Mistakes Travel Agents Should Avoid in 2019

Travel agents who have been waiting to hit the reset button don't have to hold off any longer. It's officially 2019 and the only thing preventing your business from reaching its full potential in the New Year are these common missteps.

The first step to a banner year for your business is reminding yourself of what you bring to the table. "My knowledge is valuable. I've been around the world once and will go around again escorting a group of 101 in 2019. There is very little an agent can substitute for experience," wrote AGENTatHOME Community member Marilyn A. "Don't devalue yourself."

Don't get ahead of yourself in the New Year. AGENTatHOME Community member Sherrill S. recently expressed concerns after taking on multiple ICs with little experience in 2018. "Trying to train and keep up with my own clients has been a true struggle," she wrote.

Don't be a prisoner of the moment in 2019. Just because your business is excelling doesn't necessarily mean it's time to take your foot off of the gas pedal. Others will tell you that they wished they had worked harder when things were going well.

Many agents lament not charging service fees to first-time clients as they feel they failed to get the most of their valuable time and knowledge.

"From someone who's built numerous businesses, I'd tell you that my biggest failure has been to stick to something, that I know isn't working, for too long...the true definition of insanity," points out TravelPulse founder Mark Murphy. "I would have been better off shifting quicker and being more focused on what was actually producing."

This is an easy one but an important one nonetheless. "Clients are the bread and butter and need to take priority always. I am reminding myself lately that although marketing and helping out are important, they need to be done after my clients are taken care of," said AGENTatHOME Community member Cathy B.

When you remember your value, you won't be afraid to stand up for yourself. "I think I try to accommodate clients too much. Giving them extensions of deadlines when I should have just cut them off," said AGENTatHOME Community member Cynthia A. "Sometimes when you try to be too nice, you end up getting screwed."

This mistake goes for just about everyone. However, for travel agents, charging a fee is a great way to ensure your time isn't being wasted. Still, as your customer base expands it's critical that you manage your time effectively and avoid putting too much time and effort into a single booking or getting overwhelmed by social media marketing.