Now-if she had not fannied about & made endless calls to save 320 a head max she'd be in the Hotel of her dreams-instead-no holiday. I hate to say this but when i told her it was full I had a bit of a naughty sense of satisfaction saying that 'If you'd have not spent 1/2 a day ringing round you'd be there now!' (Shame on me!)

Chris

budgetflyer

That was a blatent advert if ever I saw one !
Never beaten on price? Lets put it to the test.
2nd fortnight in July, flying from NE or Scotland, family of 5 for 2 weeks to a costa something, named accom.in a 2 bed apt --Target £1200 inc. Transfers

peejay67

Sylvey,

Youve given a target, not an actual price youve obtained?

Ally

Travelman.... I get you point on haggling so much you miss the offer. The program got me thinking .... saving a tenner on a holiday by ringing around ..... wouldn't you spend that much ... or even more on those telephone numbers

I was ringing around for trips to Paris .... and I can tell you, the phone bill hurt me:( it was shocking:eek: