Technology and The Travel Agent Next Door: How This Supports My Business

I know I am giving my age away by making the following statement:

I learned to type on a manual typewriter in my high school typing class. There. I’ve said it!  I well remember the sound of the carriage returns clanging as each student began typing a new line, and heaven help any of us if we made a mistake when typing in triplicate through layers of carbon paper! Never in a million years would I have dreamed of an era when I would be Skyping family far away, instant messaging with my friend in London as she boards her train home after her work day, texting by phone and posting a video of myself on Facebook as a marketing tool to promote my travel business!

TTAND uses technology to support my business in a multitude of ways. When I first made the decision to train as a travel agent with TTAND, I was sent travel manuals which needed to be reviewed and referred to as I began completing my online courses before taking the final exam for each course segment.  One of the advantages was that I could schedule the training around my own time frame and determine how much I could realistically cover and absorb each day. The course segments were very enjoyable. Learning about new continents and travel destinations fueled my desire to experience them for myself, as well as present them to future clients.

Once my contract was signed, log in information was sent to me for our suppliers and training webinars began in earnest on TTAND’s extranet and client file and invoicing system. I do remember feeling a little overwhelmed at this point, but the excitement of beginning a new travel career won out!  Talking with my mentor helped give me a plan and a focus. I currently share a website with my travel agent mentor but added my personal biography and page with assistance from the Marketing Department.

Regular email newsletters and communications from head office aid in helping me feel connected, as do the monthly Town Hall meetings when Flemming and staff members bring us up to speed and invite us to pose our questions.  The sharing of ideas and advice on our social media pages by head office staff and TTAND travel agents have also proved invaluable.

For more information about The Travel Agent Next Door please visit www.thetravelagentnextdoor.com.

How I Found The Travel Agent Next Door

I found The Travel Agent Next Door through the internet.  Once I decided that I was interested in pursuing a career as a home-based agent, I started to search and review different host agencies.  I received an automated reply from one agency with an invitation to watch a webinar and see what they had to offer. There was no personal follow up, however. I looked up some agent reviews on this and other agencies and found that the agent feedback was quite mixed, which did not inspire much confidence! 

The Travel Agent Next Door came to my attention and I carried out my usual search of agent reviews.  I could not find a single negative review.  Everything I read was very positive.  I decided to take the plunge and contacted the agency for further information.  To my pleasant surprise, Rhonda Friisdahl, who was at that time in charge of Talent Development, called me the very next day!  Rhonda was extremely personable and easy to talk to.  She did not sugar coat the challenges that a new home based travel agent faces when starting their business, stressing that it would take determination and a great deal of hard work.  Rhonda shared some examples of how I might go about attracting new clients, also explaining very clearly how The Travel Agent Next Door training process works. I appreciated how she listened carefully and took the time to answer my questions.  She did not pressure me in any way and stated she would give me a few days to think over the opportunity, advising she would call back.  Having talked the opportunity over with my husband, I decided that my answer would be “yes”. 

Rhonda was true to her word, and called me back.  She gave me the approximate timeline that it would take to complete my training with The Travel Agent Next Door as well as earn my TICO certification.  This would be needed before I could legally sell travel in Ontario.  By the time our phone call was concluded, I was excited to begin!  Although I was naturally a little nervous about making such a big change, the contact and consistent follow up I had received from The Travel Agent Next Door helped to alleviate much of my concern.  I knew I would receive their support and assistance as I began my new career in travel.

For more information about The Travel Agent Next Door please visit www.thetravelagentnextdoor.com