In Travel Trade, Travel Planners International spoke out on the damage YTB is doing to the industry. Some of the comments made by their President, Ken Gagliano include:- It's the MLM hype or the dream of not having to work and make millions that lure these people in and end up tarnishing all of the hard work we committed professionals do.
- I have no compassion for the thousands who bought this and found out that they got burned - it's foolish that people buy this stuff and it's even more ludicrous the number of suppliers that actually work with the MLMs. Are they actually that desperate for the little amount of business that actually comes in?
- With the MLMs, consumers are misled to believe that they are working with a true travel agent, when in fact it's just a booking engine. It might be a different story if the MLMs would actually provide fundamental training on the industry, supplier training along with B2B booking tools. For the most part, they provide the training on how to recruit others and provide a consumer Web site as their booking tool.
On another forum, there was some speculation that there was a forthcoming partnership or other "association" with TPI because they apparently were seen at the YTB Funshine. Well, it appears they were only there (if indeed they were there) looking for one or two of the good ones!
Same-Ole, Same-ole.
ReplyDeleteJust like back in the late 70's and early 80's there was the people harping about a company called A.L. Williams. The TIA's (traditional insurance agents) we screaming that the A.L. Williams reps were "unqualified, unprofessional, untrained, illegal, idiots, cons, causing the industry decline, 'insurance mills', scams, disgusting, morons,......
They were shut down in Georgia at one time and immediately following that they lost an important supplier. It was the beginning of the end for A.L Williams! The press about them was atrocious and reps were leaving by the droves. Eventually 19 states has shut them down. How would they survive?
What they did was hunker down, listened to what was being said and developed a plan, gathered themselves, and went on to become the #1 seller of insurance! Those that hung in there when it was tough ALL became financially independent. Had they had the internet back in those days, the story would look quite similar to the largest travel MLM company today. Hmmmmm. And some of the key players of those days are playing again.
This same story can be told over and over with many companies. Nothing new.
Now, that ought to throw some fuel on the fire here since the last few days stories have been boring.
AL Williams was not involved in 2 class action lawsuits by former agents either and a federal suit.
ReplyDeleteAL Williams bank did not order a cease and desist and basically cut them off.
Travel and insurance are too different animals you can't compare them.
Is AI Williams or it's replacement still an MLM?
ReplyDeleteShips - Yes. Now Primerica.
ReplyDeleteAT - Yes I do believe AL williams was sued more than being shut down and found innocent. 19 states AT! YTB is not shut down in any state. If CA really had any teeth in this one they would have filed a cease and desist. They did not. The class actions - what a joke. One of the parties in the class action didn't even pay anything. It was a REP position. "I paid nothing and lost millions". Yeah right. Nothing more than a bunch of money hungry lawyers and quitters looking to capitalize. These are the same kind of lawyers that would not think twice about looking for a way to leach off of you AT.
Oh, and yes I can compare travel and insurance as far as the story goes.
Primamerica offered the worst terms I have ever seen...but...and talk about pushy!
ReplyDeleteCitibank is trying to unload them and as far as I know isn't getting many offers. What went around has come around.
Do you have your mortgage with them? and if not...why not?
So firemedic is an attorney now? Where did you get your law degree firemedic? Mr. Lloyd Tomer was involved in AL Williams. Do a google search on them. All kinds of nasty stuff. I read something about Mr. Williams making a deal with the Feds and getting off. As to those class actions they did have to pay out on some of those. AL Williams was about as shady as YTB is....
ReplyDeleteHave been doing a bit of research and have found that with Primerica (formerly AI Williams):
ReplyDelete"Primerica has some standards. Their reps have to be licensed to get paid on sales. Life/Health insurance license, Property/Casualty license, Series 6 And 63 securities licenses. And those exams are not the easiest things to pass."
So comparing them to YTB, or comparing the insurance industry to the travel industry, are not the same.
Ships - What kind of license did you have to get in order to sell travel? I am not talking about business licenses and such.
ReplyDeleteEven after getting those licenses A.L Williams reps were still told that they were unqualified, unprofessional, untrained, illegal, idiots, cons, causing the industry decline, 'insurance mills', scams, disgusting, morons,...... They are still told that today. Just like no matter what YTB does John will always be busy here and AT will have someone to call names.
AT said...
ReplyDelete"So firemedic is an attorney now? Where did you get your law degree firemedic? Mr. Lloyd Tomer was involved in AL Williams. Do a google search on them. All kinds of nasty stuff. I read something about Mr. Williams making a deal with the Feds and getting off. As to those class actions they did have to pay out on some of those. AL Williams was about as shady as YTB is...."
AT - you can find anything you want on the internet especially if it's bad news. As far as paying out on suits AT that's called "cost of litigation" pay outs. Happens all the time. That's one of the things sleazy lawyers count on when filing the suit. They hope that the deep pockets will just settle on a lower amount as cost of litigation charges meaning they would spend more defending themselves than the settlement. The settlement is by no means an admission of guilt.
AT I am sure you could find negative stuff on Mother Teresa herself and spin it. Just depends on what viewpoint you are already biased to. Yours is very evident.
"Just depends on what viewpoint you are already biased to. Yours is very evident."
ReplyDeleteAs is yours.
As is mine, yes.
ReplyDeleteAnd, firemdic I am sure you would see the good in child molesters if they belonged to YTB. You are brain washed and in need of dire deprogramming.
ReplyDelete