Mystery shopper didn't ask for the tickets to be included in the price, they simply wanted the flights, accommodation and information on internal transfers.

There was a vast difference in the quality of the advice - one consultant admitting she hadn't even heard of the World Cup, with consultants at another agency being able to advise on all sorts of aspects of the trip, including internal transfers.

Do you think agents need to keep on top of current affairs to do their job? Is it acceptable not to know about major sporting events?

The Co-operative Travel got an overall score of 88% - breaking down to full marks for appearance, 96% of available points for customer service, 78% of available points for advice and product knowledge, and full marks for the overall experience.

Global Travel Lounge scored 81%, scoring full marks for appearance, 92% of available points for customer service, 72% of available points for advice and product knowledge and 70% of available points for the overall experience.

First Choice scored 47%, getting 67% for appearance, 52% for customer service, 44% for advice and product knowledge and 20% for overall experience.

Thomas Cook scored 42%, getting full marks for appearance, 52% for customer service, 24% for advice and product knowledge and 20% for overall experience.

The overall scoring system is weighted the following way:

50% for advice and product knowledge

25% for customer service

15% on appearance

10% on overall experience

Two of the agencies, Thomas Cook and Thomson, both suggested Mystery Shopper would need to go to Canada to see the Rocky Mountains.

In fact, Colorado's state capital Denver is known as the gateway to the Rockies and there is the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado.

Despite the agents giving out this advice to Mystery Shopper, Thomson still scored 51% and Thomas Cook scored 70%.

If Mystery Shopper had been a real customer, after these two consultations she might either have thought she can't see the Rocky Mountains in Colorado or that she needs to spend more money to see the Mountains by going to Canada. Given this advice from agents, was Mystery Shopper far too generous?

Interestingly, the fact that the agents immediately associated the Rockies with Canada shows how well the country has branded the Mountains as its own - for example with attractions such as the Rocky Mountaineer train

All agencies mystery shopped (Sherbourne Travel, The Co-operative Travel, Going Places and Thomas Cook) scored full marks for appearance.

The scores for customer service were pretty decent too: The highest scoring was Thomas Cook, who scored full marks in this category. Sherbourne got 80% of the available marks and The Co-operative got 76% of the available marks. Going Places got 52% of the available marks in that category.

In the advice and product knowledge category, Thomas Cook got 96% of the available marks, The Co-operative got 76%, Sherbourne got 74%, but Going Places only got 16%, mainly because the consultant never got far enough into the consultation to pick up available points for demonstrating her knowledge.

Despite not winning, Sherbourne got full marks in the overall experience category, Thomas Cook got 90%, The Co-operative got 70%, while Going Places only got 10%.

There were vast differences between the scores, with Ambassador Travel scoring 37% and First Choice scoring 88%.

Understandably Ambassador Travel didn't get a great score for appearance, because it is changing hands and there was no signage over the shop. Charter Travel also lost points because of overflowing bins to one side of the property and it's cramped inside when busy.

Although Ambassador Travel got more points than Charter Travel for customer service, getting 64% of the available points compared to Charter's 40%, Charter Travel got the higher overall score because it was stronger in terms of advice and product knowledge and overall experience.

Well done to the winners First Choice, who scored maximum points in the overall experience category.

However, the results raised two questions:

Do you think customers are genuinely interested in sustainable tourism?

Is knowledge about sustainable tourism a good selling tool? Do you think it actually sways a customer?

By the time you've read Mystery Shopper, you will have seen our 'green' issue. What do you think? How well have we addressed the issue? Did you find it relevant?

Another strong set of scores this week - the lowest being The Co-operative Travel which scored 60% and the highest being Thomson, which scored 97%.

Mystery Shopper wrote about Thomson: "The agent took an interest in the holiday plans and patiently found the ideal choice."

However, she wrote about The Co-operative Travel in comparison to the other agencies: "Other agents had a better overall idea as to how to address my needs and the quotes were considerably less than with this agent."

All scored full marks for appearance, except for The Co-operative Travel. Mystery Shopper deducted five marks writing: "There was rubbish in a bag in one corner and stacks of brochures on the floor."

