ALL ABOUT YOU — MYSTERY SHOPPER
WINNER!
THIS WEEK’S WINNING AGENT
Lynda Ross branch manager
Stewart Travel 83%
Lynda has worked at Stewart Travel for 11 years. She specialises in Canada, and Sandals and Beaches resorts. Lynda went to Dubai last year for a week’s holiday, so could draw on her personal experience to answer this week’s enquiry.
The agency’s website was smart and looked professional. It was easy to find information about Dubai and the company’s phone number was bold and appeared on every page. My call was answered quickly by a friendly and enthusiastic agent. The agent drew upon personal experience, having been to Dubai last year, and she shared some of her experiences with me. After discussing the type of holiday I was seeking, the agent took my name, address, phone number and email address. She said that she wanted to go away and undertake some more research. She quickly came back with a thorough email documenting everything on offer. The agent recommended three hotels, all of which were within my budget. The quotes were for £4,450 at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, £4,395 for the Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa and £4,295 for Atlantis
The Palm. I was impressed by the agent’s knowledge. I would have liked to have received images in my email, to help bring the hotels to life. Although the agent could have pushed a little harder to seal the deal, I would recommend her.
Barrhead Travel
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!
80% Glen Travel
The website was unusual but appealing. I found a good amount of information on Dubai. On calling the agency, I spoke to a friendly and professional agent. However, there wasn’t the same enthusiasm as I’d experienced with other agents. I was provided with prices for two hotels. For
50 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 23 April 2015
Atlantis The Palm, I was quoted £4,490 for a deluxe room and £4,690 for an ocean-view deluxe. The second quote was for the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, but at £4,682, it was overbudget. The agent seemed very knowledgeable and followed up the enquiry with a call the following day.
The website was attractive, but I didn’t like the colours used. It featured lots of information about Dubai and it was easy to find the agent’s phone number. My call was answered quickly but I was passed around from agent to agent. After discussing the possibilities, I received three quotes in less than an
hour with recommendations. The first was for £3,379 at the JA Ocean View, the second for £4,459 at Atlantis The Palm and the third for £4,239 at the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. I was given lots of handy tips for things to see and do in Dubai. I thought the quotes fitted the bill well.
70%
MYSTERY SHOPPER
This Week: Call centres in Scotland Wanted: A family break in Dubai
A family with a young child would like to go to Dubai some time in November. They are looking for a mid-range hotel with child-friendly facilities. Budget: £4,500. Verdict: The winning agent was thorough, eager to please and drew upon personal experience to bring the holiday to life.
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