WHY THERE'S GLEE IN THE FEE
Ever wondered why travel companies charge a fee for bookings...and what you get in return? You might think a web booking is the best way to avoid these fees, but think again. Hidden costs and no service can leave you out of pocket by more than you realise.
The reality check on web bookings
Let's face it...many of us have tried making web bookings believing it would be faster and cheaper.
Yet the fact is, many web bookings do incur fees. And you often discover that the cheapest web fares/rates have the highest fees - which only appear at the end of the booking!
The best fares can in fact come from a travel management company (TMC) with strong supplier connections and leading technology.
Why TMCs can save you - even with booking fees
Entertainment travel specialist Stage and Screen offers you far greater service and cost-saving benefits than any web booking. And this is why booking fees are charged. When you assess the full value of the benefits outlined below, you'll realise that the best overall savings come from a trusted TMC.
Here's how TMCs give you the upper hand in your travel management:
1. Best fare/rate of the day (BFOD)
How do you really know a web booking is offering the cheapest rate? The reality is - you don't. That's because you can't access every rate and fare available in the market, including Stage and Screen's specially negotiated entertainment rates. Only TMCs have the technology to source the best rates and fares to suit you, by accessing a wide inventory of product in real time.
2. Further discounts
As we are a niche entertainment and sports travel specialist, Stage and Screen has the relationships to secure even bigger discounts on your travel. We can negotiate special rates for your industry up to 30% lower than standard rates and - in some cases - even lower than BFOD. And if you make all your bookings through us, your volume of spend may help us negotiate higher corporate discounts for your business.
3. Convenience
Don't waste your time and energy searching for special rates. We know your industry, appreciate your needs and can do it all for you. Our job is to make your bookings and manage your travel so you can get on with what you do best. It can take us only minutes to organise something that can take you hours. Put your travel in our hands, save time and improve your productivity while hitting the mark with the best travel rates!
4. Support when you need it
We all know that Murphy's Law is alive and well...if something can go wrong, it will. Events are cancelled, venues change, and increasingly it seems, volcanoes erupt! In situations like these, duty of care to your travellers simply can't take a back seat. You need peace of mind and support for them and for your organisation.
Web bookings can be unforgiving with no refunds, no assistance, and no apologies. Stage and Screen, however, is there for you 24/7 with local support. No call centre and no time wasting. Whether you're stranded in another country or need a last-minute booking, you can count on us to get things sorted.
5. Travel policy compliance
When you book your travel through us, you're staying true to your travel policy every time. And your policy is the ticket to ongoing savings. Your bookings are made with preferred suppliers and within the parameters of your organisation, which reduces cost leakage. Web bookings, on the other hand, can take you off policy and off the radar from your total travel savings plan.
6. Tabs on your travel spend
The technology used by Stage and Screen not only gives you access to BFOD, but allows you to regularly run reports on your travel activity and spend. You can keep an accurate check on your expenses per trip and as a whole. With reporting, you can compare your costs from one month or year to the next, and put a red flag beside the areas you need to tighten up. This can obviously help you be savvy in your cost control and produce bigger savings in your travel. Stage and Screen gives you this great advantage at no additional charge.
7. Consultancy and advice
Above all, Stage and Screen is a complete travel advisory service. We're not just about great entertainment rates, bookings and emergency assistance. We're your 'coach' on all things travel.
We'll give you advice on everything from routes and schedules, to hotel and transfer options. We'll help you organise your visas, foreign exchange and insurance. We'll also mentor and train you in areas like using an online booking tool and knowing the best options for frequent flyer redemptions. By working with us, you've got all aspects of your travel under control.
The final word
When you consider the benefits of hard dollar savings, service and support, you can see that by booking with a TMC, you're ahead. Don't be fooled...the web may seem all too easy to make your next booking. But it will never give you the overall value, confidence or service of an entertainment travel specialist.
There's glee in the booking fee and all the solutions a travel company offers you.
