THE E-MAGAZINE THAT FOCUSES ON THE REALITY OF SELLING TRAVEL
PLUS The O&M The EDGE The Frontline The BDM
INSIGHTS, FACTS & STATS ABOUT THE RETAIL TRAVEL TRADE
TRAVEL AGENTS TODAY, TOMORROW & Ng
JULY 2012
In this issue THE CAREER ISSUE
EDITORIAL – Sell! Sell! Sell! THE O&M – Where are you going?
Where are you headed in your career and what’s the plan to get there? Many changes to come in the next few years and much of it good to excellent. There will however be some reduction in those that play at selling travel – the hill, for some, will be too steep to justify the climb up. Join me in this issue of Selling Travel as we explore travel trade careers and the enormous opportunities open to one and all. That would be the “ones & alls” who have the skills, talents and knowledge to go Next Generation. Don’t forget, if you need help with anything you read in Selling Travel I am as close as your email or Skype button.
Best regards, Steve Crowhurst, CTM Publisher www.sellingtravel.net steve@sellingtravel.net www.facebook.com/sellingtravel Skype: smptraining1 T: 250‐752‐0106 CHECK FOR WEBINARS HERE
HIRING Ng TA FRONTLINE – Are you a career travel agent? THE EDGE – Polishing your name plate. LOOK AND ACT LIKE YOU BELONG ATTRACTING NEW TALENT STEVE GILLICK ‐ Travel Career Positivity THE EXTREME BDM – Sell’em on Selling. CAREER CHASING – Careers in the eight sectors. THE TRAVEL AGENT’S STORE – Opening in the FALL! THE JOB TITLE LIST – Account to Wine Server. BEWARE THE FANCY NEW TITLES SKILLS, TALENTS & KNOWLEDGE – Upgrade soon! CORY ANDRICHUK – The Travel Agent Revolution Launches. OPPORTUNITIES – Knowledge = Opportunity TRAINING NEEDS ANALYSIS – Sample training topics. CORE COMPETENCY CHECKLIST – 70 Competencies
Selling Travel is owned and published by Steve Crowhurst, SMP Training Co. All Rights Reserved. Protected by International Copyright Law. Selling Travel can be shared, forwarded, cut and pasted but not sold, resold or in anyway monetized. Using any images or content from Selling Travel must be sourced as follows: “Copyright SMP Training Co. www.smptraining.com” SMP Training Co. 568 Country Club Drive, Qualicum Beach, BC, Canada V9K 1G1 Note: Steve Crowhurst is not responsible for outcomes based on how you interpret or use the ideas in Selling Travel or on the Selling Travel Website.
editorial
Those are the keywords when it comes to your travel trade career. Whether you are frontline, midline or top of the line, you should learn how to sell travel, sell yourself, sell your skills. Selling has and always will be the root to your career success and being able to sell opens up more career choices for you.
If you have not yet managed to take a professional course on selling travel then it’s time you did. Do it soon. Don’t look back in ten years with a coulda, shoulda frown on your face. The role of a travel agent has been with us since Roman days. Yes they used to take vacations and someone planned it for them. What you do has roots. More recent roots take you back to the original Thomas Cook and others like him in the Victorian era. What I’m pitching here is that the travel agent has provenance, and it is something you should study ASAP. It will ground you and give you confidence in your career choice. This issue of Selling Travel then is all about your career success, offering snippets of advice on climbing up that corporate ladder, or staying as is, hiring Ng staff and at the back there is a Competency Checklist for you to complete. Here’s to you going for it, and achieving whatever it is you want from your career in selling travel. Call it ROS – Return on Self. Let’s go make something happen! Let me know what you need! Creatively Yours!
Steve Crowhurst
There I am. Thomas Cook, Edmonton office in 1972. WOW! That picture takes me back. There was a counter just in front of my desk. That’s where I was berated by a customer for spelling accommodation with one m. Never forgotten how to spell that word! Lessons in motion. Look deeper into that picture and you’ll notice an array of stamps we had to use, the tariffs for constructing airfares, no computers but a very nice IBM Selectric typewriter! The telex is not in the picture. Does anyone remember using a Gestetner?