There was only one point in it between World Choice and Deeping Travel in terms of customer service, but Thomson got the higher overall score in the advice and product knowledge category.

This week Mystery Shopper was in Colchester looking for a seven night safari followed by a seven night beach retreat.

Unusually we had to give a no-score to First Choice (above), as Mystery Shopper was kept waiting for 15 minutes without acknowledgement.

This was a shame, because the actual consultation was good and the agency would have scored in the mid to late 80s if there hadn't been such a long wait.

I think that the 15 minute rule is quite generous. If I were a customer, I wouldn't wait 15 minutes to be served without even an acknowledgement - I would go to the rival agency down the road.

What do you think - is Mystery Shopper being too generous, should the 15 minute rule be cut down to five minutes?

There was quite a wide variation in the scores from 49% at First Choice to 71% at Toucan Travel.

All agencies scored full marks in the appearance category.

In the advice and product knowledge category, there was just 5% difference between First Choice and Toucan Travel.

The variation in the marks came down to the customer service category, with First Choice only scoring 20% of the available marks, while Toucan Travel scored 84% of the available marks.

The old adage stays true - customer service is king in the travel industry...

All agencies this week scored full marks for appearance.

First Choice got the highest score in the customer service category, scoring 100%. Thomas Cook and Thomson were joint second with 80% and Premier Travel scored slightly below them.

In terms of advice and product knowledge, Thomson got the top score achieving 96% of the available points in the category, giving it the overall winning score, but First Choice was just behind them.

Overall, it was a strong set of scores this week in Newmarket.

Generally it was a low-scoring week for Mystery Shopper, finding that many of the agents had to rely on brochures for information. Here is more information about how the scores broke down:

Well done to Holidaze, Thomson and Bath Travel for all scoring full marks for appearance. Thomas Cook lost ten marks on appearance, because of the presentation of the shop window.

Mystery Shopper wrote: "When I first looked inside, all I saw was an empty box and an empty shelf. I thought perhaps that it had gone out of business, but in fact it was just a badly presented shop window and the premises inside were clean and tidy and in full operation."

Had Thomas Cook scored full marks like the others, it would have won this week's Mystery Shop.

Thomson got the lowest score for customer service, but managed to score better than Holidaze in the advice and product knowledge category and therefore achieved an overall higher score.

Thomas Cook received the highest score for customer service, but Bath Travel scored the most for advice and product knowledge.

Here are some more details about how the final scores break down:

In terms of appearance, all agencies scored full marks, except for Thomson, where Mystery Shopper noted that leaves and a paper bag had blown in through the door and were not picked up during their visit.

Despite getting the third lowest mark, The Co-operative Travel actually received the highest score for customer service, with Mystery Shopper noting how friendly the consultant was. Had the advice and product knowledge been of the same calibre as the customer service, The Co-operative Travel could have been a front runner, but this is where it scored badly.

Unsurprisingly Denbighshire Travel and Going Places scored the best for advice and product knowledge, both achieving the same score. Denbighshire travel edged ahead with extra points for customer service and overall experience.

Thomson received poor scores, with Mystery Shopper looking for more initiative from the consultant. How important is initiative in a travel agent's job?

Interestingly only Thomson tried to close the sale. Mystery Shopper does award up to five points if the agent tries to close the sale and also will award up to five points if they try to sell extras, such as insurance, car hire or excursions.

What do you think about the emphasis Mystery Shopper puts on these two parts of the sale? As a consultant, would you always try to sell extras during the first consultation?

What about the emphasis on closing the sale? How often do you close a sale on the first consultation? Is Mystery Shopper right to place five points on the agent's ability to do this?

Thomas Cook and First Choice scored the lowest. Although Mystery Shopper was served, she didn't get a proper consultation and was just handed a brochure to research the product herself and asked to return to book.

We often hear of agents complaining that customers use their shops as a brochure pick up point, but it appears from these two consultation that sometimes agencies can appear to act as if they are that and don't seize the opportunity to take the booking.

On another note, yet another strong showing from Thomson - well done! I know Thomson has its own mystery internal shopping system, which is maybe why the multiple generally does so well in Travel Weekly's Mystery Shopper, but it certainly is consistently the strongest of the multiples when mystery shopped by us.