английский Левенских

Working in Retail Travel  Travel agencies in the UK are usually independently owned or part of a  chain of agencies owned by a single company often referred to as the  'multiple'. A typical day for travel agencies includes booking hotels,  car and airplane reservations, and also researching destinations for  clients. Most travel agencies make their money from commission which  consultants receive from companies eg tour operators, airlines,  hotels by booking hotels, flights or tour packages.  Different travel agencies that operate in the UK are: Lunn Poly  Going Places  Thomas Cook  These are multiple travel agencies; they all work very closely with a  tour operator which is either their parent company or is owned by the  same group. Going places is owned by Air tours and Lunn Poly is owned  by Thomson, a tour operator. In turn both Lunn Poly and Thomson are  owned by the TUI group.  Travel agent  They sell a range of leisure and business travel products and services  to outgoing, incoming and domestic tourists to meet their  requirements. There are about 7,000 travel agencies in the UK which  are members of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).  There are different types of travel agencies which include multiple,  independent, maniple, e-agent and holiday hypermarkets. Travel agents  are the link between the customers and the tour operators, and other  principals such as airlines and hotels. Customers go to travel  agencies in order to buy a holiday and other travel services.  Therefore travel agents advise customers, they suggest possible  holidays, they answer questions and make bookings for the customers.  It is the travel agents job to ensure that they are selling the right  holiday or travel service to the right customer.  Travel agents also offer coach, flight, rail or ferry bookings,  independent travel arrangements and specialist services for business  travellers eg travel, car hire and accommodation. Some travel  agencies may also provide their clients with ancillary products and  services such as travel insurance, foreign currency and travellers  cheques, arranging for passports and visas, booking airport parking  and advice on health requirements.  Multiple Retail Company: These are large retail organisations that own  in excess of 100 travel agencies and their travel shops network gives  them the opportunity to achieve a national level of distribution. They  are privately owned, typically by a group of directors or another  company, and are likely to be public limited companies.  Multiple travel agencies are national companies with branches  throughout the UK. Often they are part of a much larger, vertically  integrated organisation, that owns several other different  organisations and types of businesses eg the TUI Group owns Lunn  Poly. Multiple Retail companies normally have a head office where  central functions such as marketing, personnel, accounts, etc. will be  located and , because they have a national network of branches, they  will have a number of regional and area managers, each responsible for  a number of branches in their allocated region or area. Each branch  will also have its own manager and assistant/duty manager plus a  number of travel consultants. An example of their structure is shown  in the following diagram. They are usually located on the high street,  as they have the financial strength to afford the higher rent prices.  They mainly aim to provide leisure travel services to the mass market;  therefore, they mainly sell package travel products, eg package  holidays, cruises and cheap flights. However, they do offer other  products such as specialist holidays.  CHIEF EXECUTIVE  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]MANAGING DIRECTOR  [IMAGE]  RETAIL  DIRECTOR  ESTATES  PREMISES DIRECTOR  MARKETI-NG  DIRECTOR  HR  DIRECTOR  FINANCIAL  DIRECTOT  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  REGIONAL MANAGER 2  REGIONAL MANAGER 1  REGIONAL MANAGER 3  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  AREA MANAGER 1  AREA MANAGER 1  [IMAGE]  ASSISTANT BRANCH MANAGER  TRAVEL CONSULTA-NTS  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  Independent Retail Travel Agent: These are agencies of 1 to a maximum  of 6 travel shops. They are privately owned, typically set up by 1 or  2 individuals with practical experience of the industry, who have  entered into a limited partnership, or may be a family business. In  all cases they are usually managed by the owners, who are actively  involved with the business on a day to day basis, and are in direct  contact with their staff, with whom they work daily in the same  environment. They aim to provide travel services to the population of  specific locations and, therefore, focus on offering the range of  services which would appeal only to that particular catchments area.  They are more likely that the large multiples, to offer a wider range  of specialist travel services, eg special interest package holidays,  such as wildlife tours, walking holidays, etc. They place particular  emphasis on providing a personalized service and specialist advice to  their customers, most of whom they will know personally and who are  more than likely to be regular, repeat customers.  The offering of the independents tends, therefore, to be specialized  and tailored to the needs of a small market segment. This enables them  to compete more successfully with the large multiples, which tend to  concentrate on mass market travel services and methods.  