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This week our undercover shopper was in Lisburn, Northern Ireland to book a fortnight’s honeymoon island hopping through Indonesia. How did the sellers fare?
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, and requested a two-week Indonesia island-hopping honeymoon for summer 2018, with a budget of £10,000.
They then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term ‘Indonesia island-hopping honeymoon’.
2nd: Scott Dunn
3rd: Thomas Cook
4th: Abercrombie & Kent
Oasis Travel
28-30 Railway Street
Mystery Shopper said: The window display was appealing and the store was clean and tidy. The consultants were smartly presented and seemed ready to help. One consultant approached me straight away. They were friendly and enthusiastic from the beginning, asked lots of questions and seemed knowledgeable. The consultant went through the options in detail and sounded excited about the trip. They also talked through the different islands. They said they would make some calls to find the different alternatives but kept me involved throughout. The final product offered was via Hayes & Jarvis, staying at various resorts and priced at £5,950. It reflected my needs. Within two hours the consultant had emailed me a detailed itinerary, providing information about the different resorts and including flights from a local airport. They also called back and encouraged me to book.
Yvonne Watson,
travel executive,
Oasis Travel
How long in travel?
35 years. I’ve been with Oasis Travel for 27 years.
How often do you sell honeymoons?
Very often. As an independent travel agent we sell a lot of tailor-made trips and honeymoons.
Tips for selling Indonesia honeymoons?
Highlight Indonesia’s excellent value, which makes it a great option for clients wanting luxury for less.
What’s hot right now?
On the honeymoon scene, it’s the Far East and the Indian Ocean.
Where’s on your bucket list?
South America. I’d like to do a tour there and visit Brazil, Argentina and Machu Picchu in Peru.
If you weren’t in travel?
I’d be a counsellor. I still dabble in it but as a volunteer.
Scott Dunn
The website was the second search result on Google and its website description closely fitted my requirements. The site had a classic feel to it and the phone number was easy to find. It was easy to search for holidays, and lots of detail was available about the resorts and accommodation. Most of the trip could be planned before calling the helpline, though you had to call to make the booking. The consultant was friendly and enthusiastic. After asking various questions they suggested Lombok and Ubud. They explained the options to me, giving clear details about flights and transfers. The consultant provided a quote over the phone for a trip starting from £8,800 and asked if I would like to complete the booking. They offered to call back when I had made my mind up.
Thomas Cook
4 Bow Street
There were attractive offers in the window and there was a friendly atmosphere in store. As soon as a consultant was free, they approached, inviting me to take a seat. They were enthusiastic and interested in helping. They asked several questions and made some calls. They explained that I could visit volcanoes and amazing beaches. The overall trip price came in well below my budget at £5,757 with Kuoni. The consultant went through the itinerary, and said they would email me the final quote. There could have been more information about the resorts and choices, and a local flight from Belfast could have been offered to take me to London. The consultant said I should call back if I had any questions. They also followed up by phone.
Abercrombie & Kent
The website ranked fifth on Google. It loaded quickly and was laid out in an appealing manner. At first it seemed relatively easy to browse but to find the information I needed, I had to navigate through a number of pages and the details provided were limited. There was a basic itinerary on display so it was necessary to call the helpline to proceed. The consultant was engaging from the beginning, asked questions and seemed happy to guide me through the process. The price, £7,010, included flights from London, and they explained the itinerary in detail over the phone. The consultant didn’t offer extras or excursions. They suggested I book the holiday that day and asked if they could call me back the next day.
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.
