Moving From Home to Storefront – Two Agents Tell Why

This is Part Two in a series on travel agents moving from home to storefront locations.

Bucking the biggest travel agency trend of the past decade, two CruiseOne franchise owners have moved out of the house and back to the storefront.

One agency is on the main drag of a tiny California mountain town, while the other is in a sleek Florida business complex. Both owners told Travel Market Report they are pleased to be out of the house.

A ‘cute little place’
After five years of operating her CruiseOne franchise from home, Debby Hughes liked the idea of “having a cute little place” where she could set up shop and experience a more personal connection with her clients.

Hughes moved into her storefront in Big Bear City, Calif., in January. Before doing so, she found another local agent to join her in the business and has since added two more associates to work in the office.

“One thing I knew is that I didn’t want to spend my whole life in the office. I wanted someone to be able to cover me when I’m not there,” she said.

Stronger local relationships
So far, the move has been a good one, enabling her to strengthen relationships with existing clients and add new ones. “I had some loyal clients who I had never met, plus we are getting some clients who are noticing us as they drive by,” she said.

The fact that Big Bear City is neither big nor a city was also a contributing factor in her decision. “In a small town, personal connection is important. It may be more acceptable to be home-based in a large city,” she said, adding, “The storefront adds more legitimacy to my business. It shows I’m here to stay.”

Client reaction has been positive. “A lot of my clients are older. They want to be able to get together and talk; phone and email is not always enough.”

Walk-in business is another benefit, some of it a result of the fact that the agency shares office space with a plumbing business. “When people come in looking for a plumber, it gives me a chance to talk up what we do,” Hughes said.

Strong web presence
But while local connections have improved, the larger share of her business still comes from non-local clients. A strong web presence that she has had from the beginning remains important, she said.

“CruiseOne maintains the shell of the website, but I frequently change the content and keep it updated,” she said. “A good website has got to be part of the business strategy.”

Hybrid situation
Hughes, who describes her work situation as a “hybrid,” still works at home part of the time.

“I typically work at home during the mornings and sometimes by appointment,” she said. “The flexibility is great, but it can also be a challenge to keep things organized.”

Missed the structure
For Ed Brozosky, moving his CruiseOne agency into The Atrium, a business complex in Fort Myers, Fla., was a welcome alternative to working from home, which he did after becoming an agent in April 2009.

“I came from the hotel business, so I was not used to working from home,” he said “I missed the structure I had before.”

Along with enjoying the routine and social interaction, Brozosky, who runs the agency with his wife, said the office location has helped him establish a loyal clientele. Much to his surprise, a good number of clients have found the agency through the Yellow Pages, he said.

Loyal clients
“These clients are very loyal. They’re people who don’t use the Internet much. They like to have a place where they can come in locally and sit down and look at our books and DVDs. They want to see what their total costs will be.”

The agency also gets walk-in clients, among them the owner of a neighboring shoe repair shop who came in to inquire about a trip to Italy. He wanted the agency to plan something special.

“Right about now he’s in a restaurant in Sorrento that we found for him overlooking Mt. Vesuvius,” Brozosky said. “He’s proposing to his girlfriend.”

Providing customized service for this client was easier because of the face-to-face connection, Brososky said. “My wife was even able to advise him on what to pack. There are things that I can’t do from my house.”

See Part One: Are Storefront Agencies Making a Comeback?, Oct. 15, 2012.