Business Travel Resources: The Consumer Confusion Complication

Self-Booker Frustrations

Business travelers are professional self-bookers; they have been on every travel website known to man, finding and booking the best deals for each of their business trips. After a while, they are tricked into believing that online booking makes travel easier, when the truth is actually the complete opposite. Despite the number of travel sites available to compare prices, read reviews and book trips, it can be difficult to keep up with all that information. InteleTravel, a host agency that allows people to become independent travel agents, refers to this as “consumer confusion” where people are overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices and do not realize that there is not nearly as much competition among the companies as it may seem.

Even if a traveler manages to decide which website he or she will book from, the price could be completely different in a day or two; someone could look to book a trip online, find what he or she considers a great deal, only to see that the price is not the same the very next day when the trip is ready to be booked. The travel industry is constantly in flux. Independent travel agents with InteleTravel give seasoned business travelers strategic advantages that surfing the web cannot.

Additionally, simply going on a travel site and reading about different locations, hotels and airlines will not necessarily answer people’s questions, even seasoned business travelers. There is an abundant amount of data that can be tough to take it all in.

All business travelers have the same goals. First and foremost, they want to have a successful trip. However, it is safe to say that saving themselves, or their company, money on travel and having access to VIP privileges and amenities, such as exclusive hotel rates, early check-in/check-out, free Wi-Fi and in-room welcome gifts, are high on their priority list as well. If someone is going to be on the road most of the time, finding the most desirable ways to travel and places to stay is the key to having a successful business trip. And with all the work that has to get done while away, who wants to spend even more time stressing out about hotel and airline prices? Cutting expenses while still traveling in style is a definite must for frequent business travelers.

The Biggest Travel Site Secret

Consumers may not be aware that the majority of top travel sites are actually owned by the same one or two companies. Even though it may seem like someone is getting an incredible deal on a trip, the false appearance of competition creates the perception of savings. So, someone can spend hours searching for what he or she thinks is a bargain meanwhile that person could have been choosing between two travel sites owned by the same company. In the end, he or she may have booked a trip, but wasted a lot of time and energy into a task that could have been easier, while probably spending more money. InteleTravel eliminates this obstacle by giving agents the opportunity to still book travel on their own, but with the best deals at their fingertips.

No guessing. No confusion. No problem.

And since many people are unaware of how travel sites are structured, being able to clearly understand all the information and prices provided is a difficult task, even for business travelers. This is especially true after hearing that the prices are not accurate. Stephanie Goldberg Glazer, an InteleTravel agent, mentions the internet is her biggest competitor.

“Often times, clients will call and say they found a lower price. 99% of the time, they have not found a lower price, they have simply found a price that includes much less than what I have quoted them.” However, after 8 years of being an agent, she explains that the key to overcoming the internet issue is to properly explain to clients how pricing works and why a certain travel site may appear to have a superior offer. “I then need to break everything down and explain how I am actually saving them money.” She adds, “It is helpful for my clients to break things down by value to them.”

Every Road Warrior’s Solution

Being an InteleTravel agent allows people to really know what they are paying for, how they are going to save money and what offers will best meet their needs. Ferrara states, “Working with the right travel company, like InteleTravel, who has negotiated contracts with all the major brands and decades of relationships and experience, is the only way to get the best value - the best combination of price and amenities and VIP benefits.”

InteleTravel’s partners include British Airways, Travel Impressions, Delta, American Airlines as well as Hilton, Marriott, Fairmont and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts. Any sound familiar?

And since there are not any quotas or education requirements, business travelers can simply book travel for themselves in order to ensure a comfortable and hassle-free travel experience time and time again, making the road feel even more like home.

Furthermore, everyone knows that business travelers are paid to, well, travel. Becoming and independent travel agent with InteleTravel has a similar concept: if an agent travels, he or she is paid. Road warriors are now able to profit even more from their profession because they are earning extra income by just continuing to work in their profession. The only change taking place is how they book their trips.

To Sum it All Up

Although there are other resources available, becoming a travel agent is the most productive and cost-effective way to plan a business trip.

Agents are able to experience a painless, even enjoyable, travel planning experience, which also guarantees an awesome trip. With so many different travel sites to look at – even though they are all owned by one or two companies – the travel planning process can be grueling, especially since road warriors’ lives are already hectic with everything else they have to do on a daily basis.

By using all the tools provided by InteleTravel, business travelers can quickly determine what airlines, hotels as well as car rental companies are going to best suit their needs on each business trip. From the moment their planning process begins to the moment their trip ends, road warriors will be grateful for the services InteleTravel provides.

Book your business trips for less. Earn a commission.

Fall in love with travel all over again.