Looks like Sharon wasn't such a Johnny on the Spot with her comebacks this time. She invited everyone to read her posts (naturally) but doesn't like it when they are exposed for what they really are -- sales pitches for her services.

I also noticed that througout all these travel agent posts, not once did she attempt to deny anything said about the travel agent industry. She simply goes on the defensive and lashes out without responding to anything that's been said.

It's hard to deny something when you've been caught red-handed, isn't it?

Oh, for pity's sake, give it UP! You'd think you'd discovered that Lincoln was a transvestite and wanted the world to give you $1 million for every person you converted to The Truth.

B. F. D: Sharon's a travel agent. Call out the National Guard. Rout her out of her bed. You clever, clever sleuths, you! Next you'll say you've figured out that it gets darker later when we go on Daylight Savings Time and NOBODY seems to KNOW that but YOU!

Give it a REST!

Hey, Mercy/Sharon we thought you were just hanging out on the Europe forum today! Obviously you were hoping this thread would sink like a rock but you couldn't resist the bait once it surfaced again.

For you and all the others who claim to love debate so much, why not actually engage in one for a change? Sharon, I'd like to see you rebut, point by point, with facts, all the issues presented here about the travel industry and travel agents. That's true debate, not screeching and insulting those who say something you don't like.

Attacking people and refusing to address issues is a distraction technique. Trying to dismiss the whole thread by suggesting that people "give it up" is another distraction technique. Why does that sound familiar? Oh yes, someone pointed out here that one of the traits of the travel agents is to try to distract everyone from the real issues, so they won't realize what you are and why you're here. Carrying on and trying to sweep all this under the carpet is done, of course, because you don't WANT the real truth about your presence here to be known!

Fodorites, you know what to do when we have a travel agent who refuses to stop advertising!

Yoohoooooo! Shaaaaaaroooonnnn! Where is the constant vigilance of this thread to which we have all grown accustomed? Perhaps the truth is just a little too unwelcome and something you hope to disguise by burying this post? Where's the fire and outrage and *gasp* actual "debate" about your presence here? Will you not rise to the challenges you yourself have issued?

Don't worry ...we know you're bound to turn up here again on this forum with your oh-so-subtle promos....we'll find you and expose you time and again -- you may screech, you may wail, you may complain, but you are here to SELL and that is not what people come here to find. Have a nice day!

Okay, I'll give it another shot, but you people are absolutely amazing and also ly tiresome. I'm not Sharon. I'm not a travel agent. I don't use travel agents. But I don't think they are all Borg-like members of an Antichrist. And what a ridiculous amount of energy you're expending trying to villify them and convince us that everyone who posts anything that isn't blanket condemnation must all be Sharon (or Heidi, or whomever you're after at the moment)!

You're worried about devious posters who may or may not give useful or straight advice but are among many other posters. But you aren't concerned that Fodor's is now financing this site by ads from MSN and Expedia/Travelocity and who knows who else. Now that does bother me.

This issue is a bit overdone. We're adults, I suppose, so where's the threat to us? In reality, how does it harm YOU personally if an agent provides information that may benefit him or her - as long as it's useful to you and accurate. And, please, don't cite the Fodor's rules again, as though they constitute some inalienable commandment. Think like smart adults - let Fodor's take care of itself. If Fodor's doesn't like travel agents coming on their site, let them cancel it or use a sign-in process. In the past, non-agents tried to use the site to rent their vacation homes. Did they harm anyone? I live in D.C., and I don't know about you, but we seem to have bigger issues to worry about here. All this stuff is only going to affect one thing - how Fodor's handles this site, and I just bet that any changes it is forced to make by all the cry babies who rave about agents will make the whole thing more onerous than it is already. Good grief, get a life and move onto some other issue. And please, don't respond to any of my postings for travel information - I'm interested in hearing from the adults. Have a good day, and no, don't send me any e-mails. I don't care what you have to say about this stupid issue - you've been raving about it since April, for goodness sake!

Joseph, thanks for the tantrum. I see you work at NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Are you the fellow responsible for overseeing the Firestone tire recall? Stop lecturing people here while you are on the government's dime and get back to work, darn it!

Yes, good to know my tax dollars are supporting a government employee who spends his work day posting on travel web sites.

Isn't it funny that those who criticize others for spending time on an issue or use that classic "adult" phrase "get a life" because they are unable to debate intelligently, are doing the very things they are complaining about? Like telling others not to be concerned while typing an epistle about it at work! How exactly is that ignoring it?

