Dear Daisy
This headline is extremely worrying. 'Consumers now able to buy direct with Star Alliance Tuesday (21 July article)'. How can small independent travel agencies compete?
Gabbie Girl, NSW
Dear Gabbie,
I’m worried that you find this surprising.
It was the most likely step for an Alliance; after all, the majority of airlines have been online for quite a while, enabling anyone to book direct anytime, anywhere.
Also, in case you haven’t noticed, most airlines cut commission quite heavily years ago, and will probably further reduce levels in the future; you can’t rely on them for your bread and butter.
What you need to do as a small independent travel agency is have a look at what benefits you can offer so your clients pick up the phone and book with you, instead of going direct.
Be savvy with your communications, keep in touch with your preferred clients, make sure they’re in the loop for any specials and go that extra mile so customers feel they’re getting a service that they want to pay for.
The online arena is only going to become a lot more crowded as suppliers spend more on technology so your expertise and knowledge is the only way you can effectively compete for business.
As the AFTA slogan goes “without a travel agent, you’re on your own’.
DD
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