Police Officers Build Agency Based on Generosity
by Judy Jacobs /With a business model based on generosity, and client base that consists heavily of police officers and fire fighters and their families and friends Thin Blue Line Travel of Mt. Airy, Md., is not your typical travel agency.
Founded early last year by David and Maryann Magnelli, a married couple who are both police officers – he a corporal and she a sergeant – the agency is a second job for both of them.
Maryann began booking travel part time for friends eight or nine years ago, but never really considered doing it professionally. She fell into it rather serendipitously.
Finding deals for friends
“I was always looking for deals for my friends, just for fun. One group of friends goes to Aruba every year, and I found a deal for them that was better than their travel agent had found,” Maryann said.
She had called the hotel in Aruba to find a better rate, and did the same the next year and the year after that. “The lady on the other end [at the hotel] remembered me and said, ‘You need to become a travel agent, because we could pay you and you’d make a lot of money.’”
So that’s exactly what she did.
Honoring their profession
After working as an independent contractor for a travel agency for two or three years, Maryann felt she could do better on her own.
She opened Thin Blue Line Travel, her home-based agency, in early 2013 with her husband, David, naming it in honor of the profession they have both engaged in for the 15 years.
Because the Magnellis are both full-time police officers and have two young children – ages four and nine months – they run their travel agency business in the evenings and on the weekends.
They sell mainly cruises and vacation packages to the Caribbean.
Sharing their earnings
The agency donates part of its commissions to causes.
“We feel that it’s important to give back,” said David. “Ten percent of our commission goes to a charity of our choice, unless the client has something they’re really passionate about.
“If they’re in Maryland, we give it to the Maryland Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S., an organization that helps families who have lost a police officer family member in the line of duty). If the client is in another state, we give it to the national organization.”
The couple is also generous with its clients. Depending on how much they make on a booking, they will present clients with a gift card, bottle of wine for the client’s hotel room or cruise cabin, an onboard credit or even cash.
“With every booking we try to give something back, to make it more memorable,” said Maryann.
Getting known
Although most of their business currently comes from word-of-mouth referrals, they plan to create a Facebook page and contact police agencies across the nation to let them know about their agency.
They’ve test-run advertising in various places, including in the L.A. Police Department’s union magazine, and have picked up a few clients as a result.
Skills transfer
What have they learned from being police officers that makes them better travel agents?
“How to deal with people effectively. People like to hear it like it is. They don’t want the fluff. Can I afford it or can’t I? What are my options?” said Maryann.
“The same thing happens with police work. You need to be honest with people. You need to be upfront.”