It’s important to have a career plan even as an owner / manager. Everyone needs a path to follow and a map or plan to get there. So many times, as an owner / manager you are bogged down in the day‐to‐day, investing hour after hour in non‐revenue producing activities that you afford little time to YOU and your own career. Time to make the change. For me owning and operating my own travel agency was a goal I wanted to achieve and then having done that, move on. After so many years, I’d had my fill of paying rent and handling staff and not paying myself so I could pay my team, negotiating the office rent and going with whatever worldly event that came our way. But that was me. What about you? What are you going to do and where are you going in your career? It’s not important to have huge goals unless you want to and in the process, have the skills, talent, money and fortitude to make it happen. You can go from a one‐ shop agency to a multi‐location enterprise and generate sales in the millions. It’s all there for the asking and the doing. You could also stay as you are, earning enough income and enjoying the fruits of your labours as you travel for the price of free and up. What is important is the plan. Every career needs one. It truly does. Having a career plan reduces stress. It gives you a timeline in which to make changes. It keeps the excitement in your world that in turn makes you interesting to talk to and buy from and to work for. When staff witness their leader in full control of his or her destiny then that attitude transfers and soon you have a team of very confident, in control travel agents working at a very high level. This confidence attracts.
It attracts like minded customers who become confident in your confidence. They sense you know what you are doing and where you are going. Part of the career plan for owners is to know when and how you are going to sell your business and who to. With a highly developed confident team working for you, they are usually the first to buy the business. If you retain your love and passion for travel and if you have the heightened sense of who you are, you could sell out and become a home based agent and at the same time mentor and consult to the new owners of the business you built. You now have the time, money and energy to pursue other things in your life. Chances are there is more travel to be done. Perhaps there was always that group you wanted to generate and lead to the destination you are most passionate about. Well now you can. Colleagues have opened wine stores, gone into real estate, joined suppliers and become keynote speakers. There’s a big world a‐waiting – all you need is that career mapped out.
ARE YOU READY TO HIRE AN Ng TA? THE NEXT GENERATION TRAVEL AGENT This travel agent is slightly different from the travel agent you know and love and have hired in the past. For the most part you have not yet lived through the ups and downs of the travel trade with this Ng TA and to create a relationship that works ‐ you will have to learn their ways. She will be a 20 something new kid on the block and she may be someone who does business in a way you do not understand. You will need to be trained in virtual staff management and coaching because the Ng Agent is mobile and can think, tell and sell as she travels about town or travels the world. She will not settle for less than a high 5 figure income. This new travel agent, the Ng TA will be super savvy when it comes to using technology, she will be wired into everything, maintain a mobile office, a virtual presence and a business format that uses the Cloud for all accounting, filing and general backroom systems. She will be able to book anything to anywhere from anywhere. She will communicate with her clients who share the same techno travel lifestyle through all forms of social media. She will sell visually via her own iPhone App that she created called Me. She will offer her personal ring tone to her clients who will know, when they hear that sound, that it’s time to travel. She will know which hotels offer large screen TV’s, high speed everything, laptops, iPads and the comforts that Ng Travellers want and need. She will engage her clients with barcode marketing schemes. She will upload her Me travel videos to keep her customers visually connected and informed via her branded personal channel on YouTube. She will talk on camera to describe what she is looking at right now and invite her customers to fly‐in for the week to share the experience. Back home she will meet in a coffee shop or anywhere with a white wall and with her palm sized projector show her recent travels to a small group of clients. She will connect to Skype and talk to 10 customers via live video feed. She will transmit live from her ocean view room using uStream. Her customers can get her latest newsfeeds, blogs, newsletters with one click. She will build her business through Facebook, Tweeted and reTweeted referrals. She is LinkedIn to her corporate accounts, frequent travellers and high end vacationers. She understands the value of viral and always creates the book‐now buzz that her clients are happy to forward. Why? Because she is exciting! She reads quality online magazines and continues her education gaining trade and speciality certifications and designations. She supports various trade associations and is a stickler for human rights, staying green and protecting the planet – her main source of revenue. She is Ng TA – your next hire! Your next partner. Your next home based / mobile agent. Your next New Business Generator.
