Travel agents want suppliers to return to pre- Covid terms and conditions and simplify their trade booking processes.
The Future of Travel Spring Forum was told by agents that they faced major challenges to service demand.
The volume of work, the impact on customer service, and the impact on flexible booking conditions were some of the fears raised.
Firms must offer flexibility but have eyes open to retain staff.
The recovery will be hampered by supplier call wait times.
Travel Weekly Future of Travel: Spring Forum
Baldwins Travel joint managing director Nick Marks questioned when suppliers would return to pre-covid booking terms.
He asked when the terms and conditions would be brought back and how much work would be reduced. Who is going to say that it is going to stop soon?
The industry should get back to the way things were and should show in pricing.
Suppliers were asked to make simple changes to their booking systems without a phone call.
Phil Nuttall, managing director of the Travel Village Group, said that operators could help them by allowing them to do simple things on the systems. We wouldn't have to wait on the phone.
Jenny Jackson, who runs luxury travel gurus and a group on Facebook called Travel Agent Rants and Raves, said that agents and call centre staff were at an all-time low.
She asked suppliers to review their trade booking systems to allow small amendments.
The Travel Network Group chief executive Gary Lewis warned of an immediate impact on customer service if agents could not respond quickly to clients.
In the past two months, agents have had problems contacting Jet2holidays, including the managing director of Sutton Travel, who said that they had to wait two to two and a half hours in a phone queue. We have to start again after the call ends. We like working with Jet2 but it's frustrating.
A Jet2holidays spokesman said the call centre was experiencing a lot of demand, but that they were working hard to keep lines of communication open.
The operator said it was increasing the size of its trade team and urged agents to use its electronic amendment form.
NCL and Kuoni insisted call wait times were quicker. The Kuoni product director said that the operator had enjoyed new trade business because it did answer calls, and that it had already reverted to pre- Covid booking conditions. It has no plans to allow agents to make changes to their bookings.
Operators plan to return to pre-covid booking conditions.
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