After reading through all of this, I must say that it does appear that Sharon was very vocal and very adamant until she was asked to calm down and debate intelligently. Hurling insults is easy, backing up your position with facts requires some skill and intelligence.

By the way, I've seen Sharon on other posts here too. She's around, but apparently it's far easier for her and other agents to become hysterical than to discuss in a rational manner. How would you like to be her client when something goes awry? Look out!

I noticed we are now telling people who is allowed to post their opinion and who is not. Whose opinion is worth anything and whose is not. Telling people how and when to do their jobs and how and when they are allowed to surf the net. My my, how interesting. How adult.

So where are all these gutless wonders called travel agents now? They only seem to appear in order to attack people who question their motives here. You KNOW that Sharon is reading this post!
Guess that's the kind of customer service you can expect from her as a travel agent -- tell her to tone down the hysterics and just answer the questions and she disappears. Don't we ALL want someone as composed and reliable as her booking our travel for us? hahahahahahaha

Ok...can I please offer my side of the story? I don't personally know this Sharon lady, that everyone seems to be slamming..but I would use her for my travel. Now..nobody really praises travel agents because they do their job, people vacation, go home, and look at their pictures a week later ...smiling of their memories. When people have problems with their itinerary, like.. the plane was late, the bags were lost, the insurance carrier will not pay for the loss; agents here it...and "usually" step-up to the plate. A good agent assists their clients to the best of their ability. Agents work for their clients, and get paid a modest 10%(on average) to arrange the details and create a relatively seemless experience.
Those travel bureaus that do not SERVE their clients and ask for referrals go out of business...just like any other service oriented concern. If an agent has been around the block for..even..4 years..they have created a reputation in their industry AND amongst their clientele to be of "value added service".
An honest measure of an agents worth is when a problem arises...and the agent SOLVES or REMEDIES the situation. Unfortunately it is usually after the fact..so we consumers do not here about the efforts that went into the application of the salve. Perhaps this forum would better be served with negative advertising, regarding all those agencies that "soon" will be OUT OF BUSINESS. For all of us weary travelers that have a great relationship with our travel brokers/agents.... yippie !! And for those of you that still want to save money by calling Priceline.com for the "best fare???" and HOPE for a bargain deal and pray that you never need to talk to someone in customer service...have at it! You probably do not deserve a break today. As the addage goes "..you get what you pay for.." and sometime a little bit more...(heart ache..that is).
To all the professionals that truely "work" for a living..keep up the effort, you deserve the perks! and to all of the deadbeats who want something
for nothing...there are plenty of rocks to discover, that could have your wealth and riches buried within...here in Colorado. Signed, Scott (a happy patron)

Scott, you sound more like a travel agent than a patron. Why do agents post incognito, pretending they are travelers, yet they know the ins and outs of the industry and are not afraid to promote it here? Your post sounded like a brochure from ASTA.

Sorry to burst your bubble Scott, but internet travel options include more than Priceline.com. Travelers can book directly with airlines, hotels, car rental agencies and even railways, with no need for travel agents, and in all likelihood, receive discounts for booking online as well. These industries are only to happy to stop paying agents and deal directly with customers instead.

The only people issuing dire warnings about doing it yourself are agents who stand to lose business, like you.

ttt

Hi I was dissapointed to read all these posts....let me say up front, I am an agent and agents should not be soliciting on here. Let it be known that most agents receive a salary and it can be a low salary and are not on commission so it would not benefit them to get clients from here...there are exceptions to that of course. I personally dont work here this is not my office and I in no way am looking for clients. I am happy to share my knowledge with people. Everyone seems so negative...have you NEVER had a good agent, someone who cares and gives of his or her time? Not everyone is out for blood you know. And many many of us have college degrees so we arent as someone said..."low class" we work very hard to help you. And....last but not least...Fam trips are NOT free, Ive never seen a free one and our perks are few and far between these day. Thank you for reading this.

SharonM - you're one dense beldam. One can tell just from looking at your stupid, unoriginal email address:

[email protected]

Boy, you're a regular brainiac aren't ya? Did you know you were the 61st person to come up with that email address? "I AM SAM" - cute. Real cute.

And Sharon - yes, you should have majored in psychology. Cuz your current industry is suffering from a swift kick in the jewels.

And Sharon dear, if you're frustrated from people not reading your posts, consider making them shorter and more concise. We're tired of weeding through your drivel to get to your main point. (Point? Oh yes, she has one, I think, but let me read through her long, tedious post and make sure I don't get confused by her sudden, random Capital letters.)

Where did you drag this old thread from? The depths of the sea? But more importantly why? Every time there is a break in school we see this kind of junk.