I had my first experience this week interacting with CARMAX (http://www.carmax.com/). This business was started in 1996 and deals in used cars and mechanical service. I sold a car to them. The process was structured, easy and they provided a very fair offer. I am impressed. This seems like car selling & buying as how it should be; value, courteous, clean/convenient store & efficient.
I dealt with a sales consultant in San Diego named Craig Church. If you plan on buying used car at any CARMAX, I would recommend calling him. He explained to me that all the stores work as one unit. His mobile is 858.967.4357
Pothos: Travel news, travel industry updates, corporate and business travel
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hotel observations, NBTA & airline news
These last two weeks have been very busy with travel & events.
I will try to summarize a few "musings";
1. The Holiday Inn that shares a building with FEMA in DC is interesting. After the rent a cop, armed security frisk you, check under your car, under your engine hood & trunk, you get the privilege of paying $30 to park! The breakfast buffet is super expensive and gives you little more than what a Residence Inn provides for free. However, they have a very nice BBQ lunch in a center outdoor courtyard on Thursday's. It seemed as popular with local workers as with hotel guests.
2. The Four Points on K Street in DC does seem much from the outside but it has very good staff, especially Doria the convention services manager, Norma in sales and Mark in banquets.
3. The National Business Travel Association annual conference in San Diego was again the epitome of excellent planning but the San Diego convention center served cold lunches. That was disappointing to say the least. This conference does not offer breakfast's so, in essence, there was no hot food. The conference was very sparsely attended by buyers but the speakers were exciting; Jay Leno & President Bill Clinton.
4. The airlines are again raising their checked baggage fees, AGAIN. Enough with the nickel & diming please? The overheads will be bursting at the seems as people know if they bring onboard a huge bag, they can gate check it at no charge.
I will try to summarize a few "musings";
1. The Holiday Inn that shares a building with FEMA in DC is interesting. After the rent a cop, armed security frisk you, check under your car, under your engine hood & trunk, you get the privilege of paying $30 to park! The breakfast buffet is super expensive and gives you little more than what a Residence Inn provides for free. However, they have a very nice BBQ lunch in a center outdoor courtyard on Thursday's. It seemed as popular with local workers as with hotel guests.
2. The Four Points on K Street in DC does seem much from the outside but it has very good staff, especially Doria the convention services manager, Norma in sales and Mark in banquets.
3. The National Business Travel Association annual conference in San Diego was again the epitome of excellent planning but the San Diego convention center served cold lunches. That was disappointing to say the least. This conference does not offer breakfast's so, in essence, there was no hot food. The conference was very sparsely attended by buyers but the speakers were exciting; Jay Leno & President Bill Clinton.
4. The airlines are again raising their checked baggage fees, AGAIN. Enough with the nickel & diming please? The overheads will be bursting at the seems as people know if they bring onboard a huge bag, they can gate check it at no charge.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Travelers Stranded at Stansted After Ryanair Gaffe
News story posted Aug 3rd on Travel Agent Central.
I think it speaks volumns for the airline not wanting to provide customer service and just pushing everyone to not have nay contact (i.e. check in online, etc). Lesson learned; You get what you pay for, but also the second lesson here is as customers, we should demand service. Not just accept no service of lack of it. If a business makes decisions you dont agree with, stop doing business with that company!
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Hundreds of travelers missed their flights from Stansted yesterday after Ryanair failed to open enough check-in desks.
The low-cost carrier is being blamed for only opening 11 check-in desks for 255 fights on what is one of the busiest weekends on the holiday calendar.
About 500 passengers had to find alternative flights or cancel their vacations altogether, and some, including those with young children, were sleeping in the terminal. Police officers at the terminal were called upon to ease the mounting tension and help out with coordinating the queues.
The chaos has called into question the airline’s policy of encouraging passengers to check in online, and saying it plans to scrap check-in altogether from October.
Ryanair subcontracts its check-in desks to Swissport, but neither was available for comment last night.
I think it speaks volumns for the airline not wanting to provide customer service and just pushing everyone to not have nay contact (i.e. check in online, etc). Lesson learned; You get what you pay for, but also the second lesson here is as customers, we should demand service. Not just accept no service of lack of it. If a business makes decisions you dont agree with, stop doing business with that company!
____________________________________________
Hundreds of travelers missed their flights from Stansted yesterday after Ryanair failed to open enough check-in desks.
The low-cost carrier is being blamed for only opening 11 check-in desks for 255 fights on what is one of the busiest weekends on the holiday calendar.
About 500 passengers had to find alternative flights or cancel their vacations altogether, and some, including those with young children, were sleeping in the terminal. Police officers at the terminal were called upon to ease the mounting tension and help out with coordinating the queues.
