Travel Services vs Travel Agents

[susans]

Ok this isnt specifically about our new partnership in the US with TripSync or the product itself, but it does stem from that.  I will be attending the APC Conference in Las Vegas (if anyone is going, let me know!) and decided to see how the software worked.  I loved it, but it made me think, how do products like this affect travel agents?  So I thought that would pose this question:

Do you still use a travel agent?  If so, do you think software that helps you plan business travel, may it be TripSync or Orbitz.. Travelocity.. other softwares will hurt the travel agency business?  

[Cathy S]

I still use a travel agent, because it is the approved method of procuring travel, however, I still research and plan our travel requirements prior to making bookings.  Although I am confident enough in my research/planning skills that if it was an option I would make bookings direct; using our travel agent offers two advantages - they will make alternative recommendation if it offers us benefits and they act as a check on dates/times/flight numbers if I mistype something.  

I am pleased to say that in two years in post the only error has been one by our travel agents who booked flights for the wrong date but issued me confirmation from a separate system showing the correct date - they compensated us for the additional ticket costs within 30 minutes of my contacting them.

On balance I think there is room for both travel agents and travel planning software, but perhaps business travel agents will see their role change and become less travel focussed and more admin focussed.  

Cathy

[itsme_calista]

We still use both.

Accommodation is sourced using either a Hotel Reservation Service or via laterooms or wotif websites.  I tend to book my bosses rooms direct and use his credit card but for guys in any of our depots that don't have credit cards I like the ease of being able to arrange billback for these people.

Flights/Train Tickets etc, we use a travel agent for.  Again I tend to book my bosses tickets direct to save a bit of money but for the directors and anyone else I love the convenience of being able to delegate and have one bill.

I do still research most the arrangements on the internet, and we do pay a small premium for the services but it's worth it to free the larger part of my time up.

Callie

[diamondlady]

We still use a travel agent for booking airline reservations.  

For hotels and car rentals, it depends on what we are using.  If it's for a group function and we have to stay at a specific hotel, then we book on our own.  If it's for a review, then we book a block of rooms and have each individual call in with their own credit card for payment.

If I can't get a government rate with the travel agency, I'll look online to see if it's available there.

For car rentals, if I'm booking a reservation with the agent and they ask if they want a rental, I'll let them do it, unless they are sharing a rental, then no car needed, or if I find out later that they need a car, I can call in on my own using the travellers credit card, if needed.

Diamondlady
Peer Moderator

[Atlanta Z3]

No travel service here - either done online (travelocity) or by calling hotels or airlines direct.  I have very particular managing directors who usually know where they want to stay when on business trips.