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This week our undercover shopper was in Dorchester to book a 10-day California road trip for a couple of thirtysomethings. What happened next?
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in Dorchester and requested a 10-day California road trip for a couple in their 30s, travelling in September 2018, with a budget of £6,000.
Then they then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term ‘California fly drive’.
2nd: Trailfinders
3rd: Hayes & Jarvis
4th: Tui
Dorchester Travel
33 South St
Mystery Shopper said: The agency was clean and tidy, and when I entered I was greeted by a friendly consultant. They made an effort to establish my requirements and asked me about my budget, preferred travel dates and what type of car I would like. I felt they really understood the type of trip I was planning and suggested several places they had previously booked. The agent found a holiday well within my budget: a 10-day tour with Travel 2 from £3,512. The consultant then printed out the itinerary and gave me two brochures to take away to discuss with my partner. I received an email an hour after I left the store, explaining that they had sent the itinerary to some other suppliers and would come back to me with what they suggested. Three days later they sent me an additional option. I felt very confident that I had received a professional, considered and tailored service. I would not hesitate to recommend the agent to my family and friends.
Tom Holland,
senior travel consultant,
Dorchester Travel
How long in travel?
Ten years. I studied travel, then began work as a trainee in an independent agency.
How long with Dorchester?
I started on October 16, so not long.
How often do you sell California fly-drive holidays?
Our America enquiries are mostly for the West Coast and for this particular kind of trip.
Tips for selling it?
Tell clients to plan their routes and expect resort fees.
What else is hot right now?
Cruise is very popular and so is touring.
If you weren’t in travel?
I’d probably work with animals or food. If I could travel the world, look after animals and eat, that would be perfect.
Trailfinders
trailfinders.com
The website loaded quickly and was easy to navigate. The photographs were inspiring and contact details were clearly visible. I phoned an agent, who asked detailed questions to establish my needs. They then made several suggestions regarding activities and demonstrated a good knowledge of the area. The eventual product match was excellent: 10 days with Heathrow flights from £3,349. The consultant took care to listen to my requirements and gave me an itinerary including everything I had asked for regarding accommodation preferences. The agent talked me through the aspects of the tour and said they would follow up with a call to see if I was ready to book, which they did five days later.
Hayes & Jarvis
hayesandjarvis.co.uk
The photographs on the website were beautiful and inspiring and made me feel excited about my holiday. I telephoned a consultant and told them about my requirements. They recommended a hotel that a colleague had stayed in and gave me addresses of others to look at while I was on the phone. I then received an email from the agent with two quotes with extensive details of itineraries and possible excursions. I settled on a 10-day trip with Heathrow flights from £4,732. I felt that I had received a professional service and that the consultant had listened to my requirements and preferences. However, they didn’t follow up after my visit.
Tui
5 Cornhill
The store was clean and tidy with comfortable chairs and well turned out consultants. After telling an agent about my requirements, they said they didn’t know the area and their colleague advised them to call an operator who would be able to recommend the best places to visit. Eventually, I was presented with a Hayes & Jarvis itinerary that fell within budget – 10 days with flights and car hire from £4,507. However, I wasn’t shown the hotels included. There was no attempt to seal the deal and I didn’t feel confident that they had found me the best product. There was no follow up after my visit.
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.
