ALL ABOUT YOU — MYSTERY SHOPPER
WINNER!
THIS WEEK’S WINNING AGENT
Pam Prescott job title?
Bath Travel 3B UNION STREET
87%
“I have worked at Bath Travel for 31 years – five years in accounts and admin, the rest on the counter as a travel agent. I love the fact that every day is different. A lot of what we do is tailor-made, long-haul and cruise, and we get a lot of repeat business.”
An agent was on the phone when I entered the shop but as soon as there was a break in conversation she informed me that her colleague would be available shortly. I was asked lots of questions by the agent, who was helpful, polite and listened to my requirements. The agent used
Gazetteers.com to check reviews on hotels before recommending two options. The first was staying at the Hotel Marina Atarazanas with Hays Beds for £670, the second staying at Holiday Inn Valencia for £768. The agent was very thorough and showed me pictures of each hotel. We also discussed car hire and airport transfers. I would have liked the agent to have known a little bit more about the destination. I
was encouraged to return when I’d made a final decision and I would have done so based on the quality of the service.
Miles Morgan Travel 2 BOROUGH ARCADE, HIGH STREET
76%
SCORING SYSTEM 50%
Advice and product knowledge
25% 15%
10%
TIME OUT
Customer service
External/internal appearance
Overall experience
Any agency that keeps Mystery Shopper waiting for 15 minutes without acknowledgement will fail to score!
Thomson 29 MIDDLE STREET
The inside of this shop was clean and tidy, although external maintenance work was going on. I was welcomed immediately by a very polite and friendly agent. I made my holiday request. The agent informed me that neither Thomson nor any of its preferred partners had anything
38 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 26 June 2014
suitable. No attempt was made to switch-sell the booking to another destination; instead, the agent recommended that I visited Bath Travel. I would have liked an attempt to find a break for another area of Spain. I was given no contact details and the agent didn’t take mine.
I was greeted by a friendly agent who was keen to find out my needs. The agent checked for flights from the local airport first and advised that I could fly direct from Gatwick. Although not too familiar with Valencia, the agent willingly did some research before providing two quotes. The first
was through MedHotels and was for £684, staying at the Beatriz Rey Don Jaime. The second was through Hays Beds, staying at the Itaca Consul der Mar hotel for £644. The agent added airport parking, but I felt I could have been asked more questions to ascertain the facilities I wanted at the hotel.
30%
MYSTERY SHOPPER
This Week: Yeovil, Somerset Wanted: A city and beach break in Valencia
A couple want to travel to Valencia for a week in September. They are seeking a nice four or five-star hotel close to the Spanish city’s main attractions and its beach. Budget: £1,500. Verdict: The winning agent met the Mystery Shopper’s requirements from start to finish.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68