Miniple Travel Agencies: These are agencies of more than 6 and up to  100 travel shops. They are privately owned, and may have started as a  family business that has grown and expanded to cover an area of region  of the country, eg Callers Pegasus.  They are usually medium-sized enterprises and the larger ones tend to  have a management structure similar to that of the multiples but on a  smaller scale, while the smaller ones of the maniples resemble the  independents in many ways. Their branches tend to all be located in a  particular part of the country, meeting a regional demand, eg  Woodcock Travel, with branches mainly in Yorkshire. They aim to  provide a range of travel services that are in demand primarily within  their specific area or region. This is likely to include leisure  travel services for the mass market as well as a range of specialist  travel products and services. Maniples do not benefit from economies  of scale to the same extent as the multiples, but they are able to  build close ties and relationships, with business and leisure  travelers in their area or region and to operate very successful  business. Their success, however, often makes them the target of  takeovers or mergers. They are often bought up by large multiples,  eg Callers Pegasus being bought by Thomson.  E-agent: are agencies that offer products and services to customers  thought the Internet using websites without meeting the customer  face-to-face. Similar to retail travel agents, they are popular and  are used by people all over the world from the comfort of their own  homes. The majority of the E- agent organizations are maniples and  they focus on selling flights, package holiday and travel insurance.  Eg Expedia.com.  Holiday Hypermarkets: are mostly multiple agencies, they offer a wide  range of package holidays but can also offer other travel services on  the Internet or in massive shops located around the UK. Hypermarkets  offer a tailor-made service in a relaxed atmosphere. They cater for  all holiday needs and there experienced staff can help with an  extensive range of holidays and short breaks from all of the major  holiday companies, as well as foreign exchange, car hire, airport  parking, airport hotels and insurance. For example 'Holiday  Cybermarket', the Cheshire Oaks shop has installed three computers  with Internet access, allowing holidaymakers to book car hire or  holiday insurance and browse any other holidays available on view  data. Alternatively, they can print out the details and book on an  adjacent video phone linked up to the company's call center in  Stourbridge or book with a consultant in the branch.  The Difference in Distribution  ==============================  MULTIPLE  MINIPLE  INDEPENDENT  E-AGENT  HOLIDAY HYPERMARKET  Nationally accessible  Regionally accessible  Locally accessible  Nationally accessible  Face to face  Face to face  Face to face  Face to face  Internet  Internet  Internet  Internet  Internet  Call centers  Telephone  Telephone  Telephone  Telephone  There are different types of travel agents but they all offer the same  products and services. However they all use different methods in order  to sell their products to the public.  Trade associations  The Advantage Travel Centres  Advantage Travel Centres is the largest and most progressive consortia  group in the travel industry. Advantage Travel Centres is the brand  name of the National Association of Independent Travel Agent (NAITA),  and has been going for over 25 years.  They have a turnover in excess of £2 billion a year that enables them  to negotiate better deals for their members, and results in great  deals for their customers.  The Global Travel Group Plc  The Global Travel Group Plc was formed in 1993 with the specific  purpose of uniting independent travel agents and providing them with  the capability to compete with the larger multiple groups.  The Global Travel Group Plc has a reputation for providing a low-cost  solution for people wishing to start their own business venture in the  travel marketplace. Their unique customer protection scheme has  enabled entrepreneurial individuals from a variety of different  backgrounds to set up their own successful travel business and avoid  high barriers to entry usually associated with the travel industry.  The Global Travel Group Plc head office is based in Chester with over  200 staff dedicated to ensuring the success of over 1000 independent  travel agents who are part of the Group.  The Global Travel Group Plc has recently launched state of art  bookable agent websites 'Global Travel Web' to its members. The future  is bright for the Global Travel Group Plc as it has developed its core  business by also recently launching its in-house Tour Operation  'Destination2' and its Accommodation Only arm 'Globalrooms' providing  members with all the tools to compete with Exclusive differentiated  products and services.  Following Discussions with the CAA, the Global Travel Group Plc has  announced the launch of the Group Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL)  allowing members of the Global Travel Group Plc to legally package  holidays using individual elements ie 'no frills', charter,  published and consolidated airfares with accommodation only and car  hire, and legally advertise these at a single inclusive price.  