News

ABTA has backtracked over plans to name and shame tour operators who keep agents hanging on the telephone.

Newman Street’s board vetoed moves by its tour operator trade relations sub-committee to hire a team of professional survey-takers to highlight the worst offenders.

Instead it has decided to employ consultants to comb call centres for best-practice methods which will then be disseminated to operators.

Chief executive Ian Reynolds said: “We came to realise a naming and shaming exercise wouldn’t be productive - it’s not the job of a trade association to expose its members.

“We will still be asking tour operators for call-waiting figures but there will be more of an emphasis on best practice.”

An ABTA spokesman added: “Even six phone calls by a professional survey-taker might not reveal where the problem lies.

“We all know who the culprits are but naming them won’t help resolve the problems that agents have with 0870 numbers and call-waiting times.”

According to membership development executive Steve Ellett, a best-practice booklet and seminars will follow after the consultants - who are being paid £1,500 by ABTA - have finished their research.

Ellett is also arranging a meeting with British Telecom to discuss more agent-friendly terms and services.