ARE YOU A CAREER TRAVEL AGENT? YES? CONGRATULATIONS. There are some frontline travel counsellors who have been selling travel for more than 10 years, more than 20, 30 and even 40 years. WOW! To me that is such a wonderful thing to acknowledge. It’s total career success. It’s 100% a choice made by an individual, passionate about their life’s career and the travel industry. What about you? Are you a career travel agent?
As the global travel trade wrestles with the search for new talent, there are some and you might be one, who could move up a notch. You could further your career moving to a senior agent status or supervisor. You could put yourself in the way of any upcoming training. You could ask to be trained as a group planner, move to the corporate department and if you have the skills, to become associated with the marketing department. Career minded travel agents just seem to be more on the ball. They are always on time. Always learning and looking for sources of new information. They have a confident step and their body language is that of a knowledgeable professional. They tend to plan the way forward and upgrade their skills ready for their next move. When you intend to move, make sure you sharpen your skill set and move within your current employer. The opportunity you might be looking for is sometimes closer than you think it is.
So, congratulations if you are a career travel agent. So many people I meet in the trade are passing through, giving it a shot, had nothing else to do. It’s refreshing to find travel agents who are genuinely and passionately in the business of selling travel. When I write about career travel agents I’m seeing in my mind’s‐eye a well groomed and well dressed person, sitting confidently poised and ready for the business day. They are well versed with all things computerized, they are in tune with all things social media and online they are a whizz at searching for what they want. The career travel agent is way ahead of the game – not playing catch up. If you are pondering how you can move ahead start with a self‐chat about where you want to go in your life and career. Talk to your owner, manager and head office HR department and find out what your long term options are. When you have invested say 3 to 5 years working for a company your ROI on that time will be to move up. When a company invests in someone like you, they will not waste their time and money – they will want you to succeed and they will help you. Career travel agents are the foundation of the company. Be in it to win it. Get that career plan front and center, ask your direct report how you can develop your career from this moment on.
“What you believe yourself to be – you are.” ‐ Claude M. Bristol
The EDGE as per the name of this page is exactly what you have over most other agency owners. The challenge for you, that keeps rising up in the trade headlines, is the term home based. How will you change the job title on your name plate and business card and what will it say, read, mean, imply?
So far we have these titles: q q q q q q q q q
Affiliate Agency Owner Associate Home Based Travel Agent Member Mobile Travel Counsellor OSR – Outside Sales Representative Travel Agent Virtual Travel Agent
The Business Card Check: Put a pencil line through all the standard text on your business card. What’s left that’s unique and different?
I’m looking for real‐time challenges that stop you from being the best you can be. Be sure to include your email and website links. Thanks! 1. Do you have anything else on your business card that establishes you as the travel agent of all travel agents in your area and the one and only to do business with? 2. Does it tell the reader, what you do, what you are good at, what your specialty is? 3. Does it tell the reader how big your host agency is and what that means to the reader? 4. Does it deliver on your #1 travel related talent? You can use the back of your business card too – so why not add a line that will help you stand out from all those other home‐based agents that seem to dabble and showcase themselves as hobbyists versus hard core travel agents. Everything about you must be polished. Your website, your image, your email signature, your email address, your mobile office, your business address, your business card and of course YOU and how you look. Polish everything to the point of professionalism. If your host agency does not offer any rules that you can apply, just watch what the big guys do, learn from them and apply what they do to what you do. So now, answer the question: “Shall I come to your office? Where is it and how do I get there?”
