Using a Travel Agent

to book your Car Rental

A travel agent is a professional who specialized in making travel arrangement on behalf of others.

While some people prefer to book all their own travel arrangements, others enjoy the ability to have all arrangements made by someone else.

A travel agent can be especially helpful if you are looking to book a multi-faceted, special trip, particularly in another country. A Travel agent could arrange your air travel, hotels, train, car rental, theatre tickets and restaurant reservations - saving you hours on the phone or on your computer.

Most travel agents are well travelled, and will offer insight and suggestion for your travel destination.

Here's an exerpt from a great article on picking the right travel agent.

by Christopher Elliot

1. Look for the right certification.

If the agent is a member of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), that’s a promising sign. ASTA is the world’s largest association of travel professionals, with a code of ethics that tends to keep the riff raff out. If your travel advisor is certified by The Travel Institute, which offers courses on various destinations and travel specialties, that’s a bonus. Another membership worth looking for is the Association of Retail Travel Agents. Affiliation with a large organization like AAA or a company such as Carlson Wagonlit can be evidence that your agent is on the up-and-up. Your agent should also comply with any state seller of travel laws and carry error and omission insurance.

2. If at all possible, stay local.

There’s no substitute for the personal touch. My best experiences with agents have been one-on-one. The ability to meet — to look the agent in the eye, to shake his or her hand — is something online agencies can’t match. (Note: not all agents work in an office, but home-based agents can and do make personal visits.) The only exception to this rule is if you’re looking for an agent with a sought-after specialty. But even then, a trusted voice on the phone is preferable to the often unintelligible, script-reading customer service associate you’re connected to when dealing with a large agency.

3. Interview the agent.

Don’t pick the first agent you find. Talk to the travel pro. Find out how long he or she has been in business. Ask about fees (yes, they charge booking fees, but they’re worth it if you get into a pinch). I would recommend conducting the interview in person. Pay close attention not only to the way your prospective agent responds, but also at what’s going on in the office around you. Are the other agents taking the time to talk with customers, or do they only seem interested in pressuring their clients to make a booking decision? Does the agent you’re interviewing seem distracted or focused on trying to help you? If you don’t like what you see, move on.

4. Find out how they react under pressure.

The only way to know for certain if your travel agent is a keeper is to see what happens when you run into trouble. And you will have that opportunity, eventually. When your flight is delayed or your hotel is overbooked or your travel insurance claim isn’t being honored, what will your agent do? See, agents are compensated for the booking — either with a fee you pay or a commission they take directly from the company. If they leave you hanging or do nothing more than send you the company’s 800-number, they’re not your agent. Chances are, they’re just in it for the commission.

Good travel agents have an edge over almost any other seller of travel. They know what you want. They speak your language. And they’re there for you when you run into trouble.

... travel agents aren’t obsolete. Only the bad ones are.

Christopher Elliott writes the syndicated Travel Troubleshooter column and blog

If I was looking to book a rental car for a short trip, I would do it myself. If I was looking for a hotel,car rental,airfare package or a trip overseas, I would certainly give a travel agent a try.

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