That was the warning from the homeworking agency’s new UK managing director, Kirsten Hughes, at Travel Counsellors’ annual conference last weekend.

Hughes highlighted certain operators that offer products that agents should book via Travel Counsellors’ Phenix system instead.

“Most operators have a direct-sell policy now, and I don’t condemn them for it at all,” she said. “But we have no control over it, and it’s getting more and more difficult to fix it when it hits the fan.”

“One of those operators nearly went bust; another one has been slated recently on a forum for its customer service. You lose ownership of the booking when you send it elsewhere; why would you do it?” she insisted.

Using Phenix, and booking Travel Counsellors’ directly contracted hotels, as widely as possible was not just the right thing to do for the customer, but also for the future of Travel Counsellors itself, she continued.

“We’ve got to get as close to the product and to the customer as we possibly can,” Hughes said. “Commit to watching all the Phenix training, and fight harder to get every booking in Phenix.”

Hughes reminded agents of the importance of being part of their customer’s journey at every step, from inspiration and research to booking, travel and after their return, or else risk losing that customer to clever digital marketing from a rival company.

“You cannot pick and choose which part of the cycle you are present in; you cannot sit and say you don’t want to do the marketing part – those cookies are chasing your customers online all the time,” she insisted.

But she told delegates they had nothing to fear if they continued to offer the level of customer service on which the company prides itself.

“Digital marketing is getting cleverer and cleverer, but tech companies don’t care about their customers. They will remember the customer’s birthday but they can’t care like you do. As long as you continue to care, the internet is no competitor for us.”