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Error of Commission
ChrisCrossings · December 9, 1999

Note: Last week's follow-up to our series on travel agents provoked still more e-mails -- some angry, some thoughtful, some humorous. And so, for one more column, we return to the controversy of agents, clients and commissions.

Q: I just finished reading your article on firing your travel agent. My initial response is to get defensive and stand up for travel agents in general. But the gentleman who wrote the letter definitely had an agent who was self-serving and not his advocate.

If one of my clients gets an agreement with a car rental company, they will tell me to book them only with that company. In most cases I find their corporate discount sucks and can usually be beaten. So we always tell them what the discount rate is and then tell them what the best price is.

I have never had a client tell me "oh well, book the discount rate anyway". In regards to hotels, we often will book our corporate clients in negotiated rates that often offer no commission. If it gets to a point where it becomes a burden on my business I work it out with my customer.

We never neglect to offer an airline with a cheaper fare than one that may pay us an override, and it ticks me off that many of my competitors and agents in other areas do. Because it damages the integrity of the whole business.

In short, we work for the client. Period. If an agent of mine doesn't get that, they don't stay. Integrity in travel is still alive. You just have to look.

-- Keith Billington

A: Keith, I wish everyone in the agency community felt the way you did.

Q: Chris, agent bashing is wrong. Your premise is wrong. You are taking the worst examples and putting us all in the same basket. I know it sounds great and catches the interest of people who read your column, but the truth is much different than what you are telling people! This kind of misinformation is no more beneficial to the consumer that what you are protesting!

-- Ken Morgan

A: Absolutely, agent-bashing is wrong. But I am not the one baking all retailers in the same proverbial pie (although some of the letter-writers have made a few unfair generalizations). In fact, I've been careful to point out that all agents aren't corrupt and commission-hungry.

Not to turn the tables on you and your fellow agents, but I've also got a problem with some of the folks writing in. They don't bother to read the whole column. They see the headline and fire off an angry letter. I'm not suggesting that you've done this, Ken, but others have -- and you know who you are.

Q: I read with interest your column on trusting your travel agent to get you the best deal possible. I agree with you that there are some agencies like the one you stated that are just out there for the money, but not all of us.

I have repeatedly said over the years that I am in a business that works its butt off to find the best possible fare on air or on cruises and tours that makes us make less money. But we do it because we feel we're there to provide professional service and value to our clients.

My advice to consumers is to look for an agency that has a certified travel counselor on staff, where the counselors are required to continue their education by taking classes, going to trade shows and attending conferences. Anyone that takes the time to stay informed and educated is going to do a good job for their clients.

But most importantly, find an agent that makes you feel comfortable and that you feel has your best interest at heart, one that will go the extra mile for you, and yes, one you can trust. There are still a bunch of us out there who are professional and trustworthy.

-- K. Janeen Jewell

A: Bravo, Janeen! I agree with everything you said, except the bit about going to trade shows. They're often nothing more than a magnet for the bottom-feeders in the agency community. You know, the types that spend all of their time at the open bar snacking on shrimp.

Q: I don't know if I can believe the letter you published today. I can't imagine how any large agency could stay in business performing such unethical practices on business travelers as cited by "Joe Luehrmann". It sounds like alot of hype to me, probably written by one of the "vultures" in some airline's executive office to discredit travel agencies.

-- Joan Goddard

A: Do you really think so, Joan? I have to admit, I thought it was kind of funny that Joe's e-mail came from a United Airlines account.

Just kidding.

Actually, I didn't know the vultures in the airline business knew how to type.

Q: While there are agencies that do just what Joe Luehrmann experienced, I don't agree with your comment that "it's common in the agency community" to knowingly book a client a more expensive room or car just on the basis of commission.

I think where it may be somewhat common is with big agencies. Large agencies seldom personally know their clients and agents may be less knowledgeable in going beyond what their superiors have set up for them to do, or may be prohibited from going around any stated method of handling a certain account.

Small, locally-owned agencies often offer better service and have more knowledgeable consultants and we know our clients. Smaller agencies rely on fostering customer loyalty as they do not have big advertising budgets to continually garner new clients. Customer loyalty only is achieved when the agency has consistently gotten its customers the best value for their request.

-- Marjy M. Wood

A: Perhaps these kinds of shenanigans happen more frequently with a larger agency, but I'm not willing to say they never happen at a medium-sized, or a mom-and-pop, agency.

Q: If an agency is doing business the way it was in your last column, I suggest turning to another agency before turning to the Internet. Agencies such as this give all of us a bad name.

If clients book their own travel via the Internet, I wonder who they'll blame when their travel gets royally screwed up? Are they going to then decide they need to call an agent to fix their mess up or will they complain about the Internet? When booking travel via the Internet, travelers need to read the fine print which says that the traveler is responsible for whatever he or she books online.

In this day and age of such poor customer service, I urge all clients to check prices, but please book through an agency after checking on your own for the peace of mind you can get knowing there is someone there to help if something should go wrong. Otherwise, who will you call? The airlines? HA! Some help they would be!

-- Lisa Green

A: You make a valid point. We shouldn't reject all agents just because some agents are corrupt. Yes, buying travel through a retailer offers protections that you wouldn't get by booking yourself. Yes, agents have a direct relationship with the supplier that a customer can benefit from. And yes, if an agent offers the best fare, there's no reason you shouldn't work with one.

Christopher Elliott's column appears on Thursdays. All e-mailed questions to ChrisCrossings become property of Ticked.com and may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. You may reach Elliott at chris@ticked.com. Or visit his home page at http://www.elliott.org.