World Choice Trade Association  World Choice Trade Association is a nationwide consortium of  independent travel agents, also governed by a Code of Conduct.  World Choice Trade Association is the UK's largest network of  independent travel agents with over 700 outlets nationwide.  World choice offer unrivalled value and service, and because they are  independent they can search out the kind of deals that other travel  agents can only dream about.  They can help you with everything from your holiday choice to car  hire, airport parking and travel insurance.  Advantages of being a member of World Choice Trade Association:  * Strength in numbers  * Representation  * More Commission  * Assistance with marketing/promotion and training  * The members will benefit from a newly launched in house tour  operator system (DESTINATION 2) that can make all members able to  view Global rooms.  * They have been provided with the tools to compete with major  travel groups to sell products and services.  * They have launched the ATOL Air Travel Organisers License, which  will allow all members to legally package holidays by using  individual elements; also each member will feel protected.  * All members enjoy the travel industry technology and moving with  and market trends.  TC Logo  Thomas Cook (Multiple Retail Travel Company)  Thomas Cook offers a range of holiday deals, flights, hotels, cruises,  UK breaks, guides and other essentials which includes:  Currency  Car hire  Airport parking  Insurance  Airport hotels  Theatre tickets  Holiday extras  Thomas Cook has more than 3000 branches in over 100 countries where  there customers can shop. More than 14.000 people are employed by  Thomas Cook around the world. Every year Thomas Cook serves over 20  million customers, from leisure to business customers.  Thomas Cook is a vertically integrated as it has control over other  companies.  THOMAS COOK GROUP (UK)  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE][IMAGE] Teletext ThomasCook Thomas Cook Thomascook.com Thomas Cook Thomas Cook  Retail Direct Tour Operators Air  (700 branches) (4 call centers)  Thomas Cook is members of:  Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): they deal with complaints  if customers cannot come to an agreement. They offer an arbitration  service to make sure that there is a fair solution to the situation.  International Air Transport Association (IATA): they work with their  members to make their industry safer, more profitable and efficient.  They have a license with:  Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL): protected: protects you from  losing money or being stranded abroad should Thomas Cook go out of  business. It does this by carrying out financial checks on the firms  it licenses and requiring a guarantee, called a bond, to be lodged  with CAA.  Thomas Cook has a racking policy and has an agreement with TUI. Thomas  Cook promise to rack at least four brochures at a time. In return TUI  offer Thomas Cook a high percentage of commission when booking any  holiday from Thomson.  Trailfinders: The Travel Experts  (Miniple Retail Travel Company)  Trail Finders offers a range of:  Flights  Special offers  Hotels  Car hire  Insurance  There are a total of 26 shops in the UK and over 100 best highly  trained and experienced travel consultants  Trail finders are not vertically integrated.  Their aims and objectives are to:  Make a profit  To expand their business  Exceed customer expectations  Maintain their good reputation  Trail finders are members of:  Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): they deal with complaints  if customers cannot come to an agreement. They offer an arbitration  service to make sure that there is a fair solution to the situation.  International Air Transport Association (IATA): they work with their  members to make their industry safer, more profitable and efficient.  Trail finders have a license with:  Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL):protects a company from losing  their money or being stranded abroad if the company should go out of  business. It does this by carrying out financial checks on the firms  it licenses and requiring a guarantee, called a bond, to be lodged  with CAA.  Kap Travel  (Independent Retail Travel Company)  Kap Travel is located in West Ealing and they have been in business  for over 5 years.  They sell a range of services such as:  Flights  Car hire  Package holidays  Insurance  There aims and objectives are to:  Keep the loyal customers happy  To make a profit  To attract new customers  To maintain their good local reputation  Kap Travel is not vertically integrated it doesn't have control over  other companies that are at different levels in the chain of  distribution.  They sell holidays over the phone or face-to-face in the only branch  they have.  bargainholidays.com  (E- agent)  Bargainholidays.com was founded in 1997 and is Britain's  longest-established online holiday service. It's owned by OTC, Online  Travel Company, was founded in January 1998 and is one of the UK's  leading and most forward-thinking online travel organisations,  providing travel and travel-related services through the Internet for  the leisure and the corporate traveller in the UK. We are a fully  licensed travel agent and tour operator with Air Travel Organisers  Licensing (ATOL), International Air Transport Association (IATA) and  Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) certifications, as well as  12 years' experience in the travel trade.  