Re: Oh so you own the company...

Declan Pratt

Posted on 11/18/11

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Hello Dick, Delighted to hear that you took the trouble to check
us out. As the website told you, it was indeed due to be
updated to our beautiful new design the first week of November
but is currently about 2 weeks behind schedule. The due date
posted was indeed just that, a due date, so I think it's a
little harsh to call it untruthful. But I do take your point &
will chase up the designer! I hope you'll take the time to
revisit it in a week or two. We will still not be offering the
option of getting an online quote for the reason that ALL out
tours are customized to our group leaders wishes - we don't want
to try to fit you & your group into a 'cookie cutter',
one-size-fits all, tour. Instead we want to know what you want
from your tour, where you want to travel, etc. If you wish we
can create a tour identical to one offered by one of the 'big
operators' & then price it for you. As regards what would happen
if there was an emergency overseas: you, or the family member
etc, would call our 24 hour emergency number or you could call
the tour leader directly in Europe/Africa/Asia/etc on a US phone
number. I did mention in my first email to you that I own the
company
>> (Full disclosure: Like Dave (who I do not know) I am an
>> educational travel company veteran who now owns & operates
>> his own company customizing tours both within the US &
>> overseas.
We did indeed start as a small operator, & did indeed have just
myself & my wife. Since then we've built Global Explorers into
a thriving business by doing exactly what our posts were
originally about - beating the 'big' tour operators' prices.

But, I really didn't intend to make this about me or Global
Explorers Dick. My point is that I know we beat the prices of EF,
Explorica, etc. So should I think that we are the ONLY smaller
operator out there that does? Or is it reasonable for me to
think that there might be others too? I hope I'm right. Cheers,
Declan

On 11/18/11, Dick wrote:
> Oh Declan, so I did some further research as I actually wanted
> to get a quote from your company only the website is under
> construction and due to be finished at the end of October
> 2011. Guess what, it's the end of November 2011. So, there is
> the first untruthful thing. Secondly, the website does not
> allow for me to get an online quote. Quelle surprize. Oh, and
> if I want to call...I have to pay out of my own pocket
> beuause you don't have a toll free number. What would happen
> if there was an emergency overseas. Let me guess, you have a
> staff of 2, you and your wife.
>
> I REST MY CASE PEOPLE!
>
> Dick
>
>
>
>
>
> On 10/25/11, Declan Pratt wrote:
>> Dick, I am afraid I have to disagree with you also. Full
>> disclosure: Like Dave (who I do not know) I am an
>> educational travel company veteran who now owns & operates
>> his own company customizing tours both within the US &
>> overseas. You claim Dick that small/independent tour
>> operators are always more expensive, but that is simply not
>> true. At Global Explorers LLC we specifically aim to match
>> or better the prices of the cheapest of the major operators
>> (EF & Explorica) whilst offering what we (& our many return
>> group leaders) consider to be a far better tour - better &
>> centrally-located hotels, better & more logically-located
>> restaurants, customized sightseeing that fits the group's
>> wants & needs. We offer all this with the same levels of
>> liability insurance etc that the large operators offer, for
>> a similar or better price. As you said, it's not rocket
>> science - we don't have a huge office building in Boston on
>> a street named after our company (EF) or any of the other
>> huge overheads. Similarly whilst we do offer a ratio of
>> free places, we don't offer travel rewards etc. But the
>> dedicated & experienced educators who have chosen to travel
>> with us are not in it to get a new laptop at their
>> students' expense so a quality trip at a great price has
>> worked well for us as a business model. Please try more
>> small/independent operators & don't assume all (I agree
>> some are) will be higher priced. Best of luck in your
>> future travels, Declan

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