Agents resent ‘technophobe’ label
Angry at being branded technophobes, agents say the reason they don’t adopt the latest technology is down to cost and bad experiences with technology suppliers.
Sue Foster, director of Travel Anywhere Limited says the cost of technology prevents her agency from adopting the latest technology.
“I have not attended the ABTA Convention for one good reason; I think the reason for agents shunning technology is the same one, and that is nothing to do with any phobia. It is all down to expense. Technology is an expensive item, agents do not make bucketloads of profit”, she said, commenting on TravelMole’s coverage of the technology debate at the ABTA Convention.
Ms Foster says agents can’t afford the IT employee needed to oversee the implementation of new technology.
But it isn’t all about cost, says Thomas Cook technology specialist Ian Buttery. “Sue’s comments exactly highlight the issue we have. Technology needn’t be expensive and shouldn’t be dictated by the vendors but us, the customers.
“Technophobia is as much about not identifying which path to take and understanding the costs you can save, as it is about assuming you have to invest massive capital to enhance your systems.”
Hoseasons chief executive Richard Carrick was moderating the debate at ABTA and agrees that technology isn’t as expensive as it used to be. “Technology does not have to be expensive – it depends on the route you take. You can get technology into your business cheaper than ever before because it is no longer the case that a few large suppliers are offering limited and expensive systems.
“Technology has never been more crucial and more readily available.”
Chris Quance, a partner of Villair Travel says it is not just down to cost. Although he says his company embraces technology, many of his agency colleagues have had bad experiences with implementing new technology.
“In the past agents have been sold expensive systems that failed to deliver with contracts that meant they still had to pay for use/support whether they continued to use a system or not, they are bound to be reluctant to make the same mistakes again”, he said.
But this is no excuse – agents that don’t embrace technology will pay the price says Timothy O’Neil-Dunne, a principal consultant at T2 Impact Ltd. “Sadly this story is indicative of the agent community not understanding or appreciating the dire predicament they are in. If UK travel agents don’t compete in technology then they should seriously consider their reasons for operating”, he commented on TravelMole.
He added: “The competition is not your fellow travel agent but the suppliers and the online based businesses. Technology is no longer a luxury. It is the price of being in the game. If you think cannot afford it, then also it is a reason for exiting the market. You cannot rely on the GDS or the product suppliers to provide you with the solutions.”
Report by Ginny McGrath
Ginny McGrath
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