Bargainholidays.com offers a range of products and services:  * Flights, hotels, car hire, Euro tunnel, ferries, and more.  * An extremely wide and varied selection of our own package  holidays, from city breaks in Europe to all-inclusive resorts in  the Caribbean - all at competitive rates.  * A range of late-availability bargains from the UK's top tour  operators.  * Very competitive rates on travel insurance.  * A discount of as much as 12% off the brochure prices of many of  the UK's leading tour operators.  Their aims and objectives are to:  Bargainholidays.com are fully committed to the highest standards of  customer care, and plan to continually introduce new technical  developments, as they become available, to further enhance their web  site and give more control, choice and savings to consumers. WAP  technology and digital TV are just a few of the advancements our  customers can soon look forward to.  All their holidays are sold online or by phone.  Bargainholidays.com is members of:  Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA): they deal with complaints  if customers cannot come to an agreement. They offer an arbitration  service to make sure that there is a fair solution to the situation.  International Air Transport Association (IATA): they work with their  members to make their industry safer, more profitable and efficient.  Bargainholidays.com has a license with:  Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL):protects a company from losing  their money or being stranded abroad if the company should go out of  business. It does this by carrying out financial checks on the firms  it licenses and requiring a guarantee, called a bond, to be lodged  with CAA.  They are not vertically integrated.  First Choice  (HolidayHypermarket)  They have over 300 stores nationwide for all holiday needs. Their  experienced staff can help with an extensive range of holidays and  short breaks from all of the major holiday companies, as well as  foreign exchange, car hire, airport parking, airport hotels and  insurance.  First Choice Holiday Hypermarkets offer a themed experience, making  customers feel like they are on holiday before they even get there!  They sell their products and services through the Internet, on the  phone or face to face.  Their aims and objectives are to:  Keep customers satisfied  To make a profit  To expand  To attract different types of customers  First Choice is members of:  Air Travel Organisers Licensing (ATOL):protects a company from losing  their money or being stranded abroad if the company should go out of  business. It does this by carrying out financial checks on the firms  it licenses and requiring a guarantee, called a bond, to be lodged  with CAA.  The vision from the Federation of Tour operators (FTO): is to ensure  the continued long term success of the air inclusive holiday by  influencing governments and opinion formers on the benefits to  consumers and other stakeholders of air inclusive holidays compared to  other forms of holiday arrangements  First choice is vertically integrated:  TOUR OPERATIONS  [IMAGE][IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  Agencies Call center brands Teletext/internet/ Airlines Cruises  Digital TV  PART 2  Reasons why travel retailers try to gain a competitive advantage  The travel and tourism industry is a very competitive industry.  Organisations continue to exist and show a profit by having a  competitive edge over their rivals and by winning customers from the  competition. For example holiday centers in the UK are competing with  villa complexes abroad, different airlines compete with each other and  travel agencies compete for holiday business. In such a competitive  environment, excellent customer service is vital for the survival and  development of the company.  Travel and tourism companies cannot compete on prices alone. What  usually distinguishes one company from another is the level of  customer service offered. In many occasions customers choose one  company rather than another because they provide better customer  service. Therefore many companies have improved the standards of  customer service they offer by:  · Training consultants  · By making sure all staff are experts and have good product knowledge  · Making sure a rapport is built with customer to gain customer  loyalty  · Professional and tidy appearance both in store and staff  · Wider range of services offered.  Companies improve the standards of their service because it is  important that those customer requirements are implemented. The better  the service offered by the company the more the company will benefit  because customers will feel more confident to use the facilities and  services of that company.  The methods used include:  * Promotions.  Travel agencies will promote by giving out leaflets, advertising on  the internet, television and radio  * Discounts.  They are offered in order to secure customers.  * Essential.  For example car hire, foreign exchange, insurance and airport parking.  This is an advantage as customers will feel that they are being  treated as individuals and they can be fully catered for.  * Staff training.  Regular staff training is vital, as staff need to be up to date with  product knowledge in order to answer any questions customers may ask.  * Incentives.  Commission is offered to staff in order to motivate them to sell the  companies' products and services. This is an advantage as staff will  feel more confident and will be motivated.  