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This week our undercover shopper was in Croydon to book a solo, three-week trip to Australia. How did the sellers do?
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in Croydon and requested a three-week trip to Australia for a solo traveller in their 40s, travelling in February 2018 with a budget of £7,000.
They then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term ‘Australia highlights tours’.
2nd: Wallace Arnold Worldchoice
3rd: Trafalgar
4th: Flight Centre
Titan Travel
titantravel.co.uk
Mystery Shopper said: The tagline “as big as your imagination” drew me in. The site was attractive, professional and inspiring. The contact number was clearly displayed and the page layout was good. The consultant answered the phone promptly and in a friendly tone. They asked lots of questions, including my preferred travel dates and duration. They advised me where to look on the website and then conducted a search and found some suitable options, including a 17-day tour priced at £5,298. There were no trips lasting three weeks, but I was advised I could extend my dates at no extra cost and arrange extra excursions myself. The consultant explained all aspects of the holiday, including price details. They took my details and said they would call back to see if I was ready to book. I felt excited about the holiday and happy with the choices of tours and excursions.
Wallace Arnold Worldchoice
62 George Street
The store was tidy and clean and two smartly dressed consultants were awaiting me on entry. When I explained my needs one consultant explained they were covering for someone. When I asked for more information, a second consultant helped. They were confident, professional and asked questions including my budget. The agent contacted suppliers and found several options. The final match, a Travel 2 package priced at £6,621, took into account hotel ratings and my preferred airport. I was given a brochure and emailed a quote. They said prices and availability might change, so they took my details to call me. I left feeling I had received a professional, personal service. I’d recommend the company based on the second consultant, who went the extra mile to find my perfect holiday.
Trafalgar
trafalgar.com
The company ranked highly on Google. The layout was easy to follow and the site was attractive, inspiring and professional. It allowed me to enter my dates and the number of people travelling, but it wasn’t clear if I could enter the preferred departure airport, budget or preferred hotel star rating. The consultant found a 17-day holiday that suited my needs and was within budget at £4,136. They fully explained all aspects of the holiday. The prices for the flights weren’t available, but my details were taken so the consultant could confirm prices later. I felt excited about the package but would have preferred more choice from the consultant. On the website, it was relatively easy to find a holiday and there was a variety of options to choose from.
Flight Centre
102 North End Road
On entering the consultant smiled and welcomed me. The store was clean and tidy. The agent was enthusiastic and friendly. They asked questions, then showed me the most popular Australia tour and suggested building something around it. They said that from experience they knew what would be ideal for me. They promised to put a tour together the next day and get back to me as there were no brochures left for AAT Kings, which they wanted to show me. They offered alternatives and mentioned add-ons. An estimated price of £4,164 for the AAT Kings tour was given verbally. No attempt was made to secure a booking, although I stressed that it was inconvenient for me to return. There was no follow-up the next working day, as promised.
TTG has teamed up with React Surveys to simulate a realistic booking process each week – that means a mystery shopper looking for the best deal from agents and operators on the high street, online, on TV or in newspapers. The Mystery Shopper research is carried out on behalf of TTG by React Surveys,and no further details or information can be disclosed. Researchers take into consideration first impression, sales process, product and budget match and extras offered before giving an unbiased opinion of which channel/company they would have booked with on that occasion. We do not claim that the winner is the best in an area or specialist sector, as we may report on competing travel firms in the future. Please note that the aim of Mystery Shopper is not to criticise individual agents or companies, but to promote good sales technique for the benefit of all in the travel trade.
