Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Roamfree "Team" link now missing from the website
Was browsing the Roamfree.com website today and could not help but notice that the link to "The Team" has gone from the left hand navigation area. See side by side shot below of the old home page left hand nav bar and the current one. The link used to point to [http://www.roamfree.com/corporate/roamfree-company-profile/the-team/] which now simply points to the About Us section. Looks like the company has taken down its Team page. Not a good sign. Regular readers will know that Roamfree is going through a transition after making 50 or so staff redundant last month.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
42 comments:
I would like to see Roamfree succeed in some form as having more competition is good for customers and good for suppliers.
succeed....doing what ?
Latest rumour I heard is Travel Online and Tourism Technology are being prepared for sale to an unknown party - deal to involve some kind of bail out package or option for the .com business unit.
No mention of what becomes of the "Roamfree Advanced" products or brand - perhaps these will be rolled into the .com business in Wotif style?
As for the lack of the Team link its probably just reality for them. It is a bit embarrassing to see a cast of thousands shrink in public. Perhaps the mistake was to put it there in the first place?
At the moment you really have to ask who is going to miss the .com brand. Consumers won't miss it, my understanding is that they are still attracting less than 200 bookings a day. Hotels are unlikely to miss it. Wotif are planning 365 day supply soon enough and on my info at 10% commission rates, so thats better that what RF were offering for >28 day bookings although they would probably match fairly quickly if that does transpire to be correct. Other business parties that Roamfree have got on board such as Hilton won't miss it - they might be disappointed it didn't work out, sure but they won't see so much as a scratch in their sales or market penetration over it.
So my question to pose is who WILL miss Roamfree.com?
Affiliates who enjoy a very generous commission rate would certainly miss Roamfree. And as for the team page disappearance being a bad sign, I'm not sure. Maybe it's a good sign, indicating a more low key approach in general. Time will tell...
What was there point of difference?
All I can see is a site with a poor UI, less hotels and pricing that is way below par.
How can you even think of launching something into a saturated market place that does a worse job than the leader.
oh wow they removed a link; maybe cause half the people on it are gone and they are re-designing the site... but hey lets speculate about mergers and company lay offs for the next 4 weeks.
Roam who......
Affiliates won't miss Roamfree. Try getting paid by them! The clowns were so hasty in their set up that they never got commission billing sorted out and apart from bookings made through their own technology where they are taking the consumers money they struggle to collect commission on any of the GDS bookings. Apparently a case of their finance department thought it was commercial's department and commercial thought it was finances!
Keeping a deservedly low profile...
Life & business is about failing and succeeding. Failure makes most of us much wiser and stronger. Tony is not a push over. I suspect he has learnt a lot and will most likely come back much stronger and wiser. I have more of an issue with all the lap dogs who followed him around like puppets just because they perceived him as wealthy. He relied on a lot of people to do the job they were given and be honest about it. Too many of those had no idea what they were doing and lied to him.
He openenly admitted around the office that he used the media to promote roamfree. Every article about his home mentions roamfree. Every postive article was timed and released by a publicist almost to the day. He wanted people to get the perception that roamfree was a successful company to attract customers and investors. Admittedly it back fired. I am not defending the man, just saying that I don't think this is the last of him (I think he will come back twice as strong, it's just the personality he is) and that there were a lot worse people at roamfree than him who had their heads so far up his (you know what) in the hope of getting a bigger piece of the pie without much effort or necessary knowledge. He made the critical error of picking and relying on the wrong people to deliver.
this blog is not the place to make personal comments about anyone. Please keep your comments to discussions of the industry, company performance and likely commercial activity. If you want a place to vent about people, set up a message board somewhere else. Comments criticising individuals under Anon headings will be deleted. Why? Because this blog is under my name and is for discussing an industry not an individual
Tim, I dont blame you for removing comments which could be defamatory - it is your site and your cash that people might target. But you have to apply an even hand - there's plenty of comments defending a certain individual that are being left up here while accusing others at Roamfree of being liars to that one individual.
If you feel you can't leave up the posts which are negative of the individual, you should lose the ones which are spinning the 'he'll be back' line and writing off unnamed people as liars/weak personalities - for example, everyone knows who the 1 June 03:34 comment is referring to.
A few weeks back when Roamfree made all those staff redundant the public explanation given by Mark Frawley to the media was that the 'building phase' was over and just like when you build buildings you get rid of the builders, that's what was happening at Roamfree and that it was all planned.
There is clearly a different picture emerging here now so there is a story in that. It also suggests that the phase Roamfree is now in is something other than consolidation. ? redesign
The last poster raised a number of valid points but it's important that the full story be told to get a balanced picture of the true state of affairs at Roamfree.