At the moment Thomas Cook have a campaign called "Price Match". This  campaign has been set up in order to compete against other retailers.  Therefore Thomas Cook are giving discounts on holidays and offering  free insurance to customers who book with them. This campaign gives  Thomas Cook an edge over their competitors.  The impacts that trade associations are having on the travel retailers  The growth of the Internet has increased the collection of information  about travel and tourism products and services. There is an estimation  of 30 to 100 million worldwide users, this makes the internet an  important part of the travel and tourism industry. Anybody can access  information on travel destinations, transport, accommodation and  attractions on the internet; they can also make bookings direct with  travel and tourism companies using secure credit card facilities.  Customers can also get up to date information on a wide range of  services such as flight schedules, train timetables, compare costs of  similar products and find information about holiday destinations.  Since the internet has given customers the ability to plan and book  their own travel there has been a decrease in business in travel  agents. Questions being raised today, will there be a travel agent in  the future? Will the web result in the end of the travel agent? The  questions are raised because of the internet, commission caps,  commission cuts and the changing world of travel.  Advantages of the internet:  * Gives travel agents the opportunity to have their own sites and  greatly expands their contact.  * The internet is an information and transaction source.  * The internet can be used by anyone, therefore reaching a much  larger audience.  Disadvantages of the internet:  * Direct sales channels reduce distribution costs by having the  consumer do the booking, therefore eliminating travel agency  commission and computer reservation fees.  * The internet produces too much information therefore customers  will be put off.  * Customers sometimes question the privacy and security of the  internet, therefore will not purchase.  Travel agents offer a valuable service that is valued by the majority  of clients. Travel agents are an important part of the travel and  tourism industry; therefore they will continue to save clients, time  and money far into the future.  PART 3  Working practices used by travel agents  (Front office operations)  Sales process  The prime objective of travel agencies is to sell holidays and other  travel products, in order to do this the selling skills provided in a  travel agent by the staff are very critical. Selling involves skills  such as communication between the buyer and the seller which should be  used to persuade and encourage the customer to purchase the product  you are offering. Selling also involves matching and meeting customers  needs, therefore the better the match, the more the relationship  between the agent and the customer will last in order to build  customer loyalty.  There are other aims to the selling process including:  * Repeat business  * Increasing customer satisfaction levels  * Increasing profitability  * Securing competitive advantage  * Targeting specific sectors of the market  * Raising awareness of a new product or services.  STAGE 1  [IMAGE][IMAGE]Raising customer awareness.  SATGE 4  Presenting the product.  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  STAGE 2  Establishing rapport with the customer.  STAGE 5  Closing the sale. [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  [IMAGE]  SATGE 6  After sale service.  STAGE 3  [IMAGE]Investigating customer needs.[IMAGE][IMAGE]  The key stages of the sales process in travel agencies.  The booking process:  The following stages only occur when a customer books a package  holiday through a travel agent:  Customer books a package holiday  (Immediately)  [IMAGE][IMAGE]  Customer signs a booking form  (Immediately)  [IMAGE]  Customer pays deposit  (Immediately)  [IMAGE]  Tour operator issues confirmation invoice  [IMAGE]  Customer pays remaining balance  (Approximately 10-12 weeks before departure)  [IMAGE]  Tickets are issued and collected  [IMAGE]  Customer travels  If booking within 12 weeks then the full amount should be paid at the  time of booking.  If holiday is booked within 2 weeks of departure, sometimes tickets  will be collected at the airport.  Booking form  Is a legal contract between the customer and the tour operator. The  customer is agreeing to certain terms and conditions. It's the travel  agents responsibility to ask the customer to sign the booking form.  The terms and conditions can be found at the back of the brochure.  Payment timetable  Customers are required to pay a deposit when they book a holiday.  However all customers pay a different amount of deposit depending on  when the holiday is booked.  55 - 29 days 50% or deposit if greater  28 - 22 days 70% or deposit if greater  21 - 15 days 80% or deposit if greater  14 - 4 days 90% or deposit if greater  3 days or less 100% or deposit if greater  Brochure handling  The brochure is the travel agents prime sales tool.  Brochures aim to:  * Accurately present products and services to the reader.  * Supply product information to travel agents.  * Convey an image of the company.  * Offer a means of booking a holiday.  * Explain booking and contractual conditions.  * Present the information within the bounds of current UK and  European legislation.  Brochures should be designed in such a way that they have the best  chance of converting enquiries into sales.  Displays  Window displays and free standing displays in a travel agency play an  important role as they promote holidays and travel products.  Displays should be changed on a regular basis to keep customers up to  date with new products and special offers. They should also look  professional and tidy.  Commission rates/ incentives  Travel agents earn commission from the principals whose products they  sell. The commission payment is usually expressed as a percentage and  varies according to the product being sold and the commission policy  of the principals.  Average commission rates are as follows:  Package holidays 10%  Airline tickets 7.5%-9%  Ferry bookings 9%  Travellers' cheques 1%  Travel insurance 35%-40%  Coach holidays 10%  Rail tickets 7%  Cruises 9%  Some principals offer incentive commission, where the amount paid  increases as the sale volume rises.  (Back office operations)  The operations that are dealt with in the back office of travel agents  include customer letters of complaints.  Many different types of customers are dealt with in the travel and  tourism industry; therefore the complaints that are faced can vary.  Customers can complain by writing a letter, which is very common.  Letters should be dealt with by looking at the problem, solving it and  replying to the customer and hopefully they are satisfied and will  remain a customer. Customers may also complain through spoken word  which is the most common form of complaints. Spoken word complaints  provide information on problems, which can be solved to ensure they  don't happen again. Phone calls are also very common generally used  for minor complaints. However if the complaints are handled  optimistically and appropriately it can be an advantage to the company  as it gives them a second chance to change things and put them right  to satisfy the customer. Complaints may include:  * Bad products or service: The service offered is very important  because the quality of service may doubt the quality of the  product.  * Waiting: Customers hate waiting. So the more they wait, the more  they are likely to complain.  * Being patronized: the tone of voice used by a member of staff is  very important as the customer may take it in the wrong way,  which, may lead into an unnecessary argument.  Examples of situations, which may lead customers to complain:  * The time of a flight has been changed at the last minute.  * The telephone line is constantly engaged and therefore not being  able to get through.  * Hotel rooms not being prepared up to standards.  * Being served cold meals at the hotel.  Handling complaints  How to deal with a complaint step by step:  1. Listen to the customer.  2. Thank the customer for telling you about the problem.  3. Apologise for the inconvenience.  4. Tell the customer that the problem will be dealt with immediately.  5. Sympathise with the customer and put yourself in their situation.  6. Don't justify what led up to the complaint.  7. Always ask questions to be clear.  8. Find a solution.  9. Make sure the customer agrees with the solution.  10. Make sure that what you have agreed on with the customer has been  done.  11. In the future, try to foresee complaints before they happen.  Other operations also include administrations which are:  * Accurate  * Accessible  * Up to date  * Reliable  * Easy to use  The administration system covers:  * Bookings for customers  * Record keeping  * Stock control  * Handling cash payments  Invoices are also dealt with; therefore a daily receipt summary will  help keep track of cash takings.  Payments accepted will go through the following stages:  1. Payment received  2. Receipt issued to customer  3. Entry made on daily cash summary sheet  4. Receipts and summary sheet reconciled  5. Bank paying-in slips completed  6. Monies paid into bank account  7. Paying-in slips stamped by bank  Staff disciplinary also takes place in the back office where the  manager will talk to each individual and give them a one to one on  their service. This will include improvements in order to motivate  staff. If staff are motivated they will be encouraged and more  confident in themselves to sell and offer good service for the  company.  Filing system  In a travel agency in order to find enquiries quickly for clients,  tour operators or another principal a filing system is vital. Some  agencies use a manual filing system and others use a computerized  filing system based on database software. Filing systems can be  arranged alphabetically, numerically or in date order. For example  information on countries, office copies of brochures, timetables are  filed alphabetically. Numerical filing is used by some agencies for  client's bookings by giving them each a reference number.  The most common filing system is date order based on the date of  departure. However there is a disadvantage with this system because on  peak travel months of July and August generate a great deal of  paperwork, making it necessary to devote extra space for these months.  