LOOK AND ACT LIKE YOU BELONG… Call me crazy, but did the Internet extend a call for travel agents to dumb down their professional appearance? Is it the fact that we hide behind email and all things online that the dress code has left the building? Could it be owners and managers have lost the ability to lead by example, to coach and mentor their teams into looking and acting like they belong to one of the top three and largest industries in the world? Talking trillions here. Now you understand this is not directed at you. That’s right. You know who needs a fashion make over. You know who doesn’t deliver on the side of professionalism. You know who mouths off, slams the phone, hangs up too quickly, emails too many jokes and shares too much of their life online along with yours. Like me you’ve probably heard it all before. I love the whimpering that comes my way, “There’s no money in travel, I can’t get anyone to buy from me…” Then you look past the words to the individual and holy What Not To Wear – there before you is an unmade bed! Does it need to be said – that if this person was serious about selling travel they would at least brush up a little better than they did. It’s not that the client doesn’t want to buy from them, it’s simply that the client is scared to come any closer. Perhaps as the client runs away screaming and crossing themselves that could be a sign for the offending unmade bed to go fluff their own pillows and look a little more inviting. Acting like you belong is something that truly needs work. I can tell you, oh boy, I’ve seen some doozies. There was ‘three dog agent’ in Toronto. Yup, come the trade show food, she crammed three wieners into one hot dog bun and continued to eat’n’talk to a supplier. Then there was the FAM trip winner’s acceptance speech. A young man, arrogant as you like and up he strode to claim the prize.
In the trade for about six minutes if I recall, and just grabbed the tickets from the BDM’s hand and walked back to his dinner table seat. The BDM erred on the side of professionalism and didn’t grab the tickets back and pull another name. I could go on but who has a year to read it all. Truly there is room for vast improvement. I know the big firms have dress codes and uniforms and I love it all. So sharp looking. Even if you live online all day long or work in the call centre or behind the scenes in sales support, dressing for success has never gone out of style. Looking good is a motivator. Look good, feel good. Self image is very important. Manners and etiquette are also at the top of the sharpen‐up list. I’m closing my eyes and looking out and I’m still seeing a few unmade beds staring back. I look again and I see a few well dressed, well groomed, standing tall, looking confident. Worthy of working in a trillion dollar industry. Let’s get everybody men and women spruced up.
Some of the larger firms have opted to bring in a fashion stylist, make up stylist, manners and etiquette coach for both men and women. This is not an expensive thing to do and it would be a terrific transformation to have yourself (owner / manager) and your team turned into that professional looking team your clients are waiting to do business with. In the process, hairstyles would change, those two‐inch long dragon like talons come false nails would be gone, the lime green too‐tight pants would go as would the pink plastic crocs. Shirts would be pressed, colours would support each other and WOW! What a dazzlin’ crew you’ve become. Now comes the photo shoot. Now comes the press releases stating meet out team. Now promoting world cruises worth a hundred grand seems possible – we actually have a team that looks like they can take that kind of money.
“The world sums you up by the clothes that you wear, and treats you accordingly.” - Al Koran
I know the world has changed when it comes to how we dress. I’ve actually been told to take off my tie, “… we don’t do ties…” – which I did as it was a client’s request. What they forgot was that the way I dressed indicated my respect for them. The client is always right of course – but what they did was ask me to dumb down to their standard. To retain the contract I had to trade my Jones of New York attire for the business casual designs of Mark’s Work Warehouse. I felt liberated but awkward. Okay, time to hardball: Take a good look in the mirror and ask, “Would you spend ten grand with that person?” You represent an industry that has been around since Roman days. You represent an industry that breathes life into so many of countries economically. This is BIG business. Owners and managers and executive, lead the way. Coach and mentor and dump the dungarees for quality attire. You read it here: when you update your dress code and you live to the level you are supposed to, you will see your overall sales increase. It’s simply a fact that the laws of attraction will activate. Few people, you included, want to do business with a brusque, three‐wiener chomping agent looking like they’ve come off an episode of Swamp People. Make your clients proud and show your respect for them and their hard earned dollar and dress to the nines, put on the dog, show some style and act like you belong in a business that so many outsiders are jealous of. ASK ME ABOUT SELLING TRAVEL’S “LOOK AND ACT LIKE YOU BELONG” ONSITE WORKSHOPS. click to email
ATTRACTING NEW TALENT
The global travel & tourism industry has a call out for tens of thousands of people to fill positions being left vacant by retiring baby boomers. This need is also found in retail travel as travel agents, agency owners and managers and executive retire, too. There was a time when the people attracted to work in travel were all so passionate about the world, and intended to travel it or already had. It held mystery and romance for those young people back then. You had the calling and you went for it. No matter the industry, management is always looking for those who would be a natural. For this industry this person has natural confidence, has travelled, understands the world, is interested in the world, can hold a decent conversation, has ideas about travel and travelling, is articulate and continues to build their knowledge as they work a career plan. As a former general manager of a travel & tourism school I could tell who would go on to join a travel agency and who would not.
