This is a topic that should not be taken lightly for any new home based travel agent. Choosing a good host - and one that fits your needs - can be the key to success in your business.
First - why do you need a host? Not all home based agents use a host agency. Hosts give agents access to preferred suppliers with better commission rates because the host is the producing agency and more production with a supplier means better commissions for everyone affiliated with the host. Many hosts offer training, new agent programs, community boards for discussions Q/A, group cruise space and amenities and a lot of other tools for building your business.
Most home based agents choose one host to work with while others contract with multiple hosts. Your contract with your host will likely not be exclusive, so if one host offers high commissions on some suppliers and another host offers high commissions on other suppliers - and you will regularly use the preferred suppliers from both, consider joining more than one host. Also look at the consortiums (which also offer good preferred supplier commissions) that the host(s) are affiliated with. Vacation.com and the NEST are examples of consortia. My personal recommendation is to choose one host to work with while you are getting your business off the ground. After you have some experience, re-evaluate your host relationship and make a change if needed, add another host, or stay with your original choice.
How do you select a host agency? The first thing to look into is whether or not the host is reputable. My recommendation is to look at the list of host agencies on OSSN, then read through some postings on http://www.hbtacommunity.com/ (great site for lots of info, by the way) and see what others are saying about the different hosts. Be wary of agents trying to recruit more agents rather than actually selling the travel. There are a few 'hosts' out there that may be considered multi level marketing (pyramid schemes) and don't necessarily have our travel clients in their best interest.
Next, figure out what is important to you. Do you need to learn the business from the ground up? Do you just need access to some preferred suppliers? Do you need GDS access? Is a one-person staff what you are looking for or do you want a larger host with several departments running it? How many active agents are working with the host - does it matter to you? Is there an annual fee or a monthly fee? What is the commission split? What kinds of fees and penalties might be incurred? Then do your research - go to the hosts' websites and answer the questions. Talk to some agents who are signed up with the hosts on your list. It's easy to find those agents on the HBTA Community site I mentioned above.
Once you narrow it down to a couple of hosts, make a decision. You might want to have your lawyer review the contract to be sure it fits your needs and there are no surprises. Then make your choice and join.
Remember, if you do your homework you will likely find a good host for you. If you find that you've made the wrong decision, you can always either wait until your contract is up and sign on with another host, or don't wait for your contract to be up - just sign on with another host that will better serve your needs.
My host agency is Nexion and I am very happy with them! I did my research before joining and am so glad I did!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Trade Magazines and Publications
There's more information on travel out there than I ever thought possible. As I started my business, I subscribed to a few print publications and several e-mail newsletters. I also found some RSS feeds that I added to my google home page and onto my browser. Suppliers, of course, send a lot of e-mails as well. It soon became a little overwhelming and I had to figure out what to do with it all.
Print publications: I like to get printed magazines because I just don't want to be on the computer 24/7. However, I quickly realized that one or two a month was plenty and the rest could be done via e-mail. Travel Weekly and Travel Trade are available in both print and e-mail versions. The print versions usually have about the same news and articles that I already read in e-mail, so I will be cancelling the delivery of the printed copies. I do like the Agent@Home and VacationAgent magazines as well as some of the consumer magazines like Budget Travel, so I'll keep those coming.
E-mails: I glance through most of my news and promotions e-mails - just to find aything newsworthy that I need to know about (defunct suppliers, great sales, new ships, etc). I save copies of good articles (print them to pdf and file on hard drive) so I can read them later when I have time. Then I delete the original e-mail to make room for more. I find if I let them accumulate in my inbox, I feel overwhelmed. At some point, I just delete them and move on. It's really important to keep up with all of the news and happenings, but at some point you need to decide if it makes sense to have the e-mails sent to you (sometimes I get 4 or 5 e-mails in a day with the same news on each one) or does it make more sense for you to visit a few key websites at a certain point in the day to catch up on the news and specials? Time management is certainly key here. After all, you should be focusing on selling travel. Reading e-mails is not selling travel.
One challenge I have with all of this is trying to retain the information. How do you remember who was having the big sale and for which dates, or where you read about a great new technology that you wanted to look into later. I think as I continue to develop my niche and narrow down the suppliers I work with, this task will become more manageable. I look forward to hearing from the travel community on their experiences with managing all of this.
Print publications: I like to get printed magazines because I just don't want to be on the computer 24/7. However, I quickly realized that one or two a month was plenty and the rest could be done via e-mail. Travel Weekly and Travel Trade are available in both print and e-mail versions. The print versions usually have about the same news and articles that I already read in e-mail, so I will be cancelling the delivery of the printed copies. I do like the Agent@Home and VacationAgent magazines as well as some of the consumer magazines like Budget Travel, so I'll keep those coming.
E-mails: I glance through most of my news and promotions e-mails - just to find aything newsworthy that I need to know about (defunct suppliers, great sales, new ships, etc). I save copies of good articles (print them to pdf and file on hard drive) so I can read them later when I have time. Then I delete the original e-mail to make room for more. I find if I let them accumulate in my inbox, I feel overwhelmed. At some point, I just delete them and move on. It's really important to keep up with all of the news and happenings, but at some point you need to decide if it makes sense to have the e-mails sent to you (sometimes I get 4 or 5 e-mails in a day with the same news on each one) or does it make more sense for you to visit a few key websites at a certain point in the day to catch up on the news and specials? Time management is certainly key here. After all, you should be focusing on selling travel. Reading e-mails is not selling travel.
