Educating The Next Travel Agent Generation
by Richard D’Ambrosio /Lisa Fletcher has seen her industry and her profession change dramatically in the 30-plus years she has worked in the industry, including the last six owning her own travel agency.
Today’s travel consumer doesn’t need a traditional travel “agent.” What they crave is a true travel “expert” who can help them navigate the crazy world of the internet and online booking engines by providing excellent product knowledge and crazy good customer service the whole way through the inquiry/booking/travel/follow-up process. The best way to claim expert status in this industry is to choose a niche or specialty that reflects the travel professional’s passion and knowledge. And that doesn’t mean you have to focus on only one destination, or know everything about your “specialty.” Once you figure out your own “brilliance,” it is much easier to identify who needs that…and your target market becomes more clear. And that makes marketing and advertising so much more magnetic and efficient. I think the biggest focus for new agents (once their business marketing foundations and branding are defined) needs to be list building first…and consistent relationship building second. You can have all the product knowledge in the world, but if you have no prospects or clients to sell to, it does you absolutely no good!
I think the #1 important soft skill is the ability to be a Great Communicator…and it’s more important to be a good listener than a good speaker. Really listening to a client’s likes, dislikes and travel dreams can make the difference between delivering a so-so vacation and a knock-their-socks-off travel adventure. #2 on the list is probably Adaptability. This crazy industry that we all love is constantly changing and we need to be able to keep up with the times. Just think about all the road bumps in the past year – Zika, political unrest, terrorism, AirBnB, airline and other travel company mergers and acquisitions. We have to stay informed and on top of things to make sure our clients are receiving the best possible service and that our business is continuing to move forward and not becoming stagnant. I would give the #3 soft skill slot to Organizational skills. Seriously, the ability to establish great Time Management policies is vital in an industry where multi-tasking is always required. Establishing (and continuously tweaking) an organized calendar that allots the right amount of time to marketing, list building, client care, education, back office needs and, of course, personal time so your home, health and family life don’t suffer is absolutely necessary for long term success.
Boy, that is a tough one to narrow down to one person. I’m going to cheat and choose the three amazing women who envisioned and created GIFTE and the Gifted Travel Network – Meredith Hill, Vanessa McGovern and Jennifer Cochrane. They each have totally different skill sets, approaches and knowledge, but they have proven to me that together, we can do anything we have the passion for and that it doesn’t even have to be that hard! Sure, you need to have a vision and take the necessary steps to make things happen, but when we are in complete alignment with our purpose, we can make decisions from a place of inspiration and not desperation. Your career should be exciting, challenging and fun. I’m sure many of your readers hear co-workers complaining constantly about nightmare clients, price matching, long hold times and lack of ideal clients….stop it! We are fortunate to work in the best industry in the world and we all need to recognize that and enjoy ourselves….Wear the sparkly shoes!