Agents Frustrated With Supplier Limits on BDMs
by Harvey Chipkin /This is Part 2 in a series on supplier BDMs.
Retail travel professionals see supplier reps and business development managers as essential to doing business but they also see growing obstacles to truly productive agent-BDM relationships.
Sometimes the barriers to fruitful agent-BDM relationships are the fault of the BDMs themselves, but frequently they are the fault of the suppliers they represent, agents told Travel Market Report.
And sometimes, yes, it could be the agent who is at fault, because of a misunderstanding of the BDM’s role.
BDMs: 3 buckets
“You can put BDMs in three buckets,” said Andi McClure-Mysza, president of MTravel, the host agency division of Montrose Travel, an Ensemble agency.
“One, those who are self-motivators, who take initiatives and make things happen regardless; two, the opposite, who don’t get it and might just be bad hires; and three, those handcuffed by their companies whose polices render them somewhat useless.”
Handcuffed by employers?
Supplier policies have tightened over the last 10 years, giving many BDMs less leeway to respond to agents, McClure-Mysza said.
“A lot of times the company doesn’t allow them to do the things necessary to be effective to help build business mutually. They become the proverbial donut passer-outer.”
She gave this example: “A rep promised on two calls, both recorded, something that would be included in a package. The supplier refused to honor that promise and wanted Montrose to go to the customer and give them the news.
“That might not be the BDM’s fault, but it does show what they’re up against and how it impacts us.”
BDMs have less power
Often the customer service department has a bigger say than the BDM, according to McClure-Mysza. “We hate to go around BDMs, but sometimes we have to,” she said.
Scott Kertes, president of Hartford Holidays in Garden City, N.Y. identified the same issue. “The [BDM] position has changed, so that in many cases these people have less power and are frequently the lowest on the food train.”
Kertes said that decades ago “the BDM was the direct connection to our profitability, helping us negotiate deals with the lines. We now do that negotiating with higher-ups.”
So while today’s BDMs are often more professional than they used to be – better trained and more sophisticated – company policies can negate those skills, agents said.
Lack of knowledge
Sometimes supplier reps simply don’t know their way around their own company’s processes or who to contact when a problem arises, said McClure-Mysza.
She gave another example: “We had a customer at a car rental desk with a problem about a reservation. We contacted the BDM and then a superior – with no result. Then one of our agents simply called their reservation number and solved the problem instantly.
“We have found that it might be better when BDMs [have experience] inside the company, before they go out into the field, because they know how things work,” McClure-Mysza said.
Other problems
Agents also complained of lack of attention from BDMS, citing several factors – reps’ increasingly large territories, high staff turnover and a practice among some reps of only visiting agents who are big producers.
Kertes has found staff turnover to be an issue. “Business is about relationships, and if there’s a new person every six months you can’t develop those relationships. Some companies are worse than others,” said Kertes, whose agency is a member of Ensemble.
Agency owner Colleen Gillette is vexed by reps who only spend time with agents who are already productive.
“If you decide to focus on something new, you really have to work to get their attention and establish a connection. Otherwise, you will probably not hear from them,” said Gillette of New Paltz Travel, a TRAVELSAVERS member in New Paltz, N.Y.
Basic standards for BDMs
There are basic standards agents believe BDMs should follow – like making appointments, rather than simply dropping by; doing more than merely provide information that can be found online, and being responsive when problems arise.
“They come in, blurt out their agenda and leave,” said Angela Novelo, director of sales and marketing at Breton Travel in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Supplier reps need to have an understanding of their agency customers, she said. “The BDMs who miss the boat are the ones who don’t listen or try to learn our business model. If they don’t ask the right questions, how are they going to know how to help us?” Novelo asked.
Many reps fail to follow up, Novelo added. “They create some excitement, make promises and then you don’t hear from them again until they either need something or it’s time for their sales call rotation.”
McClure-Mysza said her pet peeve is “response time – or lack thereof. We need to get called back sooner than five days, especially if we have a customer problem. “
Larger territories
One factor behind some issues agents are encountering are cuts by suppliers in BDM staffing, creating larger territories for those who remain.
“There are several mainstream cruise lines that have decided to consolidate territories and reduce the number of salespeople in the field, making the territories larger,” said Kertes. “As a result I don’t get to see them as often.”
Gillette too has seen the size of supplier rep territories expand. “They simply don’t have time to see you,” she said.
Pick up the phone
In business for 35 years, Gillette said reps used to come to the office every six to eight weeks but now tend to communicate electronically.
“Too many rely on email along to get their message across. Picking up the phone once in a while is good thing.”
Even when communications are electronic, it helps if it’s personal, said Gillette, “I far prefer a personal email or phone call than a company email blitz of some kind where everybody is getting the same message.”
Next time: How to maximize your BDM relationship