Am I being petty?

[Merion_Mom]

what other business shares their earnings with you? Doctors, lawyers car salesmen....alot of professions they call that a kickback

 

Different types of businesses have different traditions of how they do business.

[LMaxwell]

what other business shares their earnings with you? Doctors, lawyers car salesmen....alot of professions they call that a kickback

A Doctor or a Lawyer is a professional. A car salesman or travel agent is not, even if they have been doing it lifelong and have additional accreditation from industry organizations. Anyone can become a car salesman, travel agent etc. They are service industry jobs and that is the difference.

 

Service industries now must compete with one another by providing lowest cost / additional services (perks) etc. Now that the internet has made comparison and research so easy, many people no longer require the time and services of these agents.

 

In order to remain in business the reality is that they have to "buy" their customers by splitting commissions in the form of OBC, wine, specialty dining, spa package, paying gratuities, etc. Yes. It is a kickback.

 

But going back to the very original point; if a TA provides you something nine out of nine previous times, whether it was promised in writing or not, I think it sets a certain expectation of what to expect for the 10th time. Now, we all know about assumptions, but still, it's not a totally unreasonable expectation or assumption by the OP that the TA would provide what they always have.

[Alaskalovr]

nowhere here is a promise or obligation by the TA for anything...the word usually means not always..sounds like an expectation of nothing promised

 

Actually I believe there is an implied promise. If you are a Travel Agent and have a customer who is loyal to you and you have on all previous cruises gifted this customer with something, it is reasonable for them to expect something the next time they cruise. If the TA is suddenly having financial problems and decides the way they will deal with that is by cutting back then I believe they have an obligation to give their client a little heads-up. Just tell them Hey, the economy has kicked us in the butt this year and our company will no longer be gifting bottles of wine. I hope you understand. There is a good possibility, as long as the travel agent has always done a good job and their prices are competitive, the client will understand. That is the way you do business.

[Reader0108598]

what other business shares their earnings with you? Doctors, lawyers car salesmen....alot of professions they call that a kickback

 

 

Deleted due to posters who say it better than I do :)

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[jelayne]

This is so interesting to me. Our TA gives us nothing. Nada. We choose the cruise and the cabin, and then tell her to book it. If a problem comes up, she handles it, but I'm not sure I understand the concept of "Give me something in exchange for my business.". Doesn't it come out of their commission?

 

What has our society become? Sincerely asking, not being facetious. :o

 

.

 

The travel industry has become very competitive. Brick & mortar TA's are having a hard time competing against the on-line TA's who offer OBC, paid gratuities, speciality dinners, etc. The online TA's handle a large volume through a call center and can afford to give perks out of their commission; most brick &mortar TA can't match them.

 

We switched from our brick & mortar TA 2 years ago. They were very good & we would get a bottle of wine and/or strawberries. In checking out on-line TAs I just couldn't "walk away" from the OBC they provide. I explained that to my TA who said "I understand, you do your own research, your own on-line check-in and use us just to book or make a change. If it was me I would make the same decision."

Recently booked 2 cruises with $1110 in OBC, I can buy a lot of wine with that.

[PoppyandNana]

OP you are not being petty but you should be getting more for your booking IMHO.

 

 

Some posters are confused as to why we think we should get something from the TA's.

 

Why would I give my booking to a TA when I did all the work?

 

They make money off of your booking. Why shouldn't they share some of that commission with you ?

 

Not going to release control of my booking for the fun of it:confused:

 

If we all hold our bookings the TA's would go out of business .