Most students wanted to join the airline industry however some had their plans mapped out and were targeting the hotel industry, to be a meeting planner or move into F&B. Others had designs on opening their own agency, or hotel or Internet business. There is simply so much talent out there, but overall the trade is not doing too well at attracting those sharp young minds. The Same Old Stories: Unfortunately these stories are still with us. Small agencies that take on bright young people and commit them to stamping, filing, cleaning and other tedious all‐day jobs that would push anyone out the door. Then there’s the “need experience” one liner. Also the negative sounding “Why do you want to join this industry… it’s dying!” Usually imparted by a disgruntled owner, manager, employee. And of course the 6pm news that pounds away at the travel & tourism industry when it can – whether it’s a plane crash, the Concordia, the economy… “people are staying home…” says the news anchor. But it’s not 100% true.
Suffice to say the battle is on. The trade is in need and so are thousands of young people, looking for a fulfilling career where they have opportunities to grow, make some decent money, perhaps move up into senior management or out into their own businesses. A big challenge within the trade is the lack of career mapping plus the fact that many travel agency owners, have never had any formal management training or sales training, or marketing training or HR training. It was all learned OTJ (on‐the‐job) or they just bungled along until they got it right. In corporations, managers are trained – until it seems, things get tight, and then bless’em, some senior manager cuts off all the training. Never could understand that one. However it happens. “We’re losing money. No more sales training for anyone!” When a young person picks up on this negativity they are naturally persuaded so seek out other jobs and they are lost to this industry. Whether you are a small local agency or a large chain here’s a few ideas for you: 1. Get down to your local travel & tourism training school and negotiate the following: you want to interview the students with a 90% and above passing grade. Hold your interviews onsite at the college – generate some buzz about your company. (Note: at the college I GM’d we “sold” the door and the room to various suppliers. For instance we had a cruise line and an ITC supplier’s logo on the door and we gave them the room to hold their interviews with students and weekly sales meetings too if they wished. The college could then promote the tie in with the supplier. 2. You can request resumes to be submitted online and if you have a back end filter such as the DrakeP3 program then your filter will search for key words within the resume and when the right keywords are found, a new screen pops up. This new screen is a survey that profiles the applicant. If there is a skill‐set match and the resume has some of the right keywords then another screen pops up saying in essence: “We want to talk to you – call this number immediately.” Or it thanks the applicant for applying and advises they do not fit the hiring outline. (Note: You might be thinking ‘they would know me better if they met me in person’ – but the fact is I know the DrakeP3 system very well and it is extremely accurate.)
3. Have a business page with Facebook and then you have an outlet to the world when it comes time to search for new talent. Today you’ll want to attract applicants who are very familiar with social media and networking. In fact every existing staff member should have been trained by now in the art of social media marketing and social selling. Your next hire should come pre‐ trained. 4. There are dozens of online recruiting firms all boasting they have candidates and jobs. So many postings are home‐based host agencies trolling for new associates. Check your trade magazines and look in the job section – right there you will find a dedicated travel trade recruiting firm. 5. Place your ad in the trade papers, online and in your local press and also on your website. You can also add the ad to your blog. Ask your existing agency team to recommend other agents. 6. Make sure your ad asks the right questions and requests the right information. Requesting someone to be a “good listener” or a “team player” is so‐so. Not really what you want to list. Best to be specific and save everyone’s time. “Must be producing $75,000 in revenue”, or, “Understands the importance of selling travel insurance and has a close ratio of 45% or more”. When it comes to time management you could state, ‘Must have good time management’ – better if it read, “We don’t do late. Must be on time every time, switched on, set up and ready to go by 8:55am” The lack of core directives in recruitment ads produces a wishy washy outcome. The new employee didn’t quite get the importance of being on time and the manager didn’t quite state the facts. Now you have a problem as a tendency to be late is forming, “… I know I’m late most mornings but I always work past 5pm…” – the entire point regarding time management is missed. Use every tool at your disposal to attract your new talent. If you can do it, deliver weekend workshops for young people. Take on the most likely to succeed and offer an apprenticeship.
