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From the Bench
BENCHMARK'S ADVISORY SERVICE for TRAVEL & TOURISM ASSOCIATES WHAT IT ISIt is the provision of an array of legal services to members by a lawyer well Versed in travel matters It is a legal service that is accessible to members (especially when urgent Problems arise) 18 hours per day/7 days a week/365 It ensures legal compliance & peace of mind
BENEFITSAll members will have quick and ready access to a lawyer who is not only familiar with the travel & tourism industry, but also one who is part of the ‘ASATA, SATSA, FGASA & SAACI families’ and familiar with their ‘workings’.
Adv. Louis Nel works closely with members of the ASATA, SATSA & FGASA boards on all legal matters, which means joint (and consistent) decision making and it ensures that the board at all times has its finger on all legal matters within their organisations.
Discounts for documentation specialy prepared for the industry (e.g. booking forms, st&c, indemnity, credit application, credit card authorisation form, loyalty contract, privacy policy, travel policy, travel management agreement, sla) [see below]
SERVICES DRAFTING OF AGREEMENTS E.G. Travel management agreements Service level agreements Travel policy Parnership & shareholder agreements Purchase & sale of business agreements
DRAFTING & REVISION OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION Done in such a way that you retain the client Avoiding litigation at all costs Strive at all times for ‘win-win’ solutions
LEGAL AUDIT Assessment of risk within your business All supplier agreements reviewed All equipment agreements reviewed Analysis of document flow Assess e-mail structure & usage Assess website suitability Insurance cover & needs Statutory compliance Corporate governance compliance
STAFF TRAINING Principles of law of contract as applicable to travel. Brief overview of trading conditions Case studies How to deal with credit application forms. How to deal with bad debts cost effectively Credit cards Travel policy Service level agreements Travel management agreements How to ‘cover your company’ in dealing with ‘one off’ & cash customers
WHY IT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED It gives members ready, easy access to a lawyer well versed in travel matters Almost 24 hours per day Legal crises can be dealt with swiftlly & effectively Costly litigation can be avoided or dealt with more effectively Customers can be kept happy & retained Compliance with legal & statutory requirements is ensured It means that legal issues within SATSA will be dealt with in a consistent and on a pro-active basis Standard documents required by SATSA members will be prepared & made available at very reasonable prices Training & updates on legal matters will be provided regularly & on a pro-active basis It will result in a more professional industry It frees members up to focus on their bottom line Case law impacting on business will be implemented
HOW DO YOU BECOME A MEMBER SIGN ONE OF THREE CONTRACTS: - R4 800 a year ensures that you get one hour's legal advice per month for R400 (additional hours R900,00 per hour)
- R2 400 a year ensures that you get half an hour's legal advice per month for R200 (additional hours R1 100,00 per hour)
- You can purchase 3 (R1250/hour), 6 (R1150/hour) or 9 (R1000,00/hour) hours of legal advice to use if & when required
SOME OF BENCHMARKS CLIENTS ASSOCIATIONS & CONSORTIA: SATSA, ASATA, SAACI, FGASA, Club Travel, eTravel, HWTSA, Rennies Travel, SATC, StaTravel, Sure Travel & Tours, Thompsons Travel & Tours, Travel Counsellors, Uniglobe INDIVIDUAL COMPANIES: African Dream Holidays, African Safaris Unlimited, Backpackers Ritz, Creative Incentives, Dragonfly, Edusport, Executive Sport & Travel, Fancourt, Haywards’ Safaris, Impact Incentives, JMT Tours, Motswari, Sabi Sabi, SAMA Tours, Sandown Travel, ScanAfrica Tours, Travelstart & Wild Frontiers
A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCATE LOUIS NELLouis Nel studied at the universities of Stellenbosch, UCT, Wits, Tulane (New Orleans) and London. He holds the degrees B. Comm, Ll.B and Ll.M, completed the Wits EDP and Executive Negotiator Course, holds diplomas in Marketing and IR and is an admitted attorney and advocate. After practising for a couple of years in the Cape and studying overseas (USA & UK), he joined Rennies in Johannesburg in 1982 in the capacity as Group Legal Advisor for 15 years, gaining a broad range of experience in travel, road transport, air and sea freight, security, information technology, intellectual property, warehousing, container movement & storage, logistics, courier services and trade in the rest of Africa. He left Rennies December 1997 to set up his own legal consultancy. His particular niche is the travel industry. He acts for the various travel companies within the Bidfin Group e.g. Rennies Travel, Harvey World Travel, Concorde and Connex, as well as Club Travel, members of the Sure Travel Group, S A Travel Centre, World Choice, E-Travel, Uniglobe as well ASATA, SATSA, SAACI, FGASA and its members. It is with this target market in mind that he has developed his Legal Audit product. Advocate Louis Nel is a regular contributor to Travel News Weekly, BTN, TIR, ‘Tattler’, ‘Field News’, ‘Anytime’, SATIB Newsletter and conducts countrywide roadshows annually with ASATA and its members discussing issues such as risk management, statutory changes and challenges in the travel industry. He has also recently started independently conducting ‘brainstorming’ sessions. Louis Nel is eminently qualified to advise the travel and tourism industry and SMME’s from a legal perspective for the following reasons: He has been involved on the legal side of the travel and clearing and forwarding industry since 1982. He advises the whole spectrum of the travel industry, i.e. retailers, wholesalers, tour operators, incentive groups, incoming and outgoing tour operators and game lodge managers. He works hand-in-hand with ASATA, SATSA & FGASA in resolving industry issues, setting up structures, resolving complaints, assisting in dealings with IATA, SAA, other carriers and service providers. A very quick ‘turn-around time’ in responding to requests for legal advice, combined with a willingness to make adjustments to suit the client. A fee structure that is not only very extremely competitive, but also that offers a unique contractual arrangement for the travel industry (‘The SATSA Legal Advice Club’) and SMME’s, which enables clients to resolve everyday minor legal issues on a cost effective basis. He is a member of IFTTA (‘the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates‘) and presented a paper at their 2003 conference in Monte Carlo. This means he will stay abreast of developments on the international scene regarding travel, such as the EC regulations.
He is married to Sue; they have four children and live in Bryanston.
Louis is still a very active athlete competing in track events (400m & 400m Hurdles), swimming, cricket, squash, tennis and karate. He is an avid reader (When on holiday!), gardener, birder, nature & wine lover and writes poetry in his spare time. DOWNLOADS CONTACT: PHONE: +27 11 463-4556
FAX: +27 11 463-4557
MOBILE: +27 83 679-4556
EMAIL: louis.nel@corporateoptions.co.za © COPYRIGHT ADV LOUIS NEL
BENCHMARK JANUARY 2010
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