Become a Home Based Travel Agent

Good For the Goose and Gander
By Jan Shaughnessy

Since we're all professional travel agents; I know, that everyone always recommends their clients fly in a minimum of one day before a cruise right?  Yes, I thought you all did.  We've all heard the excuses though of why they can't. "I don't want to spend the money", "I can't take the extra day", "I'm not flying during the winter", or "I can't afford it".  Well, can they afford to lose part or all of their vacation?   When clients voice these protests it opens up an excellent opportunity to sell travel insurance.  Which I know you're all offering, whether your clients fly in a day early or not, right?  Yes, I thought you all did.

Two recent unforeseen events should give all agents pause and ammunition to combat their clients protests to insurance and flying in early.  I'm speaking of the recent bomb threat and evacuation of a terminal at LaGuardia airport and the emergency landing of a Continental plane due to heavy turbulence.  I'm sure bomb threats and emergency landings were the last things on these passengers minds just before they happened.  But Bamm!! Just like that they do happen.

We can give our clients a multitude of events and reasons why they should buy insurance and fly in early.  Suppose they have a flat tire, are involved in an accident, or delayed by a prior accident on the way to the airport.  What if after driving two hours to the airport they suddenly remember their passport laying on the counter at home?  It may be bright and sunny in hometown USA, but what about the thunder storm up in Minneapolis delaying the plane they are waiting to board?  Or what about mechanical delays with the inbound or outbound plane?  Which could bring up another issue of the crew.  Perhaps the late inbound plane isn't the one that will be used for the outbound flight, but the crew was scheduled to switch over.  Have you ever been delayed waiting on crew members?  Doesn't it seem like forever?  "Folks, we're going to be delayed a bit waiting for crew coming in."  Then 1/2 hour later, "Folks, our crew has landed, we're just waiting for them to get over to the gate then we'll be on our way shortly."  Then 10minutes......15 minutes.....20minutes......25 minutes.... Oh, there they are!  Look, they all have matching white paper bags.  Looks like they stopped at McDonald's along the way. 

Everyone knows the benefit of selling third party insurance is the higher commission.  Selling the pre or post cruise package can bring in a lot of cha-ching too!  There are several companies that can help your cash register ring.

Brendan:  Brendan Tours now offers FIT.  You can book your clients for as little as one night hotel.  Check out their Europe City Breaks brochure which has great city maps of London, Paris, and Rome.  The brochure provides great pictures of hotel accommodations with star ratings and detailed hotel information.  You can book your clients airport transfers and optional sightseeing tours such as a Mozart city tour in Salzburg. 

Globus -  Globus' Monagrams program has some great packages for clients wanting a longer pre or post package.  Take Rome for instance.  Monograms can assist you with air, transfers, and hotel package, to include sightseeing and free time.  Hotels are centrally located, include breakfast,  and a Monograms representative is on location to assist your clients with tips on where to shop, tickets to sightseeing, or West End theatre tickets in London.

Travel Bound - Travel Bound has a great website www.booktravelbound.com.  The website has a plethora of tools at your finger tips.  Travel Bound provides links to weather, visa and passport, conversion table, travel guides, and interactive maps.  Use these tools to help plan your clients vacation and they'll wonder how they could ever do it without you.  With Travel Bound you can book hotels, sightseeing, and shared or private transfers by limousine.  Travel Bound is quick and easy to use by providing email vouchers once final payment is made.    

Always offer insurance and recommend the pre/post stays to make your client's vacation as stress free as possible.   It's amazing how your stress will be reduced too!  Your clients will thank you and your pocket book will too.  What's good for the Goose (your clients) is good for the Gander (You)!