One challenge I have with all of this is trying to retain the information. How do you remember who was having the big sale and for which dates, or where you read about a great new technology that you wanted to look into later. I think as I continue to develop my niche and narrow down the suppliers I work with, this task will become more manageable. I look forward to hearing from the travel community on their experiences with managing all of this.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Project Management for Vacation Planning - part 1
I am a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) which serves me well in my "other" career. I've found that vacation planning and consulting is a project I need to manage for each of my clients. In my Project Mgmt (PM) studies I've learned the five process groups defined in the PM Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). These process groups are used in each project and it is up to the Project Manager to control the emphasis on each process group. In this posting, I will describe each briefly. In future postings, I will elaborate on each process group and apply it to travel planning. As I get into the details of each, I might change where I have some of my tasks/comments in the paragraphs below. We'll see how it plays out as I work through my own project plan.
Initiating > Planning <-> Executing <-> Monitoring/Controlling > Closing
Initiating - A client contacts you with a request for information. Or, you initiate a conversation with a suspect and find that the person is interested in traveling in the near future. You make your initial contacts with the person to qualify them for the vacation of their dreams. This is where you find out all of the information about the prospect in order to make your recommendations at a later time.
Planning - You can't just book a trip without going through the planning phase. Planning includes defining the scope - where do they want to go, for how long, how many people, which dates, what is the budget, what activities do they want to do, etc, etc. Offer a couple of itineraries to choose from, sell the travel insurance and optional tours. Create a checklist.
Executing - It's time to execute the plan - make the booking! Be sure the paperwork is in order and payment terms are confirmed. Use the checklist made during planning. Send VIP letters to the resort, if applicable. Send thank you notes to your clients.
Monitoring and Controlling - Be sure payments are being made according to the plan. Verify airline schedules periodically. Be sure the checklist is being completed. Follow up on client questions and concerns.
Closing - After your client has gone on the trip, follow up with a welcome home note and ask for referrals. Ask for a written recommendation that you can post on your website. Receive commission for your booking (or follow up with the supplier).
Initiating > Planning <-> Executing <-> Monitoring/Controlling > Closing
Initiating - A client contacts you with a request for information. Or, you initiate a conversation with a suspect and find that the person is interested in traveling in the near future. You make your initial contacts with the person to qualify them for the vacation of their dreams. This is where you find out all of the information about the prospect in order to make your recommendations at a later time.
Planning - You can't just book a trip without going through the planning phase. Planning includes defining the scope - where do they want to go, for how long, how many people, which dates, what is the budget, what activities do they want to do, etc, etc. Offer a couple of itineraries to choose from, sell the travel insurance and optional tours. Create a checklist.
Executing - It's time to execute the plan - make the booking! Be sure the paperwork is in order and payment terms are confirmed. Use the checklist made during planning. Send VIP letters to the resort, if applicable. Send thank you notes to your clients.
Monitoring and Controlling - Be sure payments are being made according to the plan. Verify airline schedules periodically. Be sure the checklist is being completed. Follow up on client questions and concerns.
Closing - After your client has gone on the trip, follow up with a welcome home note and ask for referrals. Ask for a written recommendation that you can post on your website. Receive commission for your booking (or follow up with the supplier).
Monday, December 15, 2008
Learn from other homebased agents
We can't all be experts in everything, right? As I delve into the travel business I am enlightened by all of the amazing vacation opportunities in this large world. I never knew all of the tour companies and vacation ideas that were out there and to tell you the truth I find it a little overwhelming. The travel experts tell us to develop a niche and become the best at selling that area - don't know a little about a lot - know a lot about your niche and you will be a success. I agree with that. The problem I have is deciding what I want to sell. It's all so wonderful! Ok - niches are a whole other topic.
My point is that many agents have developed a niche, or have great experience in certain topics. If you are presented with a challenge by a prospect and you aren't familiar or an expert on the topic, turn to your peers. This is NOT to say that you shouldn't do your own homework, research and training on the topic, but once you have done some research, ask other agents their opinions, or to share their experiences.
The social networking sites (hbtacommunity.com and Nexion Town (for Nexionites), for example) allow this kind of interaction with other travel agents. I've found these sites and the people on them invaluable for growing my business and providing good information to my prospects and clients. Be sure to help other agents on topics you are more familiar with, too. I can say that I've seen some very successful agents sharing tips and trade secrets with other agents. We are all here to help each other succeed and make a great name for travel agents and vacationing as a whole.
A word to the wise as you get involved with these online communities - while they are a wonderful source of knowledge and collaboration, they can also be great time wasters. Be sure to monitor your usage on them. In the end, you should be focusing your time on selling travel.