 

 

Reader

 

Most travel agents do not earn the majority of their commissions from cruises, far from it. The bulk of it comes from airlines, hotels, tour operators and so forth. Not everybody lives and dies by the cruise world. Mu daughter books a vacation every year costing over $15,000. Their TA makes a boat load (pun intended) of commission on all the components of their vacation

[Reader0108598]

Most travel agents do not earn the majority of their commissions from cruises, far from it. The bulk of it comes from airlines, hotels, tour operators and so forth. Not everybody lives and dies by the cruise world. Mu daughter books a vacation every year costing over $15,000. Their TA makes a boat load (pun intended) of commission on all the components of their vacation

 

 

Hi Redman

 

Don't understand your statement attached to my post. We are talking about cruising here.:)

 

 

 

 

Okay just reread my post and saw you are referring to "If we all hold our bookings the TA's would go out of business" .

 

Well I am glad to hear that TA's who share commission on cruises are not hurting because they have all this other travel related commission. :)

 

Good to know

Reader

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[Lilyrosemum]

what other business shares their earnings with you? Doctors, lawyers car salesmen....alot of professions they call that a kickback

 

As far as Doctors and Lawyers as someone else said these are Professionals. The Law prevents you from practicing Medicine or Law unless you successfully complete a rigorous education and pass qualifying exams to obtain a license. This is an arduous endeavor and is extremely expensive.

 

Car Salesmen and Travel Agents like Real Estate agents are on a lower scale of the Professions. They do require educational and/or training requirements and possibly qualifying exams. The Law may prevent you from practicing these professions without licensing as well. But, the process is no where near as difficult, time consuming or expensive. Thus, they usually make less money than Doctors and Lawyers.

 

That said, I have always been able to "deal" when I buy a car. I do my research and pay just slightly over the cost to the dealership. I also negotiate a higher buyout of any trade I may have and often negotiate "free" service perks. Some people don't research as well and pay more up front for the same vehicle. Some people pay close to retail because they do little or no research.

 

Real Estate Agents often negotiate their commissions to gain a listing, especially on a higher priced home or if you are a repeat customer. This happens all the

time.

 

As most of us know, Travel Agents give perks, onboard credit, or cash back in order to get control of your reservations. The higher priced your cabin or the more cabins you book, the better your perks will be. The Cruise lines themselves give incentives to the Travel Agents to steer their clients toward their Cruise line.

 

Law Firms will give their best clients special rates if they handle all of your needs.

 

Doctors may give preferred rates depending on insurance and other conditions.

 

Anyone is free to pay retail for anything they want. But to put down people who negotiate better or discounted rates for the products and services they buy is a little ridiculous.

[panthers_4890]

The word "basically" in your statement is a qualifier, so I will answer: Basically speaking, yes. Many people on CC are savvy enough / have learned over time from CC HOW to find the best deals and book in the most efficient manner. In this sense the TA is doing very little other than "holding" the reservation. The TA's offer perks and deals because they can either have some of something, or all of nothing. Some of something is better for them in almost every instance rather than getting all of nothing. (I am not mistaking the word OF for OR).

 

If they do not want to offer anything, that is their business model to choose. Todays marketplace is highly competitive due to the internet and ease with which one can compare services.

 

When you go to shop for a car do you pay the full window sticker price or do you comparison shop? When you go to the grocery store if two similar brands are side by side and one is on sale, offers a rebate/discount, etc. would you not choose that brand? Is it wrong to go out to dinner and use a coupon for a free meal? The restaurant is the one providing the coupon to induce you to come in.

 

Businesses do these thing to compete in todays marketplace. Smart customers will take advantage of the deals. Heck, a good portion of posts on this site are how to get more OBC, how to combine coupon codes, how can we get double perks, how do I get this or that. Why is it suddenly a problem if TA's are choosing to buy the business?

 

 

I am not opposed to free things at all. That's why I said we should take them if offered. My whole thing is in response to the original question. Is it petty to get up and leave dealing with a TA who has shown gratitude for your business repeatedly over a few strawberries? There's no agreement this will be given to you, unless I missed that part in this whole thread. I personally use a TA to help me plan my vacation and use them as a resource to find deals and help me with problems that arise. Not for gifts they may potentially give me.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Johnamac123]

So does that mean that it is your responsibility to pay him/her more? I am the customer and I am going to go where I can get the best deal. I am not going to pay one retailer more than another for the same thing because their cost structure is different. That is their problem. They need to figure out how to make their business work, make a profit and be competitive. If they can't do that, maybe its time to choose a different line of work. Its not the responsibility of the customer to pay more to subsidize the business. And lets be real, when you book a cruise with no OBC back to you, you are paying more.

