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Do you have what it takes to be a Travel Professional?

2/12/2020

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Well, first let’s answer a few questions. How you answer these will give a pretty good indication of if this is the career for you.
Are you looking to be available for your traveling clients 24/7? 
Are you looking for something that you work hard at?  
Do you enjoy helping people?
Do you think that being a travel agent is super hard work?
Do you enjoy being on hold?
Do you enjoy working for free?
Do you believe in real customer service?
Do you look at this as a way to help people?
Are you looking for a rewarding career?
Are you willing to learn about various destinations?
Are you prepared to answer the question “why use a travel agent?” numerous times a day?
Are you willing to work long hours?
Have you used a Travel Agent for your own trips?
Do you look at being a travel agent as a way to get ‘free’ travel?
Are you looking for something that is a hobby?
Do you think being a travel agent is easy?
Do you look at this in terms of what can I get from it?
Are you looking for a part time job?
If you can answer the first section of questions with a resounding “YES”, then you might be the right candidate for the position.  However, if you answer the second set of questions with “Yes” then this is not the career for you.
Being a Travel Agent, Travel Professional, Travel Advisor, or what ever the current ‘in’ title is, is both a teaching and a customer service position.  And with those two jobs comes a lot of learning on your part.  It is not as simple as telling people what to pack, it is explaining different cultural views on some articles of clothing.  It is explaining the why’s of needing a passport book vs passport card; why’s of using a Travel Professional; why’s of getting to your cruise port a day early, and doing it multiple times (sometimes to the same client). It is knowing when you don’t have the answers to be able to advise a client on a particular destination, and when to hand it off to a more experienced agent.

It’s about researching a destination until it seems the information is coming out your ears, only to discover that your client has a simple question that you don’t know the answer to, and TELLING them that you will find the answer and get back to them!

It’s about customer service from the first call until after they are home.  It’s about making the client feel like they are your only concern for the day, even if you have multiple clients that you are talking to today.  It’s about letting your clients know that their trip ( wether it is an expensive bucket list trip, or a quick weekend trip) is more important to you than it is to them!

It’s also about knowing your worth.  No one wants to work for free, but sometimes it happens.  Setting those expectations to your prospective client prior to giving away free information is crucial.  

And yes, a good deal of geography knowledge is needed!  As well as a good sense of humor and tact.  (Explaining to a client why they cannot do a trip from Atlanta to Honolulu with 15 stops and layovers and still feel like seeing two islands in one day.  Or why they can’t drive from one island to another!)
If you think I was joking about those questions, then this would not be a career path for you!  If you think you have what it takes, then contact me and we can set up an interview.  Serious inquiries only!
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So, You Want to be a Travel Agent?

9/20/2018

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In my profession, there are always questions about how someone can get into the 'business' of Travel.  Some people think it is a glamourous job, and want to be a part of it.  I'm very glad that I am able to make it look glamourous and easy, but actually neither are true!

It is long hours, tedious details, long times on hold, and lots of work!  But the rewards are wonderful!  I love what I do!  I get to hep people live their dream getaway!  Sometimes it is Disney, a cruise, Universal, or something completely different.  Sometimes the money is fair, but rarely is it the reason I do it!  First of all, you have to love helping people.  Simple.  
I want to start by answering a few questions.  Please ask if you have any additional questions.

What does it take to be a good Travel Professional?
Foremost - a desire to help people.  A love of travel  A self motivating attitude.  Ability to see the joy of planning a trip.
What equipment do I need?
A computer with a good internet connection.  A separate phone line, and ideally a separate office space away from noise and distractions.
What can I expect when I respond to an ad about becoming a Travel Professional?
What should I look for when I’m looking for an agency?  Where do I start?
This is a very complicated, yet basic, question.  You’ve no doubt seen the ads for ‘work at home and get free travel”.  I have never met anyone who gets ‘free’ travel or who make $2500 a week when they start!  If you see these types of things, run as fast as you can from them.  They are either sugar coating it to get ‘bodies’ signed up, or are out right schemes  

There, I’ve said it.  Schemes!  Unfortunately, in the travel business, MLMs are very rampant.  An MLM is simple a Multi Level Marketing Scheme.  The money is not in selling a product, in this case travel, but in signing people up for membership in a travel club. In order to get ‘free’ travel, you have to sign up ‘x’ members into your club.  They use promises, half truths and downright lies to get you in!

If you are truly interested in a career as a Travel Professional, then first you need to know that it is hard work.  Not always glamorous.  You don’t see the money until AFTER your client travels.  And there are no free lunches, or in this case ‘free’ travel.
I know a lot of people go into the MLMs thinking it sounds legit and really wanting a career in travel.  They are disheartened quickly when they discover that they are not taken seriously by the travel industry as a whole, and are basically shunned by Professional Travel Agents.   Do a bit of research before you join any organization.  Ask questions.  Make sure you know what you are getting into.  Don’t decide and sign up in the same day!

There are basically two ways to be a legitimate Travel Professional.  Either go out on your own and open your own agency without any knowledge, support or resources (translation, expensive and hard if you are not already in the travel business) or to join an established agency or host agency.  The main difference between these two options has to do with size and organization.
Let’s start with a Host agency.  Host agencies are large travel agencies that may or may not be actually selling on their own.  They can have hundreds of independent contractors working under them.  Almost all require a start up fee or a monthly fee. In exchange for this fee you get the ability to book travel under their industry IDs.  Some other benefits can be a CRM (Customer Resource Manager), intranet, training, email, and back office support.

They have strength in numbers!  Hundreds of agents booking with a specific supplier can put them in a position to negotiate higher commissions on those bookings.  In return the hosts give these suppliers Preferred status and prefer that you book with them. It is in your best interest to book those preferred suppliers because your bottom line is directly affected.

This is also one of their downfalls.  You never get a chance to know your direct representative with the supplier.  Why is this important?  Let’s say supplier A has a training session in your town.  It is by invitation only.  Your direct representative is based in a different state.  Not the one putting on the training.  There is no incentive for the one doing the training to invite you.  Let’s say you have an issue  with Supplier A.  You have no rapport with your direct representative, and in most cases they don’t know who you are.  Many times, hosts do not want you to contact the direct representative, instead preferring you go through them.  This makes the host agencies customer support EXTREMELY important.
Most of the training you will take is self guided and done on the supplier’s website.  A host agency may offer some one on one training, but it is primarily on their private systems.  Some hosts offer sales training (that could be expensive on your own) and some hosts offer basic newbie training (which could be invaluable!)

With some hosts, you have your own business, your own business name and can even hire your own subagents to work underneath you.  Each host operates a bit differently in this respect.  Some cover you under their E&O Insurance (Errors and Omissions), some require that you have your own.  Some will cover you under their various state SOT licences (Seller of Travel), but most hosts will tell you that you have limited coverage under theirs and need to get your own as an agent.  Whatever they tell you, make sure you do your own independent research on these two items.  These SOT laws change frequently on a state by state basis, and ultimately you are responsible for the hefty fines not your host!
That is enough for part 1.  Stay tuned for another part next Thursday where we will take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of working with a smaller established agency.  In the meantime, check out this site to join our team!
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    Most of the content is written by people at JMorris Travel.  Every once in a while we will have a guest blogger, usually it is part of our 'family'.Always with a nod to Family Travel!

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