Agency's use of VHols branding blamed for demise

A travel agency's decision to use Virgin Holidays branding on shopfronts has been blamed for the closure of the 57 branch chain.

Full story here

[mitchja]

Sorry, whilst it's sad that people are losing their jobs, there's nothing like blaming someone else is there.

It's always someone else's fault in situations like this.

Regards

Sounds like it was the wrong idea to take the cheap option to improve your shop front

[Scrooge]

'"The Virgin branding was the biggest mistake; people thought they just sold Virgin Holidays and the shops totally lost their way.'


'They put Virgin branding on the shops in the southwest

If the staff didn't know that Virgin also fly from LHR as well as LGW and Man, then they were doomed anyway.

If their UK knowledge is that poor how can they sell or advise about holidays abroad??????????[n]

The statements aren't contradictory, they point to the same problem: this agency was branded as Virgin Holidays, who only fly from London and Manchester, and on selected dates from Glasgow. So customers went to other agents who appeared to have more local departures.

[Scrooge]

Ok, what am I missing here then, the first statement said they sold other companies packages, at least that's the way am reading it, but either way, management messed up.

quote:Originally posted by Scrooge
Ok, what am I missing here then, the first statement said they sold other companies packages, at least that's the way am reading it, but either way, management messed up.

They did, but from the outside you would never know.

[RichardMannion]

Call me a cyncial old bugger, but aren't most high street businesses in risk of dying out, especially the travel business. I've never ever booked anything in a travel agent shop/store.

[preiffer]

quote:Originally posted by RichardMannion
Call me a cyncial old bugger, but aren't most high street businesses in risk of dying out, especially the travel business. I've never ever booked anything in a travel agent shop/store.

I have, once. It was to Ibiza, I was 19, and I had a 'fun time' in a foam party... [:w]

hmmm so on the same basis I shouldn't be able to buy my Guardian from my newsagent because he has a sign that says 'The Times' on it?

Someone at the agency obviously thought that a prominant VH tie in would be worth some - thats the person who should take the blame

I should add it's not the previous owners blaming VH - it's the companies that have bought the branches and are hoping to turn it around.

The newsagent analogy doesn't quite fit - travel agents in the UK have been traditionally 'independents' and 'multiples', multiples in the olden days were dominated by Lunn Poly (owned by Thomson) and Going Places (owned by Airtours). First Choice also opened a chain too. They pushed their own products vigorously, with Lunn Poly even rebranding to become Thomson, so travel agents did become linked to their parents.

I think that's the mistake Harvey World made - they were an independent agent, not tied to any one company - but their branding betrayed that. Imagine you love flying British Airways - would a Virgin Holidays branded agency really tempt you in?

I was a travel agent for years and years, and it's easy to ask why people still use them - but if you are cash rich and time poor I think they are invaluable.

If I had seen the shop front I would have assumed, perhaps wrongly, that the business would have been focused on selling Virgin flights and holidays.

Once they advertised their association it would cause customers to question their independence.