Dear Tammy: Are there a lot of differences between being a home-based travel agent and having a brick-and-mortar travel office? I'm just starting out, and I'm wondering which direction I should take.
Tammy: Great question. It really is important for you to choose a path that works for you, so understanding the difference between the two options is necessary. While you do have a choice, understand that it's a little harder for you to secure a sale when working as a home-based travel agent. This is mainly due to online fraud, a big concern for travelers who book their travels online with a home-based agent.
I never started as a home-based agent, and instead immediately went into an office location. I've always enjoyed working in a brick-and-mortar office, and have never stopped working in this type of location for the last 25 years.
While my selling numbers tend to be higher than agents who work as an at-home travel agent, there are both advantages and disadvantages that come with choosing a storefront office. The advantages of having a storefront include that you have a place where you can always be there for your clients if they want to talk to you face to face. You also get to help anybody who walks in and needs travel services, which can expand your client base. (Although, know that sometimes someone will walk in and only want a bus ticket.)
But, most of the time they come in because they trust you, because you have a physical location and because they know you will be physically there when they need you. Most travelers want to do business with someone they can actually meet in person, and having a brick-and-mortar office allows this to happen easier than it would be working with a home-based travel agent.
Of course, it's important to consider the other side, as there are some huge disadvantages to offering travel services out of a brick-and-mortar office. For example, consider the cost of operations, aka your overhead costs. Rent is the biggest cost, especially if you are in a prime location, which is something every travel agent wants. There's also more of a focus on advertising, including signage branding, which is very important. And, of course, you have to have people working in your office location.
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