My point is that many agents have developed a niche, or have great experience in certain topics. If you are presented with a challenge by a prospect and you aren't familiar or an expert on the topic, turn to your peers. This is NOT to say that you shouldn't do your own homework, research and training on the topic, but once you have done some research, ask other agents their opinions, or to share their experiences.
The social networking sites (hbtacommunity.com and Nexion Town (for Nexionites), for example) allow this kind of interaction with other travel agents. I've found these sites and the people on them invaluable for growing my business and providing good information to my prospects and clients. Be sure to help other agents on topics you are more familiar with, too. I can say that I've seen some very successful agents sharing tips and trade secrets with other agents. We are all here to help each other succeed and make a great name for travel agents and vacationing as a whole.
A word to the wise as you get involved with these online communities - while they are a wonderful source of knowledge and collaboration, they can also be great time wasters. Be sure to monitor your usage on them. In the end, you should be focusing your time on selling travel.
Monday, December 8, 2008
My journey into the travel business
I am a certified Project Manager (a PMP) with a computer software company. I have always been interested in travel and with my planning and management experience, I've found my dream career - helping others plan their vacations! In December and early January of 2008 I made up my mind to dive into the business of travel consulting. I researched what it would take to make this leap and found there is little or no actual schooling necessary (I was ready to go back to school part-time to realize my dream). I had to get a few things in order and do a little planning, then dive right in.
First I wanted to come up with a name for my new business. I thought long and hard on this and in the end all I could come up with was Dragonfly Trips. I actually came up with a whole lot of other options, but when I googled them, they were all taken. Realizing that my name doesn't really spark a lot of interest in my product (like cheapcaribbean.com does), I knew I would have to work hard at branding my business. I found a logo design company and worked with them to design my logo, stationery and business cards - and I was on my way!
I read about host agencies and all kinds of travel organizations: ASTA, NACTA, OSSN, CLIA, etc, etc. I have to admit it was a bit confusing and a lot overwhelming trying to figure out what I should be a part of and what I didn't - or could wait until later. I read up on some host agencies and finally decided on one in March. My host provided tools to book with their preferred suppliers using their IATA number. Now I was able to sell travel and could be considered a real travel professional.
I felt a little funny about it at first as I had no formal training and really didn't have the support network I thought I should have to get started. My host agency was there to assist me if I had questions, but I had jumped in with both feet. One of my major concerns was being viewed by my peers, my clients, and my suppliers as a true travel professional and not someone just off the street who does this for the wrong reasons (you know who you are). I was, and still am, bound and determined to prove myself as a true professional.
I bought books to read, attended seminars and courses online to learn everything I could about the business. It's an ever changing business with so much to learn.
The other thing I did right off the bat was to develop my website. Mine, www.dragonflytrips.com, is through Online Agency, which I am very happy with. There are other providers who specialize in travel related sites as well. I don't expect to make my millions competing with Expedia. My website is another branding method and provides my clients a place to go to look for travel deals and other travel related information. I continue to update this on a regular basis.
In the last year, I have learned a whole lot about this business, but I still have a long way to go. I have joined a new host agency and a couple of trade organizations (CLIA and OSSN) and I now have the support and all of the information and tools at my fingertips to be successful. I will continue my learning process as I develop my business. I have done fairly well as I build it and I think it's really getting ready to take off.
First I wanted to come up with a name for my new business. I thought long and hard on this and in the end all I could come up with was Dragonfly Trips. I actually came up with a whole lot of other options, but when I googled them, they were all taken. Realizing that my name doesn't really spark a lot of interest in my product (like cheapcaribbean.com does), I knew I would have to work hard at branding my business. I found a logo design company and worked with them to design my logo, stationery and business cards - and I was on my way!
I read about host agencies and all kinds of travel organizations: ASTA, NACTA, OSSN, CLIA, etc, etc. I have to admit it was a bit confusing and a lot overwhelming trying to figure out what I should be a part of and what I didn't - or could wait until later. I read up on some host agencies and finally decided on one in March. My host provided tools to book with their preferred suppliers using their IATA number. Now I was able to sell travel and could be considered a real travel professional.
I felt a little funny about it at first as I had no formal training and really didn't have the support network I thought I should have to get started. My host agency was there to assist me if I had questions, but I had jumped in with both feet. One of my major concerns was being viewed by my peers, my clients, and my suppliers as a true travel professional and not someone just off the street who does this for the wrong reasons (you know who you are). I was, and still am, bound and determined to prove myself as a true professional.
I bought books to read, attended seminars and courses online to learn everything I could about the business. It's an ever changing business with so much to learn.
The other thing I did right off the bat was to develop my website. Mine, www.dragonflytrips.com, is through Online Agency, which I am very happy with. There are other providers who specialize in travel related sites as well. I don't expect to make my millions competing with Expedia. My website is another branding method and provides my clients a place to go to look for travel deals and other travel related information. I continue to update this on a regular basis.
In the last year, I have learned a whole lot about this business, but I still have a long way to go. I have joined a new host agency and a couple of trade organizations (CLIA and OSSN) and I now have the support and all of the information and tools at my fingertips to be successful. I will continue my learning process as I develop my business. I have done fairly well as I build it and I think it's really getting ready to take off.
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