TA closed for holiday! Any suggestions?

[testifyoncruises]

I like that business plan: Do a good job, then only take clients who don't care about price, and get rid of the rest. Seriously why doesn't everyone do this?

Never said the client's don't care about price, just that they do not obsess over the price nor their stateroom constantly after making their purchase. They use a professional who is available in an emergency and they realize that a price drop is not in fact an emergency by any stretch of the imagination. Believe it or not, the people who use a TA regularly use one for the service provided and for accountability of those recommendations among other things. They are overwhelmed by information and realize the value in using the services of and paying for a professional.

 

Those that are successful only take on a certain type of client and they regularly cull the bottom 20% of their least profitable clients. If the cost per transaction of a client exceeds the profit earned from that client, it doesn't make sense to keep that type of client on the books for the long term.

[marci22]

the people who use a TA regularly use one for the service provided and for accountability of those recommendations among other things. They are overwhelmed by information and realize the value in using the services of and paying for a professional.

 

Those that are successful only take on a certain type of client and they regularly cull the bottom 20% of their least profitable clients. If the cost per transaction of a client exceeds the profit earned from that client, it doesn't make sense to keep that type of client on the books for the long term.

 

They are "overwhelmed by information"?? Then they deserve to pay a premium. How hard is it to book a cruise?

 

I can see paying for experience related to a land tour but cruising is the Disneyworld of vacations. It's fairly straightforward if you can read and if you have any common sense.

 

It sounds pretty easy to be a TA from what you have posted: do a good job and get rid of anyone who annoys you.

 

and btw someone was comparing TAs to doctors: doctors would never get rid of someone who was in the bottom 20% of profitable clients. I guess the professionalism ends at the bottom line. The posts in some of these threads are silly.

 

No offense to the TAs on these forums who I see giving out very good advice btw.

[janice4559]

The nice thing is most TA's I know have EXCELLENT clients who are not obsessed daily with price drops. They are perfectly pleased with the price they paid for their vacation experience.

 

Not once has any of their clients gone for a price drop when they could upgrade (in many cases significantly) for the price they originally paid. Many TA's only work with EXCELLENT clients and routinely fire the 20% of their least profitable clientele and as such are thriving when everyone else says the Travel Agent is dead.

 

There are three types of people that use travel agents:

 

1. Those that have formed a bond/friendship over the years and do so to give the TA the commissions.

 

2. Those that are motivated strictly by money. They book with whichever TA gives them the most financial benefit.

 

3. Those that are either too busy, too lazy or just super-wealthy and use their TA like they do their maid or driver. I'm guessing that these are the EXCELLENT clients you are speaking of. You are probably one of those TA that prefer to be know as a travel consultant, charge an upfront registration fee and then fees for every little change. This will be a very limited niche given these economic times and will be frought with competition.

 

Here's a good guess at a stat for you - the vast majority of cruisers will prefer a price drop before using the drop to upgrade to a higher cabin level. And yes, this will mean that the TA's commission will go down (probably along with the clients OBC).

[Rala]

There are three types of people that use travel agents:

 

1. Those that have formed a bond/friendship over the years and do so to give the TA the commissions.

 

2. Those that are motivated strictly by money. They book with whichever TA gives them the most financial benefit.

 

3. Those that are either too busy, too lazy or just super-wealthy and use their TA like they do their maid or driver. I'm guessing that these are the EXCELLENT clients you are speaking of. You are probably one of those TA that prefer to be know as a travel consultant, charge an upfront registration fee and then fees for every little change. This will be a very limited niche given these economic times and will be frought with competition.

 

Here's a good guess at a stat for you - the vast majority of cruisers will prefer a price drop before using the drop to upgrade to a higher cabin level. And yes, this will mean that the TA's commission will go down (probably along with the clients OBC).

 

Excellent post, Janice. You said everything I was thinking, only much better than I could have!!!