While many people think booking for themselves online is the way to go, I still use travel agents.
I have had a series of really good travel agents. I've only dealt with a few bad ones and then I chose to not deal with them anymore.
I have a favourite agent in America. She's been helping me around the world for years now . . . many years. Karen is in Cincinnati, OH, but I've called her from several states and she always gets my documents to me in good order and plenty of time. On the rare occasion I've needed to make changes, whether due to my circumstances or those of the airlines, she's always made things easy.
I've had two super agents in New Zealand and know that they've saved me money, stress and hassles.
On a recent trip to the U.S. I had an emergency appendectomy. One call to my travel agent and the insurance kicked in and life became easier . . . . well, in so far as my travel arrangements and associated costs were concerned. I had to do the surgery and healing on my own.
I definitely encourage travel insurance!
IF and when something goes wrong in your travel arrangements, you can either make one call to an emergency number your agent provides, or you can make numerous calls and be placed on hold and given the run around fixing it up yourself. The disruption in your travel MIGHT have caused a bit of stress, especially if your schedule was tight and you had meetings or bookings on the other end. Sorting it all out yourself is going to multiply that stress. Who needs it?
I enjoy watching people. Airports are a great place to do that.
Watching stressed people climbing over one another to get to booking agents or customer service desks is not amusing. You can almost pick out the choleric personalities from the sanguines and melancholies. The phlegmatics are rarely seen in the stampedes.
For more about these personality types click.
Anyway, I'd rather just call Karen or Jeanette . . . tell them my situation and then go have a cup of tea.
How to choose a good agent.
I prefer someone who thinks of things I don't.
Someone who considers different eventualities and checks in to details and options.
I love it when they save me money. I work for a non-profit organisation and don't usually increase my revenue by my travels, so cost is an issue. My agents are good at checking thoroughly and then choosing well based on what they know of my travel style.
They know the airlines I prefer, the seats I like and where to place stopovers to make the long trips more enjoyable.
Everyone goes through LA enroute from NZ. I prefer San Francisco.
It's more quieter and friendlier and easier to get around in as I process my jetlag. My agents build this in, or inform me of lovely Pacific islands that might have special incentive fares going.
I usually arrive at the airport with all the bits I need, including airport tax stickers and visas where needed. They often remind me of things I might have forgotten and give me info on changes in security procedures, construction or localised wars.
They like it when I send postcards from remote places and when I report back afterwards that they really are geniuses and I'd be lost without them.
So you can do all your own booking online. You might save a few dollars here and there. Good luck. You'll probably need it out there on your own.
Read Christopher Elliott in his blog or on MSNBC for more on how to choose the right travel pro.
Comments