by John Frenaye
Monday April 11, 2016

Last week, my column talked about preparing to talk to the media. I must have been prescient; because last week, the airlines gave travel agents a perfect opportunity to get in front of the media and truly show their value and worth to the consumer. Did you take advantage of it?

Of course I am talking about the near unilateral decision made by American, Delta, and United to penalize clients who are flying multi-city itineraries. Ostensibly this was done in order to compete with the low-fare carriers, but let’s be honest, it is a way to bolster their bottom lines—none of which have been suffering.

In essence, the big three are forcing travelers into paying a higher…

“What separates Nordstrom from its competitors is its army of highly motivated, self-empowered people who have an entrepreneurial spirit.”

The Nordstrom Way – by Robert Spector & Patrick D. McCarthy, page 23

Chapter 1: America’s #1 Customer Service Company

One of the things I have noticed over the years is that most people who enter the travel industry look, think, and act pretty much the same. The reason for this may be due to ease of entry into the game, who knows? Who cares?…

by Richard Earls
Sunday April 10, 2016

I happened upon a travel agency website this weekend with an exceptional feature.  It wasn’t the site’s use of technology or a booking engine, or the wide array of content it provided.  What most impressed me was the extensive number of client testimonials the owners had gathered together from their existing client base.  There were a total of 42 client testimonials, and maybe a few others I didn’t see.  I’m pretty sure the web site had more glowing recommendations from former clients than any site I had ever seen.

I don’t know this particular agency, but I am certain I could book with them with confidence.  My vacation would be in good hands.

We tend to have a herd…