Why Waste Money On Travel Professionals?

Did you see this article from Forbes last week? "Why I Happily Waste Money On A Travel Agent (Maybe You Should Too)"
The author totally gets what today's travel professional/client relationship is about.  Convenience and value for the consumer.  People who have never used a travel agent (or haven't used one in a while), always ask if Internet is hurting our business.  Probably about as much as Home Depot selling lawn mowers is hurting the business of the person who cuts my grass, or WebMD is hurting doctors.   It always makes me wonder how old people think I am because the Internet has been around long before I ever thought about a career in travel! =)  
Of course Great Scott Getaways was founded long after Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline were established. They are not necessarily competition, just a different way of doing things. The web is a tool nearly everyone uses these days.  
The online booking engines are agencies, they just have a different business model than your local travel retailers.  They are able to save a few bucks by outsourcing call centers and increasing volume while you do the work.  I've found most people think they're going AROUND a travel agent by booking vacations on those sites.  Not true, but they have done an excellent job at marketing that idea.  There are call center type agencies that employ American workers and count on volume with particular suppliers to pass on savings.  If you have done the research to know exactly what you want and don't need much hand holding at least use one of those.  

The average consumer spends 42 hours online checking out travel.  40 hours is a work week for most people!  I bet most people have not stopped to think how all those hours here and there add up by the time you've made a decision to book your vacation.  Even the most expensive travel agencies don't charge what you make in a week to book a trip.  (Perhaps with the exception of those like Bill Fischer who I hear charge retainers upwards of  $100,000 to celebrity clients like Oprah Winfrey and Barbara Walters.)  

Is saving a fee really worth what you make in a week?  I'd call that penny wise and pound foolish.  The author made a great point about some people enjoying doing all that research and attention to detail.  There is almost nothing you can't do yourself if you're willing to put the time and effort into learning.  The problem is most people don't want to spend their precious free hours on the Internet gambling on ticket prices and guessing which resort reviews are fake or just disgruntled guests who'll never be satisfied.  For the average person, a quick online reservation for a big trip can easily end up in a big mistake if you're not careful.  For every one who saved a few bucks online there is a story about a big online booking mistake.  Like a woman who thought she found a cruise cheaper, but it ended up being on the wrong ship.  A groom that put his wife's married name on the reservation (not what is actually on her ID) and ended up missing their honeymoon flight.  Or a shopper who found out the $599 deal was a room at a beach resort with no windows.  That one was a family member!  Of course, I informed them but I'm just saying that to get the commission right? =)    Wrong!  Your local businesses are there to help plan your dream vacation from start to finish if you desire, or just be the one sitting on the phone for hours getting confirmations for you if you prefer minimal help.  We depend on referrals from our clients and wouldn't survive if we had the mentality of screwing them for a one-time commission.  Of course any human makes mistakes, but 50 bad reviews will hurt a local business much more than a national one.  Most of us are doing what we love and building lasting relationships with clients.
Today's model is a partnership between the travel professional and client.  You have to communicate preferences we would never know.  We need to constantly provide valuable service at a competitive price. The transparency of the Internet has made it easier for you to double check prices ( I have no problem checking for a price match), find travelers to share your excitement with or just get some great countdown clocks.  It hasn't made it less expensive to fly.