Working as a home-based travel agent can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do, both professionally-and if done right-financially.
The advantages are numerous -you can be your own boss, set your own rules, determine who you will work with and when, and let's face it, the ability to sell a luxury cruise while hanging out in your pajamas is a definite perk.
There are a host of reasons to partner with a host agency (pun intended), not the least of which is that the relationship can smooth the path for home-based agents who might otherwise not have the clout or finances to earn top commissions or access leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.
[READMORE]READ MORE: How to Grow Your Business With TPI[/READMORE]
Other benefits include:
Bookkeeping duties. For many travel agents, bookkeeping is the bane of their professional existence. A good host agency, such as Travel Planners International (TPI), will offer part-time bookkeeping services in addition to running bookings reports, commission statements and issuing a 1099 at year end.
Commissions. When it comes to commissions, the benefits of working with a host agency are two-fold. First and foremost, a travel agency's commission levels are based on its sales volume with that vendor. Work with a successful host agency and your sales will be considered as part of the host agency's overall sales volume. That means higher commission levels and greater access to the vendor's business development managers. Another perk? You won't be the one chasing down commission payments. Working with a host agency means regular commission payment schedule, be it monthly or biweekly.
Technology and tools. Today's travel agent needs a modern, user-friendly website in order to keep up with the competition. But hiring a website designer and someone to assist with IT issues as they arise can be tricky not to mention costly. Large host agencies such as TPI provide their home-based agents with a full panoply of customer-facing technology from CRM tools to direct mail programs and everything in between.
Education and networking. The world is a rapidly changing place, and the travel industry is no exception. Keeping up with the latest trends and technology can be difficult. Thankfully, TPI like many other host agencies offers continuing education courses, as well as training and mentoring programs to industry neophytes. These courses may be given online or at various conferences throughout the year.
FAM Trips. As an added bonus, larger host agencies will often put together FAM trips for their home-based agency partners. Not only can you become well-versed in a destination or supplier offering, but you can meet fellow home-based agents. Many host agencies also have online communities for their home-based agents, where they can connect more regularly to share tips and provide support.
Added perks and incentives. In addition to lowering your start-up costs, working with a host agency can translate into additional performance-based bonuses and access to incentives for which you might not otherwise qualify.
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