Have you ever owned a business? It seems in your reply that you always base your decision on who to do business with on the lowest price. What's the point of a TA giving you or anyone else great service under those circumstances?? Have you ever heard of "loyalty" as a basis of doing business together?

Edited June 1, 2014 by Johnamac123

[Reader0108598]

Have you ever owned a business? It seems in your reply that you always base your decision on who to do business with on the lowest price. What's the point of a TA giving you or anyone else great service under those circumstances?? Have you ever heard of "loyalty" as a basis of doing business together?

 

 

 

loyalty works both ways.You want me to be loyal give me the best pricing and perks every time . I will be loyal! Why would a consumer do anything different?

 

Reader

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[ariawoman]

Most travel agents do not earn the majority of their commissions from cruises, far from it. The bulk of it comes from airlines, hotels, tour operators and so forth. Not everybody lives and dies by the cruise world. Mu daughter books a vacation every year costing over $15,000. Their TA makes a boat load (pun intended) of commission on all the components of their vacation

 

Airlines don't pay commission, just FYI. At least none that I've seen so far. Don't be so sure that you know how much a TA is or isn't making on any given booking. Just because a booking cost 15k doesn't mean that TA is seeing a ton of commission. It all depends on who they work for, the overall volume that agency does, etc. It's not as cut and dried as people seem to want it to be.

 

Expedias of the world are making a much higher commission percentage than the typical brick and mortars.

[IDRATHERBCRUISN]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip.

 

I am dumbfounded to the fact that the OP would go look for a new TA because she did not get strawberries and wine. YES, YOU ARE BEING PETTY. If I were your TA, I would fire you as a client. :eek:

 

Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!

[Lilyrosemum]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip.

 

I am dumbfounded to the fact that the OP would go look for a new TA because she did not get strawberries and wine. YES, YOU ARE BEING PETTY. If I were your TA, I would fire you as a client. :eek:

 

Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!

 

I have already given them my booking. Why would I give them an additional gift. Now if they went above and beyond the call of duty, sure.

 

As I do all my own bookings and then turn them over to my agent within the required time, she does not put many hours of hard work in to my bookings. She gets her commission and I get an agreed amount of cash back. She certainly hasn't complained over the years about taking over my bookings for the agreed upon rate.

 

And why, if you were the OP's TA, would you fire them for being unhappy they didn't get their usual gift? Wouldn't that be petty then on the part of the TA?

[Reader0108598]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip.

 

I am dumbfounded to the fact that the OP would go look for a new TA because she did not get strawberries and wine. YES, YOU ARE BEING PETTY. If I were your TA, I would fire you as a client. :eek:

 

Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!

 

 

 

Ummm What hard work???

 

I booked my cruise -cabin anything else I need. I filled out all the paper work paid to fax it to transfer the cruise to her or him.

 

Enlighten me!

 

BTW: No need to be rude (Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!) to the OP because do not understand how this works .

Reader

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[kruzerci]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip.

 

I am dumbfounded to the fact that the OP would go look for a new TA because she did not get strawberries and wine. YES, YOU ARE BEING PETTY. If I were your TA, I would fire you as a client. :eek:

 

Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!

 

I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. Some people just don't get it.

 

Obviously if travel agencies were not making any money by offering perks, they wouldn't be doing it. They are giving up a percentage of their commission in the form of gifts and OBC in order order to attract more business and generate quantity.

 

And most of the people posting have said that they basically have their reservation finalized and transfer it to a TA. In this case, the agency is doing little more than getting credit and commission from the booking.

