ALL ABOUT YOU — MYSTERY SHOPPER
WINNER!
THIS WEEK’S WINNING AGENT
Chris Rowe manager
Dawson & Sanderson 36 BAXTERGATE
“I’ve worked at Dawson& Sanderson for 20 years but I’ve been in travel since 1980. I started from scratch as a trainee and worked my way up. We get a great variety in this branch as we do a lot of tailor-made and dynamic packaging.”
I was acknowledged instantly with a smile by a friendly and enthusiastic agent. After discussing my requirements, the agent recommended travelling to a different part of Spain because she didn’t feel the area near Barcelona worked for a family. Two colleagues, however, said Barcelona did have two lovely beaches. Eventually, the agent recommended two apartment options, both through Jet2holidays. The first was for £1,908 at the Eric Vökel Gran Via Suites and the second for £1,880 at the Eric Vökel Industria Suites. The agent recommended excursions and suggested a water park. I was quoted prices for transfers, but told I didn’t need car hire. I had a good rapport with the agent but felt my budget could
75%
have been utilised more. A greater knowledge of the area would also have helped me feel a little happier about making the booking.
59% The Co-operative Travel 37-39 ST SEPULCHRE GATE
I was welcomed straightaway by a patient and chatty agent, who clearly enjoyed her job. We had a long chat but the agent didn’t ask my budget and, as a result, initially suggested only cheap accommodation. The agent, however, did then recommend
SCORINGSYSTEM 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 14 SCOT LANE
The agent who helped me appeared to be genuinely interested in my enquiry, and was friendly and patient. She asked very few questions, but seemed to have a little knowledge of the destination. She showed enthusiasm at the start but it quickly dwindled. The agent offered the Sallés Hotel Pere IV,
42 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 16 April 2015 51%
staying on a bed-and-breakfast basis, for £2,237. The price included flights with Monarch Airlines from Leeds Bradford, but the hotel didn’t seem too family-friendly. I was given a piece of notepaper with scant information on it, which didn’t impress me very much. No attempt was made to seal the deal.
a holiday through Jet2holidays for the Tryp Barcelona Apollo hotel. I was quoted £2,523 for a family room with flights from Manchester. The hotel looked nice but not overly child- friendly. I thought the agent could have brought the holiday to life more.
MYSTERY SHOPPER
This Week: Doncaster, South Yorkshire Wanted: A family trip to mainland Spain
A family with two children is looking for a trip to the Spanish coast, ideally somewhere near Barcelona. They want to go for a week any time in August. Budget: £5,000. Verdict: Each agent left room for improvement, but the winner offered more than one suggestion that met the criteria.
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