The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) works to ensure compliance is carried out by travel firms in the UK.
However, there are still many instances of mistakes being made and compliance nightmares happening that keep us up at night in horror.
To make sure you get a peaceful night of stress-free sleep, here are the five most common mistakes and how to avoid them.
It can be tempting to try to win customers over by having a really appealing price up front and then revealing the full cost later.
However, the ABTA are not happy when that happens and this is often the most common mistake that is made.
All costs need to be apparent upfront, including taxes, with optional extras listed separately.
- Unclear terms and conditions
There is a risk of hiding behind jargon or burying some significant part of the terms and conditions deep into the contract.
This can cause a compliance issue, as it may be argued that the customer did not know what they were agreeing to.
As such, you should make the terms and conditions clear and draw particular attention to the most significant details.
- Not disclosing important information
Letting your customers know about the financial protections that are in place is not just something you should do to give them peace of mind.
ABTA insist that all information is given clearly and prominently so that they can make informed decisions about their travel arrangements.
It also serves to protect you in the event that things do not go to plan, as you have evidence that the appropriate protections were in place.
No one likes to receive complaints, but they are a part of doing business.
Inevitably, someone will be dissatisfied and your handling of these complaints is watched closely by ABTA.
You have 28 days to respond and should avoid using generic letters or AI, as these will generally make the situation worse.
- Mishandling Linked Travel Arrangements (LTAs)
You need to clearly note whether something is an LTA, as it warrants different protection by ABTA.
If it is part of the package, then it will have full ABTA protection, whereas the protection is limited if it is outside the package.
Customers need to know what they are getting and how much protection is in place.
Ensuring compliance
Getting professional support is often the best way of keeping up with compliance guidelines.
Our expert team can check to make sure you are not about to walk into a glaring pitfall and can help you deliver a better quality of service.
Make compliance nightmares a thing of the past by speaking to our team today.
