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This week our secret shopper was in Waltham Abbey to book a 10-day all-inclusive in Barbados for a family of four. How did the sellers do?
The mystery shopper visited two travel agencies in Waltham Abbey, Essex, and requested a 10-day all-inclusive holiday to Barbados for a family of four, with a budget of £7,000.
They then made two Google.co.uk searches using the term ‘Barbados family holiday’.
2nd: Waltham Abbey Travel
3rd: Thomas Cook
4th: Kuoni
Thomson
121 High Street
Waltham Cross
Mystery Shopper said: As soon as I entered the branch, I noticed how state-of-the-art it was. The only brochures were laid out in a wall display, and there was a large computer screen showing beautiful destinations. The consultant was excellent. They took details of the holiday I was interested in and found some hotels. We decided on Turtle Beach Resort as it met all my requirements. The consultant was very determined to meet my needs. We looked at a number of different dates. The Hayes & Jarvis price was slightly over budget at £7,581 but included flights from my preferred airport, good flight times and lounge access. The consultant explained that these sorts of holidays were normally booked very far in advance and became more expensive closer to departure. The consultant encouraged me to make a quick decision to stop the price changing, and told me to call the agency to make the booking. I also received a follow-up call.
Martine Cutts
Travel advisor
Thomson
How long in travel?
For 22 years now, and I’ve been with Thomson for the past 12.
Where in the Caribbean is most popular?
Mexico and Jamaica, mainly because of affordability.
What is selling well now?
Florida, Cyprus and Greece.
Best-ever booking?
A Florida wedding. The bride wanted the Cinderella carriage and all the trimmings.
Where are you going on holiday?
I’m off to Gran Canaria, and I’m doing a P&O mini-cruise with a few friends.
What’s on your bucket list?
I’d love to tour around Australia.
Waltham Abbey Travel
22c Sun Street
A consultant approached me within minutes of entering the shop, and found some brochures for Barbados. Another consultant called over saying they had received an offer for Mango Bay Hotel for October. The consultant rang the operator and then gave me prices for two suitable hotels. Both were within budget, but I was unable to look at one of them as it was not in any of the brochures. The package for Mango Bay was £5,670. The hotel was the consultant’s favourite and I felt steered towards it. I didn’t think it would be suitable for my family as it was a boutique hotel, with little for children to do in the evening. The consultant noted down some prices on a sheet of paper and said I would need to book soon to avoid paying more.
Thomas Cook
The site ranked highly on Google and I knew it was a reliable brand. The site was sunny-looking with enticing photos. It took a while to connect my call but the consultant apologised for the wait. I explained my requirements and the consultant took my number so they could call me back with options. They didn’t sound optimistic about finding a price for me and I felt they were somewhat reluctant to help me. They found a holiday at Turtle Beach that exceeded my budget by £500. I was told that this was the best offer available, and that there was a current discount on the hotel. When I checked online myself, I was able to find cheaper hotels staying somewhere else. I was encouraged to book quickly to secure the best price.
Kuoni
Kuoni came up in the top 10 searches on Google and I had heard of it. There was a professional feel to the site, which gave the sense of relaxation and tranquillity. The consultant answered politely and professionally. They explained very few hotels offered all-inclusive and were child-friendly. They also said the best side of the island was near Holetown and St Lawrence. They took my details and called back an hour later with a quote. It was above budget at £8,486, which they explained was because of the imminent departure date. They had extensive knowledge of the island and explained that it would be better to look at the surrounding islands. There was no effort to seal the deal.
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.