Some of my posts have been deleted but if I was to outline all that I know about the history of the individual/s that are allegedly being unfairly targeted then you would understand why certain matters are being raised.
Why does an individual who controls more than 50% of a particular company and drives the company as the CEO/Managing Director suddenly "quit" the company and take on a very low key profile out of the public eye and put himself in a position where he's not subject to public scrutiny or criticism??
Why does this happpen especially when the individual concerned has spent all of his business life using every available opportunity to enhance his public profile??
I know the answer to this question but if I posted it here then it might be considered defamatory so I'll let things take their natural course.
I'll tell you right now, this company is a basket case and will be dissolved within twelve months!!
He who lives by the sword dies by the sword and, really, this old saying couldn't be any more fitting.
i would give them 3 months
I would also give them only a few months and arent surprised to hear they might be trying to sell Travel Online and Tourism Tech. This is one footy team that couldn't kick goals...
Look at Alan Bond.....he bounced back from doom and gloom to be listed by BRW's as one of Australia's richest men. So you can never write a person off.
If you go through the GAS site and select "About Us", there is still bios on 4 "execs".
Boy, GAS must be on the backburner!!!
From the Roamfree Careers page - http://about.roamfree.com/roamfree-company-profile/roamfree-careers/
"Testimonials from our dedicated team:
* "I’m motivated to come to work because I know when I get there, I’m not just working with colleagues, I’m working with friends".
-- [Name removed from Blog post by the poster], Customer Service Representative
* "Working at Roamfree is an amazing opportunity to be part of something that has the potential to be a phenomenal success and feel like you are an integral part of the 'run-on' team".
-- [Name removed from Blog post by the poster], General Manager- roamfree.com "
I love how Roamfree still has a careers page up after they ditched all those staff. And the two staff they get 'testimonals' from were both among the ditched!! I wonder if they would still say the same thing about the place?
Many negative comments on here are valid and to a point I can understand the bitter sentiment but as has been said before, there are good, honest, hard-working people endeavouring to keep Roamfree afloat. Judging from some of the comments I read a disturbing 'willing to fail' mentality.
I was 'let go' just before Christmas - I only had a short time at Roamfree and it was all over the place in terms of direction and management. Serious troubles were suspected then but hindsight is proving everyone experts it appears.
I have friends and ex-colleagues still there, despite the troubles. Professional commitment and dedication in the face of such adversity shames some of the insults and comments on here.
Good luck to those Roamfreers still giving it a go.
If they were real friends of yours then you should advise them to jump from a sinking ship. The industry dislikes Roamfree for so many reasons which are all stated in the negative posts. I do not see a happy ending for anyone associated with the company. Your friends are wasting their time by staying and damaging their future job prospects.
its shrunk again....???
To all the Anons out there. I will continue to delete comments that are a personal attack on someone. Keep your comments to company activity and industry analysis. I sound like a broken record - but if you want to set up a message board I will provide a link
14/08/2007
Roamfree.com commits $20 million to set up an Aussie team for the Tour de France for 2009. It has been talked about for years, dreamt about for decades and now it is set to become reality.
It’s official - Australia is going to enter the Tour de France.
In a major sporting announcement, Australian online tourism company Roamfree.com has today committed $20 million to sponsor an Aussie team to compete in the 2009 Tour de France. Roamfree.com Managing Director and cycling fanatic Tony Smith says there has never been a better time to enter the race.
“Cadel Evans’ efforts in the recent Tour de France has been an inspiration to us all and put this great sport on the radar in Australia,” Mr Smith says. “The cycling world has been talking about this for years and now it’s finally about to happen.” To ensure the project is successful, Roamfree.com has established a company called Pro Cycling Australia to organise the massive task ahead.
Pro Cycling Australia CEO Dr Paul Varcoe says elite Australian cyclists including Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen, Michael Rogers and Stuart O’Grady are on record supporting the project. “This is something that Australian cyclists have wanted to see for a long time,” Dr Varcoe says. “We will be talking to all professional cyclists including Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen and Michael Rodgers who all want to be on the team.” Dr Varcoe says in order for this to become reality it is dependent on two things. “The Government has to contribute some funds and I want one more major corporate to sign on the dotted line,” Dr Varcoe says.
“For a sponsor, this is the most watched annual sporting event in the world, beamed to a television audience of more than four billion people. “It is a great opportunity for companies to get maximum coverage. There is no other event in the world that can compare to the coverage that the Tour de France gets every year.”
Now that Cadel Evans has finished second in the Tour De France for the second year in a row and really needs strong team support to go to the next step and win the event it must be now certain that Tony Smith's Roamfree will increase its sponsorship of Team Australia beyond $20M.
Yeah, sure, and pigs might fly ...