[trev71]

I have been using the same travel agent for years each year I have been booking a junior suite. Each year they usually send us a bottle of wine and strawberries. This year nada and I'm a bit upset, am I being Petty? Thinking of changing Travel Agents in the future am I overreacting?

 

 

Ive booked my first 5 cruises with my TA and Ive got ZIPPO notta. Not even a welcome aboard piece of cake. I booked while on board this time for the first time and I got a onboard credit :)

Edited June 1, 2014 by trev71

[Reader0108598]

Ive booked my first 5 cruises with my TA and Ive got ZIPPO notta. Not even a welcome aboard piece of cake. I booked while on board this time for the first time and I got a onboard credit :)

 

 

Good for you trev71!!!!:D

 

Now keep an eye out for price drops, if you keep your booking they will adjust before final payment. Some TA's give you a hard time or have added fees for any adjustment.

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[smeck]

I will assume that all of you, who expect a gift or something from your TA in return for all the money you have paid them for their hard work and MANY hours, are bringing them a very nice gift when you return home from your trip.

 

I am dumbfounded to the fact that the OP would go look for a new TA because she did not get strawberries and wine. YES, YOU ARE BEING PETTY. If I were your TA, I would fire you as a client. :eek:

 

Now, go "cool off" in the ocean!!

 

I suggest you cool off before replying to a post, no need to yell and be rude!

[Reader0108598]

I feel like I'm beating my head against a wall. Some people just don't get it.

 

Obviously if travel agencies were not making any money by offering perks, they wouldn't be doing it. They are giving up a percentage of their commission in the form of gifts and OBC in order order to attract more business and generate quantity.

 

And most of the people posting have said that they basically have their reservation finalized and transfer it to a TA. In this case, the agency is doing little more than getting credit and commission from the booking.

 

 

 

Good post Kruzerci:)

 

While you will never get through to some people ,we need to think about all the others your posts helps:)

 

I love to pass along info I get here. Should have seen me on board Jewel of the seas last week. I had people hanging on my every cruise related word...lol The first was Cruise critic of course:D

 

Reader

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[LindaM]

If I were to read between the lines, perhaps the OP is wondering if her long time TA appreciates her business. I'm sure there's more to it than a bottle of wine. We had a long time TA who stopped sending bottles of wine years ago. The more experienced we became, we realized we weren't getting much help, as we did all the legwork. We now switched to a "big box" TA, where we get the same minimal service and a different person each time we call, but get lots more OBC. Lots!!

[Reader0108598]

If I were to read between the lines, perhaps the OP is wondering if her long time TA appreciates her business. I'm sure there's more to it than a bottle of wine. We had a long time TA who stopped sending bottles of wine years ago. The more experienced we became, we realized we weren't getting much help, as we did all the legwork. We now switched to a "big box" TA, where we get the same minimal service and a different person each time we call, but get lots more OBC. Lots!!

 

You are right linda the wine/Strawberries is not the point.

 

Although I believe Some TA's are taking advantage of people by just giving these minimal gifts.

TA's can keep the bottle of god awful wine and I can get myself strawberries. Give me the OBC ,spa and/or specialty restaurant cert :D

 

Reader

Edited June 1, 2014 by Reader0108598

[cruisead]

I have been using the same travel agent for years each year I have been booking a junior suite. Each year they usually send us a bottle of wine and strawberries. This year nada and I'm a bit upset, am I being Petty? Thinking of changing Travel Agents in the future am I overreacting?

 

This happened to us, but as it turned out, it was a screw up by the cruise line, not out TA.

[IDRATHERBCRUISN]

Why do you think you are entitled to a gift from your TA? Because you gave the TA your business? You give a doctor, a resturant, a gas station your business, should they give you a gift too? And what percentage do you think a Travel Agents commission is?

[Reader0108598]

Would I give a travel agent my booking for free???

Don't really care what a travel agents commission is as they don't care what I make at work.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Reader0108598