p28-29 letters Apr24 21/4/09 17:36 Page 29
ttglive.com
letters
We have received similar it emerged the reason for this decision was that VoIP can offer real benefits
service from Holiday Autos as yet “we haven’t any financial history”. – as long as you know how
After reading your letter of the week (TTG April I reiterated that we would be pleased to pay Mach Associates was one of the first travel
17), we were nodding our heads in agreement when booking, not expecting any credit facility. software suppliers to identify VoIP as the next
at the familiarity of the type of service received I was assured that someone would call me big technology to offer advantages to the trade.
from Holiday Autos which many of us have back. Needless to say, they didn’t. However, VoIP telephone systems must be
endured in this office. We have now found an alternative supplier compatible with PBX (a private telephone
When having any queries now we try to avoid that is prepared to work with us in a proactive exchange system). Business must have all the
having to contact them because of the attitude and supportive nature. features they are used to from their current
and tone of unfriendly and unhelpful staff. They have noted with interest that we have phone system but the new technology must
It also seems that if you have an “out of already exceeded our total revenue for last offer real value-added benefits, such as
norm” rental request (anything that cannot be year, in the first three months of this. branded voice introductions and messages.
booked online, basically), it cannot always So thanks for nothing, Holiday Autos. Seems It also needs to add detailed management
be done and we are left not knowing if this is you are not interested in anyone with an reports that are geared to the travel industry,
because they do genuinely do not know what entrepreneurial spirit? You won’t be getting to monitor call durations, and booking
to do or they cannot be bothered. our vote when it comes to any awards. conversions and value.
Operational savings can be huge, especially
Kerry Sisson Alison Jago for business with multiple locations and
Dawson & Sanderson, Hull director, Completely Croatia overseas offices.
Call centres particularly benefit from VoIP
Holiday Autos declined our ■ Holiday Autos replies: We are clearly technology. Calls can be answered with the
application for an account disappointed with this feedback and appre- customer’s latest booking displayed on the
Last year we left the safe cocoon of a consortia ciate our agents for bringing these types of screen, enabling considerable time saving and
and gained a small Atol licence, and a PDQ matters to our attention. We are committed improved customer service.
machine. In March we applied to Holiday Autos to working closely with all our trade agents Link your telephone system into your website
for an account – not even a credit account – and our aim is to deliver a high quality of and the benefits reach a new level. For example,
and were happy to pay up front, in full. service at all times. Rest assured that we customers experiencing difficulties online can
By last week we had still not heard back will fully investigate both these cases in request assistance and an agent from the call
so I called Holiday Autos and was told our more detail to understand where and how centre can call (with the details of the booking
application had been declined. No one had the any processes have fallen down and put in already in front of them).
courtesy to email or call us to advise of this. place any remedial action to ensure this
Upon further investigation with credit control, does not happen again. Richard Bristow
director, Mach Associates
VoIP may be cheaper but its How much business must we lose before the
What do you think?
poor quality has hit my sales decision is made that cheap is not always best?
I am a homeworker and I have read with interest Being self-employed, this has already had a The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
the article on the VoIP telephone systems. direct impact on my business. We need your name, job title and company
The theory sounds good but the reality is I challenge any head office department to address. These will be withheld on request.
that I have had this system a month now and I come and work on these phones all day to see Priority is given to letters sent exclusively
am not happy with the quality of the sound. how they cope with such poor quality. to TTG. Please limit letters to 250 words
I have to call my clients back on another line If this continues, I shall be looking at other maximum. We reserve the right to edit.
as they can hear echoes, and from my end the homeworking companies that are not “cutting Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
sound is poor and I cannot hear properly. corners” and appreciate we need quality sound Fax: 020 7921 8033
I was not consulted when I was changed over when talking to our important clients. Blog: Or why not have your say online?
– this was by force. Yes, it is cheaper for the Write a blog at yourspace-ttglive.com
company to run with this, but at what expense? Name and address supplied
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