Travel agent help!!!

Is it bad to get quotes from a number of different travel agencies? I feel bad about making them go through the effort to set up a trip if I might not end up booking with them. Is that how it always works??

Help!

im a TA- and honestly i don't like shoppers ....

i wont bother. i know when i work with 'shoppers' and i don't put effort into it.

we work on commission and we put a lot of work into our packages. it's not like an expedia were we whip it up...

chances are....everyone will give u the same rate give or take.

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Posted by FutureMrsPD

just to let you know....FH and I go on a vacation every january for the past 5 years...i've learned that they get A LOT of commission on trips and they are TOTALLY negotiable. Last year we went to cancun and the year before that, jamaica. We paid WAYYYYY under what she originally quoted us because i negotiated. dont be afraid! It's WELL worth it. We always use liberty travel. And not always the same one either.

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u should go to the same one like you go to the same hair dresser.

and they Match your quote from an internet site....

and yes we get commission BUT we DONT make a LOT off of it!

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Posted by SoVic08

im a TA- and honestly i don't like shoppers ....

i wont bother. i know when i work with 'shoppers' and i don't put effort into it.

we work on commission and we put a lot of work into our packages. it's not like an expedia were we whip it up...

chances are....everyone will give u the same rate give or take.

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Here is my situation - a 'friend' of the family is a TA, but he works with a tour company to handle Brazil - which is where we are going. I looked on the tour companies website - and it seemed a lot more expensive, in general, than what I had seen on BrazilNuts website. So I wanted to get a quote from him, and also from the other company.

BrazilNuts specializes in brazil only (that was prob obvious ) and I think they can get better rates than other companies.

In this situation, what would you tell me to do??

Thank you!

Hard to say because I've gotten reallly different quotes so I guess its worth it to shop around.

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Posted by SoVic08

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Posted by FutureMrsPD

just to let you know....FH and I go on a vacation every january for the past 5 years...i've learned that they get A LOT of commission on trips and they are TOTALLY negotiable. Last year we went to cancun and the year before that, jamaica. We paid WAYYYYY under what she originally quoted us because i negotiated. dont be afraid! It's WELL worth it. We always use liberty travel. And not always the same one either.

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u should go to the same one like you go to the same hair dresser.

and they Match your quote from an internet site....

and yes we get commission BUT we DONT make a LOT off of it!

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I know you don't make a ton of commission, which is why I want to be fair to the people doing the work. I really appreciate your help with this situation!

if your going to shop around...with a liberty they have different program codes-if your going to call a liberty in bay shore then one in garden city that's not shopping around they have the same system.

if you call Amex- then Liberty then travel impressions...then yes- that's shoppin around.

but i'd respect the potential client to let me know who they shopped with bc i need to know what im being compared to..you know what i mean?

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Posted by mandag

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Posted by SoVic08

im a TA- and honestly i don't like shoppers ....

i wont bother. i know when i work with 'shoppers' and i don't put effort into it.

we work on commission and we put a lot of work into our packages. it's not like an expedia were we whip it up...

chances are....everyone will give u the same rate give or take.

---

Here is my situation - a 'friend' of the family is a TA, but he works with a tour company to handle Brazil - which is where we are going. I looked on the tour companies website - and it seemed a lot more expensive, in general, than what I had seen on BrazilNuts website. So I wanted to get a quote from him, and also from the other company.

BrazilNuts specializes in brazil only (that was prob obvious ) and I think they can get better rates than other companies.

In this situation, what would you tell me to do??

Thank you!

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Well, I would ask your TA if they work with BrazilNuts! Chances are they are a company where the TA can work with them as well and you give credit to your friend (not that it's money they actually keep)

OR tell your TA have you booked Brazil b4? Because this is your Honeymoon. Not some 5 night trip into Aruba lol ..Ask him if he feels comfortable selling this country (some agents nod yes they do- and when u walk out they r like Who knows about Brazil lol)

anyway just my 02.cents.

So say I get a quote from Brazil Nuts that is a lot lower than the one from this family friend - do you think I could say to him - this is who I talked to, this is what they quoted me, can you do something for a similar price because I would really like to work with you?

I mean - at the end of the day I want to work with him, but I don't want to pay 50% more to do so and I'd like to have an idea of what I think a package should cost. My dad was a pilot so we never used travel agents because he could do better with airline discounts - so this is all new to me!

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Posted by mandag

So say I get a quote from Brazil Nuts that is a lot lower than the one from this family friend - do you think I could say to him - this is who I talked to, this is what they quoted me, can you do something for a similar price because I would really like to work with you?

I mean - at the end of the day I want to work with him, but I don't want to pay 50% more to do so and I'd like to have an idea of what I think a package should cost. My dad was a pilot so we never used travel agents because he could do better with airline discounts - so this is all new to me!

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Absolutely! Do not be afraid to say that, you are not insulting him, he probably hears that 100 times a day from customers. Its YOUR job to compare and be a smart buyer, thats totally expected and he shouldnt/wont take offense to that, no matter how you know him, dont worry!

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Posted by mandag

So say I get a quote from Brazil Nuts that is a lot lower than the one from this family friend - do you think I could say to him - this is who I talked to, this is what they quoted me, can you do something for a similar price because I would really like to work with you?

I mean - at the end of the day I want to work with him, but I don't want to pay 50% more to do so and I'd like to have an idea of what I think a package should cost. My dad was a pilot so we never used travel agents because he could do better with airline discounts - so this is all new to me!

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Of course let him know! He may be able to use Brazil Nuts. Let him know what other tour company is out there. IF he really wants to make the 'sale' and keep you as a potential client and happy...he will make that call to them...I KNOW I WOULD!

I go WAY out of my way for each one of my clients. I ask them What's your Min. Budget and Max Budget and make sure I AM GIVING THE BEST RATE. I Always want my client to come back to ME and pass a referral that's the best feeling.

But if he doesn't know what's his competition he will not be able to give you the best rate bc chances are He Doesn't know the destination...get me? So, in your case call him...say your using this tour operator how bout u call this company ........-

:)