Agent Diary: Why I’m not fazed by rival agents offering to ‘beat any price’

Agents should be standing together, not trying to run each other into the ground says Arundel Travel’s Helen Parry

How am I feeling about peaks? Excited, a little apprehensive and already a bit frazzled. As I write this, it’s only January 3 and all my pre-peaks prep has gone out of the window!

Our quietest week of the year is generally between Christmas and New Year, so I used this period to plan for the coming months. I had intended to be a media guru and design January e-shots, create a social media schedule and revisit any outstanding enquiries we had from December with a January sale message. Then our doors opened and that plan was scuppered!

Expectations are always high across the industry ahead of peaks, especially this year, and I find myself feeling pressured

Not for one second am I complaining, however. The volume of bookings we’ve done so far has been amazing and, to be honest, such a relief. Expectations are always high across the industry ahead of peaks, especially this year, and I find myself feeling pressured, so it’s satisfying when the expectation is met by demand.

Back to basics

After my Plan A for peaks fell apart, my new plan is to take it back to the basics by focusing on the principles we’ve had since opening the shop:

This week alone we’ve been undercut by other agents and have had localised, sponsored Facebook posts with agents promising to ‘beat any price’

However, my little bubble can often be burst. This week alone we’ve been undercut by other agents and have had localised, sponsored Facebook posts with agents promising to ‘beat any price’. This is when peaks makes me feel sad, rather than excited.

Standards to uphold

These practices make the travel industry seem so desperate. My lovely team get frustrated, as do I, but I have to keep in mind that we have standards to uphold; that there is enough business for everyone; and that we gain loyalty from our customers through service and offering great prices year-round, not by throwing money at new bookings and leaving our loyal customers wishing they had waited to book or had shopped around.

I am so glad there are other agents on the high street – it fills communities with confidence that the travel industry is strong

I certainly am not out to pinch other agents’ customers. I am so glad there are other agents on the high street – it fills communities with confidence that the travel industry is strong. We agents should be standing together, not trying to run each other into the ground.

For peaks and beyond, I have issued one target to each member of our team: to walk out each evening with a spring in their step and a smile on their face knowing that they have done the best they could that day. If they achieve that, I know the rest will look after itself.

Decorations are baubles of joy

Packing away the Christmas decorations is a tough job, but I love that it reminds me of the wonderful trips we’ve taken over the years. That’s because I have an addiction for Christmas tree decorations  – every time we go away, I go in search of one to bring home!

Reminiscing about our trips and the wonderful countries we’ve been lucky enough to visit is a great way to start the year. It’s perfect timing too, as it brings these amazing destinations to the forefront of our minds as we head into peaks, meaning we can recommend them to customers over leftover prosecco and chocolates.