Personally I have never liked the term "Home Based Agent".  I think it makes us sound second rate. Like we are working out of the trunk of our car.  I have advocated the term "Virtual Travel Agent".  I work from home, I work from a cafe`, I often work at my clients home, or their office. I work where there is a computer connection.  There is no need to identify where I am working.  Our clients like Us because we are so accessible and they get to talk to the same person everytime, unlike ANY "OTA"  when you NEVER get to talk to a real human being, even in case of emergency.  We have gotten MANY clients from "Emergency Situations", such as the Iceland Volcano eruption a while back.  Still have those clients we helped out of a jam.

Glad you liked the article, Beth!  I think you're spot on to sell yourself on your 24 years of expertise and let the relationship grow from there.  

-Steph

Hi Lucy, 

Thanks for your comment.  Let me clarify a little about what I mean when I speak of 'location'.  

When I speak of 'location', it isn't about disclosing your physical address, it's about having the location where you work define you to your clients and prospective clients.

I don't believe the physical location being at a storefront or from a home office has any bearing on the quality of service you provide to clients.  Therefore, I don't see the need to broadcast the location to clients as is done when people label themselves as a home based travel agent.  To me, the term 'home based travel agent' seems irrelevant when we're speaking to consumers.  

Hope that clarifies things a little more, 
Steph  

Hello Stephanie,

Thanks for the great article about broadcasting being a home-based business. Most of my clientele comes through our website, and I publish my 24 years of experience rather than being home based. If asked, I'm happy to share the information. By then, I've established a relationship with the client, and it has never mattered that I know of. It is helpful to know where the client lives and where I am located so we can communicate more easily. Belonging to travel professional organizations and doing a good job is more important. I do let my clients know who their travel supplier is and vice versa so if anything happens to me, their trip is not disturbed. Being home based allows me to be more responsive than if I had regular business hours in an office. Thank you for your informative and helpful article, Beth

I am not sure what you mean by "location". If you mean a physical address then I disagree. Anyone who accepts payment for a product or service should be willing to disclose a physical address.

Personally I have never liked the term "Home Based Agent".  I think it makes us sound second rate. Like we are working out of the trunk of our car.  I have advocated the term "Virtual Travel Agent".  I work from home, I work from a cafe`, I often work at my clients home, or their office. I work where there is a computer connection.  There is no need to identify where I am working.  Our clients like Us because we are so accessible and they get to talk to the same person everytime, unlike ANY "OTA"  when you NEVER get to talk to a real human being, even in case of emergency.  We have gotten MANY clients from "Emergency Situations", such as the Iceland Volcano eruption a while back.  Still have those clients we helped out of a jam.

Glad you liked the article, Beth!  I think you're spot on to sell yourself on your 24 years of expertise and let the relationship grow from there.  

-Steph

Hi Lucy, 

Thanks for your comment.  Let me clarify a little about what I mean when I speak of 'location'.  

When I speak of 'location', it isn't about disclosing your physical address, it's about having the location where you work define you to your clients and prospective clients.

I don't believe the physical location being at a storefront or from a home office has any bearing on the quality of service you provide to clients.  Therefore, I don't see the need to broadcast the location to clients as is done when people label themselves as a home based travel agent.  To me, the term 'home based travel agent' seems irrelevant when we're speaking to consumers.  

Hope that clarifies things a little more, 
Steph  

Hello Stephanie,

Thanks for the great article about broadcasting being a home-based business. Most of my clientele comes through our website, and I publish my 24 years of experience rather than being home based. If asked, I'm happy to share the information. By then, I've established a relationship with the client, and it has never mattered that I know of. It is helpful to know where the client lives and where I am located so we can communicate more easily. Belonging to travel professional organizations and doing a good job is more important. I do let my clients know who their travel supplier is and vice versa so if anything happens to me, their trip is not disturbed. Being home based allows me to be more responsive than if I had regular business hours in an office. Thank you for your informative and helpful article, Beth

I am not sure what you mean by "location". If you mean a physical address then I disagree. Anyone who accepts payment for a product or service should be willing to disclose a physical address.