Cline Tours is Trying To Steal My Client
Recently, my company contacted Cline Tours, a charter coach company based in Ridgeland, Mississippi, regarding a quote for a Mississippi band traveling to Orlando. After sending us pricing for the charter, a sales person from Cline Tours contacted my client directly offering to save the group money by eliminating the “middle-man”.
Here is an excerpt from the email I received:
“After you talked with Cline Tours, they called me and offered a package with 2 overnights on the buses, one night in a hotel with breakfast, admission to Universal and Islands of Adventure, and the Music in the Parks performance for…”
I find it shocking that any company would have the audacity to immediately turn around and try to steal a piece of business from which they are already going to profit!
I have contacted my sales person (John McCommon) this morning to express my concern, and he assures me that this is against their policies. He is going to investigate how such a thing happens and get back to me this afternoon. I have no idea how they believe they can right this situation, but I am interested in his response.
In the meantime, I am working with my client to – get this – revamp their package to include a lesser hotel – similar to the one offered by the coach charter company. Which now means that I will likely have to put this group in a hotel that is below the service standards that we promise our clients – or lose the business.
I will post later in the day with a follow-up on Mr. McCommon’s response and how the situation resolves itself with our group. For now, I warn my colleagues to beware of any supplier (note that to avoid litigation – I am not singling out any one company in this statement) that has a reputation of unethical business practices such as contacting clients directly.