Can anybody give us an update on the Roamfree grand plan??
An update ....
Aussie Tour de France team not just dream
Herald Sun
Ron Reed
June 06, 2008 12:00am
SLOWLY but surely, the long-held dream of an Australian cycling team in the Tour de France is moving closer to reality.
In a major step forward this week, Cycling Australia confirmed that it had agreed to support a Melbourne-based syndicate that emerged earlier this year.
Known as Australian Road Cycling, the group hopes to have a Pro-Tour licence - a prerequisite to participate in the big European stage races such as "Le Tour" - by 2010, when Melbourne and Geelong will host the road racing world championships.
The first step has been to form a development squad, with seven young riders chosen to kickstart the project.
They would be named at a launch within a fortnight, ARC director Ben Fitzmaurice said yesterday.
Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis is expected to endorse the program, while the national and Victorian sports institutes will be involved.
VIS coach Dave Sanders has selected the young riders, all aged between 16 and 20.
Once the development squad is up and running, the next step will be a continental licence, which will allow the team to race in second-tier European events.
Fitzmaurice, a Melbourne barrister, said talks were under way with several senior riders who have expressed interest in joining the team once the Pro-Tour licence is acquired.
Two international sponsors - Malaysian sports drink company Rhino Two Horns and Singapore Airlines - will help fund the development squad. But to go all the way, ARC will need to find an estimated $20 million a year.
This still looms as a stumbling block, with big Australian companies reluctant to commit to the project so far.
Before ARC's formation was revealed exclusively in the Herald Sun in January, former Sydney Swans footballer Tony Smith announced that he would commit $20 million over five years through his online travel company Roamfree.com to pursue the same dream.
But he is believed to have struck financial problems that are likely to scuttle his bid.
Cycling Australia has always said that there was no room for two competing projects, and appears to have decided that only ARC is viable.
It has signed a memorandum of understanding, and chief executive Graham Fredericks says: "We've come to the agreement that we'll get a working group moving forward and we're happy to play a role in that.
"ARC has done it independently, but we all agree that if it's going to work we need to play, not so much a hands-on role, but steering them in the right direction.
"If it is to work, it needs to be integrated into national programs and the national pathways."
Fredericks said national high performance director Shayne Bannan would play a major role.
"Signing the MOU is a big move for us. It shows we have a strong relationship with Cycling Australia and that we are the preferred option," Fitzmaurice said.
Looks like Tony Smith's personal financial circumstances have adversely impacted on the Roamfree business contrary to earlier press statements made by Mark Frawley that they were separate issues!!
It was never going to happen even if Tony Smith didn't go broke, it was just his way of beating up some free publicity for Roamfree.
Anyway, let's hope that Team Australia gets off the ground with some real financial muscle next year so that an Australian can go all the way and take out the Tour De France!
Things have gone a bit quiet ...
What's going on at Roamfree these days?
I have heard nothing out of the ordinary
Have been unable to access the Roamfree website for the last few days.
Is it a maintenance problem being addressed whilst everybody is preoccupied with the Olympic Games?
For Roamfree's sake, I hope so.
I'm a long time affiliate of Roamfree and would like to say i've never had problems being paid ( someone mentioned this )
It's always converted fairly well, strong presence in QLD and SE-QLD which has been my focus.
Over the last months July - November I have seen a significant decline in hotels available to sell. In my opinion this is becoming a serious issue.
I work directly with dozens of hotels and know that many AP's hate roamfree for some reason. They cited high commissions and difficulty using the system as issues.
This seems to have spread by word of mouth and since July the decline has occured. Less AP's using resonline means less inventory for affiliates. Less inventory means less affiliates.
There has also been an explosion in commission free booking engines ( for the hotels official website ) and no matter what I say, they prefer these. Some of the booking engines function like crap, but the smaller AP's don't care as long as it's commission free.
Roamfree has attempted to address this by launching roamfree advanced but I dont think the response has been very good.
Roamfree advanced actually took away the feature for google adwords conversion tracking... which was one of the main reasons i recommended resonline to AP's.
so yeah, roamfrees furture is looking pretty bad.
Roam Free and the very special friendship group who supposedly work there seems to lie and cover up for each other. Real spineless people who enjoy seeing others get burnt. I hate roam free and hope it goes bust soon. They owe money for bookings and do not pay. Once you scream loud enough they send half the money. ROAM FREE WILL ROAM FREE WITH YOUR MONEY.
It is funny that simple people make simple comments about things they no nothing about!
Any truth that Roamfree has entered voluntary administration as of yesterday? I hear more staff were laid off...
@Anon
Yes to the first (administration) but no word on further staff reductions or on the full scope of RF businesses impacted
Post a Comment