The chaos has called into question the airline’s policy of encouraging passengers to check in online, and saying it plans to scrap check-in altogether from October.
Ryanair subcontracts its check-in desks to Swissport, but neither was available for comment last night.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Forrester Study Finds More Frustration with Travel Websites
As you read this article, please remember; POTHOS is a great travel agency that is available for corporate or liesure clients.
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Forrester Research issued a new study, “Using Digital Channels to Calm the Angry Traveler,” by Henry Harteveldt, that reports there are 15 percent fewer travelers who enjoy using the web in 2009 than there were in 2007. Just one in three online travelers in the U.S. feels that travel websites do a good job presenting travel choices, down from 39 percent in 2008. A slightly greater percentage of travelers who are fed up with travel websites may be returning to use traditional travel agents.
According to Harteveldt, travelers feel that they, and their business, are taken for granted by travel websites. “Travelers -- both business and leisure -- are frustrated, confused, and annoyed,” he writes in the report. “They’re unhappy with the way the channels they’re asked to use are designed and configured. They’re not sure what they’re actually buying, because travel organizations’ focus on generating revenue has come at the expense of the selling and customer engagement process. And travelers say the service they receive is inadequate.”
According to the report, more travelers express interest in using offline travel agencies. In a 2008 Forrester survey, 23 percent of U.S. online leisure travelers stated they would consider using a good offline travel agency if they could find one. This year that’s up to 26 percent in 2009. “That more travelers would consider using a less convenient channel reflects their growing frustration with the confusing, uninspiring experiences found on most travel websites,” the report says.
To reverse travelers’ dissatisfaction and avoid having them abandon the web in favor of other, more expensive offline channels, the Forrester report says travel eBusiness professionals must rethink their approach to travel eBusiness. To reverse this trend and re-engage travelers, travel eBusiness professionals must recognize that travel eBusiness is comprised of four continuous phases supported by the five pillars of merchandising, context, engagement, value, and customer appreciation. The report says to expect travel eBusiness professionals to be asked to become more involved with customer data strategy and for global distribution systems (GDSs) to evolve into more useful global merchandising systems (GMSs).
There are 130.3 million online travelers in the U.S. and another 127.7 million in Europe, representing 87 percent of U.S. travelers and 73 percent of European travelers, respectively. As a result, the report says, travel organizations, especially commercial enterprises like airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and travel agencies, must pay more attention to the eBusiness processes and experiences they deliver to their customers. For information on ordering the full report, call Forrester at 617-613-6000, email forrester@forrester.com or visit www.forrester.com
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Forrester Research issued a new study, “Using Digital Channels to Calm the Angry Traveler,” by Henry Harteveldt, that reports there are 15 percent fewer travelers who enjoy using the web in 2009 than there were in 2007. Just one in three online travelers in the U.S. feels that travel websites do a good job presenting travel choices, down from 39 percent in 2008. A slightly greater percentage of travelers who are fed up with travel websites may be returning to use traditional travel agents.
According to Harteveldt, travelers feel that they, and their business, are taken for granted by travel websites. “Travelers -- both business and leisure -- are frustrated, confused, and annoyed,” he writes in the report. “They’re unhappy with the way the channels they’re asked to use are designed and configured. They’re not sure what they’re actually buying, because travel organizations’ focus on generating revenue has come at the expense of the selling and customer engagement process. And travelers say the service they receive is inadequate.”
According to the report, more travelers express interest in using offline travel agencies. In a 2008 Forrester survey, 23 percent of U.S. online leisure travelers stated they would consider using a good offline travel agency if they could find one. This year that’s up to 26 percent in 2009. “That more travelers would consider using a less convenient channel reflects their growing frustration with the confusing, uninspiring experiences found on most travel websites,” the report says.
To reverse travelers’ dissatisfaction and avoid having them abandon the web in favor of other, more expensive offline channels, the Forrester report says travel eBusiness professionals must rethink their approach to travel eBusiness. To reverse this trend and re-engage travelers, travel eBusiness professionals must recognize that travel eBusiness is comprised of four continuous phases supported by the five pillars of merchandising, context, engagement, value, and customer appreciation. The report says to expect travel eBusiness professionals to be asked to become more involved with customer data strategy and for global distribution systems (GDSs) to evolve into more useful global merchandising systems (GMSs).
There are 130.3 million online travelers in the U.S. and another 127.7 million in Europe, representing 87 percent of U.S. travelers and 73 percent of European travelers, respectively. As a result, the report says, travel organizations, especially commercial enterprises like airlines, hotels, cruise lines, and travel agencies, must pay more attention to the eBusiness processes and experiences they deliver to their customers. For information on ordering the full report, call Forrester at 617-613-6000, email forrester@forrester.com or visit www.forrester.com
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