Some travel agencies use a filing system according to the status of  the booking with separate sections for:  1. Initial enquiries (written record of a client's first contract)  2. Options (details of a clients who has taken out an option on a  booking)  3. Confirmation (clients who have paid a deposit)  4. Final payments (booking on which the balance has been paid)  5. Awaiting tickets (clients who are awaiting their tickets and  vouchers)  6. Refunds due (any clients who are due a refund on their payments)  Client's files are normally kept for up to two years. Files that are  no longer current are referred to as 'dead files' or 'closed files'  and are stored in an archive in case they are needed for any claims  that may be made.  Travel retailers hold a membership with trade associations such as  ABTA.  [IMAGE]  The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) is the UK's Premier  Trade Association for Tour Operators and Travel Agents. ABTA's 1052*  tour operator and 6310* travel agency offices are responsible for the  sale of some 85% of UK-sold holidays.  ABTA deals with around 60,000 enquiries per year on all travel-related  subjects, from Foreign Office advice to requests for information about  destinations and holidays.  COMPLAINING  ABTA provides assistance to you if you have a complaint against  companies that carry their logo. The quality of the holidays and  services provided by ABTA companies is crucial to the reputation of  the industry - ABTA tour operators and travel agents are responsible  for the sale of the vast majority of package holidays.  When you send a complaint to ABTA:  * They need to see all the documentation. This includes confirmation  invoice, relevant parts of the brochure containing descriptions of  the holiday, and copies of all relevant correspondence  * They will immediately make a record of your complaint  * They aim to reply to you within 7 working days and will give you  an exclusive ABTA reference number  * They look for evidence of any breaches of their Code of Conduct  and take appropriate action.  * They will deal directly and informally with you and the company  * They may be able to help you settle your dispute by bringing you  and the company together. If this doesn't work, they can offer the  Independent Arbitration Scheme. This is a low-cost alternative to  court action.  INDEPENDENT ARBITRATION  Key facts about the Independent Arbitration Scheme:  * The complaint must be about an ABTA regulated company  * Your arbitration application form must be sent to the Chartered  Institute of Arbitrators within 9 months of the date your problem  arose, or of the date of your return from holiday, whichever is  the later.  * Applications can be made by post, online, or a combination. Before  applying you must have your own exclusive ABTA reference number.  * Professional arbitrators who are members of the Chartered  Institute of Arbitrators handle claims. Like the courts system,  the Scheme is entirely independent of ABTA.  * Your claim will be dealt with on the basis of the documents  (including any video evidence) so there's no need to attend a  hearing or present any evidence in person. This means that some  matters are not suited to this format. For example, serious  illness or injury claims need expert medical evidence.  * In making a decision the arbitrator will look at what the law says  as well as ABTA's Code of Conduct.  * The objective of the arbitrator is to arrive at a conclusion that  is fair and reasonable in the circumstances, looking at all the  evidence presented by both parties.  * The award is issued in writing and gives a summary of the facts,  the conclusions and reasons for reaching them. The arbitrator's  decision is legally binding on you and the company, and is  enforceable directly through the courts.  CODE OF CONDUCT  A Guide for Consumers  As a regulatory body, ABTA maintains a strict Code of Conduct. ABTA  companies agree to be bound by the Code, which governs the  relationship between you and a company, and also the company's  relationship with them.  The Code aims to ensure that you receive the best possible service  from your ABTA Travel Agent and Tour Operator from before you book  your travel arrangements, through the booking process and the  after-sales service and information you get, to the way they handle  any complaint you may have.  Benefits of being a member of ABTA  Benefits to Members (Travel Agents):  * Financial Protection: customers will be reassured and are  therefore more likely to book with an ABTA member.  * Representation: ABTA will fight for the rights and interests of  Travel Agents in the UK and EU parliaments.  * Arbitration: low cost independent arbitration, corporate  insurance, reduced credit/debit card charges etc.  * Information: ABTA magazine, regional meetings.  * Annual Conference: open to all members.  * Training: ABTA offers training and certificates at various levels,  in partnership with the TTC.  Benefits to customers:  * Financial Protection: if the travel agency goes out of business,  ABTA will step in and pay any outstanding bills to make sure the  customer gets their holiday or their money back. If they are  abroad, then ABTA will make sure they get home.  * Regulate Industry: ABTA has codes of conduct for its members who  should mean that they offer good service and conduct their  business fairly and professionally.  * Training: customers should be dealing with knowledgeable and  professional staff.  * Arbitration: in the event of a complaint about a Travel Agent or a  Tour Operator, which cannot be resolved, ABTA will offer a low  cost independent arbitration service in order to settle the  dispute.  Regulations and Legislations  As competition in the outbound travel industry has intensified, tour  operators have sought alliances and merges with other travel and  tourism businesses as a way of maintaining or increasing their market  share and maximizing profitability.  Travel and tourism organisations communicate in various ways with  their customers which are controlled under a number of legal and  regulatory provisions which include:  * The Trades Description Act 1968  This Act protects customers against false descriptions made knowingly  or recklessly by those who are selling or providing services,  including holiday companies' products and services. For example a  description of a hotel or resort must be truthful at the time it was  written.  * Package Travel Regulations 19992  Came into operation on 23 December 1992. Its main aim is to give  people buying package holidays more protection and access to  compensation when things go wrong. The Regulations place a number of  duties on the organisers of packages, ie:  - Providing information to customers on who is responsible for the  package they have booked. That person or organisation is then liable  in the event of failure to deliver any elements of the package.  - Providing clear contract terms.  - Giving emergency telephone numbers.  - Providing proof of the organiser's security against insolvency and  information on any available insurance policies.  - Giving immediate notification with explanation of any increase in  prices permitted within terms of the contract.  - Providing variety of compensation options if agreed services are not  supplied.  - Producing accurate promotional material including brochures.  * Consumer Protection Act 1987  The Consumer Protection Act makes it a criminal offence for an  organisation or individual to give misleading price information about  goods, services, accommodation or facilities they are offering.  A misleading price is a price which: - Is greater that the price given  in the promotional  material.  - Is described as being generally available, but in  reality is only available in certain circumstances.  - Does not fully state what facilities are included in  the price and the fact than surcharges will be  payable after booking.  The Act has special significance for travel and tourism operators who  must ensure the accuracy of any price information in their brochures  and other publicity material.  * Data Protection Act 1984 and 1998  This government legislation was introduced in 1984 to safeguard the  public from problems relating to the inaccuracy of any information  held about them on computer records. Under the terms of the Act, all  organizations that hold data about individuals on automated systems  must register with the Data Protection Principles, which are a set of  good practice guidelines. Travel and tourism organisations that hold  client details on computer databases are likely to fall within the  scope of the Act and must abide by the Data Protection Principles. One  of the Principles states that the information held on the computer  must not be disclosed to third parties. This means that a travel agent  who holds information on clients on a computer cannot sell the data to  another company without being in contravention of the Act.  New data protection legislation came into force on 1 March 2000 with  the implementation of the Data Protection Act 1998, which updates and  reinforces the Data Protection Principles included in 1998 Act.  * The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)  The ASA was set up in 1962 to make sure that non-broadcast  advertisements appearing in the UK are legal, decent, honest and  truthful. The Authority protects the public by ensuring that the rules  in the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion are followed  by everyone who prepares and publishes advertisements. These are the  rules that the industry has written and agreed to follow. The ASA is  there to protect the consumer by helping advertisers, agencies and the  media to produce advertisements which will not mislead or offend  consumers.  The Codes are that advertisements should be:  - Legal, decent, honest and truthful.  - Prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society.  - In line with principles of fair competition generally accepted in  business.  All advertisements and promotions in non-broadcast media are covered  by the Codes and are therefore regulated by the ASA. These include:  - Press-national, regional, magazines and free newspapers.  - Outdoor - posters, transport, aerial announcements.  - Direct marketing- direct mail, leaflets, brochures, catalogues,  circulars, inserts and facsimiles; as well as the content of such  material, the use of mailing lists for targeting consumers is also  covered by the ASA.  - Screen- cinema commercials and advertisements in electronic media  such as computer games, video, view data services, CD- ROM and the  internet.  - Sales promotions- on-pack promotions, front-page promotions, reader  offers, competitions and prize draws.  The ASA will investigate complaints and carry out research for  advertisements and promotions in all the media listed above.  The ASA aims to promote the highest standards in advertising. It does  this by a programme of industry information and training through some  70 presentations and seminars each year. It actively promotes its work  and role through a coordinated media relations strategy to the  advertising industry and consumers