Well there is nothing wrong in treating the topic of ‘careers in the travel industry’ with a bit of enthusiasm and upbeat thinking. In fact, when most people are faced with the suggestion of becoming a ‘travel agent” they gasp, make a grab to see if their wallet is still intact, and then beat a hasty retreat from the person who made the suggestion in the first place.
Guest Article by Steve Gillick, CTM steve@talkingtravel.ca Who Are You* (*1978 Album title from The Who) Why the flustered reaction? The job of a travel professional is misunderstood by many outside of the industry (and some who are themselves, industry professionals). Even the nomenclature is confusing. Are you a travel agent? Or perhaps a travel consultant, travel planner, travel specialist, travel counsellor? And what is the difference between all these titles? The answer is: not much. Travel Agent is the traditional term and implies that the professional is an agent of various suppliers. The agent is in fact recommending a number of suppliers (airlines, accommodations, tour operators, car rentals etc) to the client, from whom the agent receives a commission for sales. The other terms arose in an effort to define the actual role of the travel professional and make their job title more meaningful not only to the individual themselves but also to the consumer. Therefore a travel counsellor, is one who counsels clients about the myriad options available to them when they travel; a travel planner is one who sits with the client and plans their holiday or business trip; a travel consultant is one from whom the client receives advice about what is available and how to incorporate these features into the travel experience; a travel specialist is one who may, minimally, specialize in the art of selling travel, but the job title may also be used to designate those who specialize in an area or niche market of travel. They therefore may be a cruise specialist or an all‐inclusives specialist or an adventure specialist or a group specialist or even an Art or Music tours specialist. Mything Links Once you overcome the confusion of what to call your job in the industry (and believe me, there are many more titles that professionals have adopted over the years), then you have to deal with those lingering myths that have victimized travel for far too long. .
Show me the Money: The salary issue is the first concern and myth. Travel professional salaries depend on regional location, number of hours worked, the salary, commission and bonus structure of the agency or organization in which the professional works, the initiative of the professional; the ability of the professional to drive return business and word of mouth endorsement from current clients. Other salary factors may include succession business (are you selling to your clients children and children’s children); embracing business tools such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management), technology (are you keeping in touch with your clients 24/7 if required?), creative promotions (do people yawn when they see your ads or window display or do they shake and shiver with enthusiasm), and your educability—your ability –and willingness to continue your education. The standard motto in the industry is ‘the more you learn, the more you earn’ which simply boils down to whether you know the latest information about the products and destinations you sell; whether you are staying up to speed and reviewing your sales, customer service and technology skills, and whether you can, in a world where the consumer Googles for information before they approach you, provide an atmosphere of competence and confidence to consumers. (See as a matter of reference, Steve Gillick’s Keynote Workshop on “Are you Smarter than the Average Traveller” www.talkingtravel.ca) And then there are Fam trips: those familiarization travels to destinations where travel professionals can see everything first hand, ask questions and pick up marketing savvy to sell the destination when they return home. All these factors come into play when discussing salary differences in the industry. Generally, starting salaries are in the mid‐20’s and can exceed 60K, 80K or 100K. Management salaries are pegged a bit higher. Hard work, creativity and go‐getter‐ness is sometimes the key in moving from one salary level to the next. The myth that travel professionals in general make $13K a year is just that: a myth.
No More Work Another myth that has persisted for the past decade is the growing use of online travel booking sites and the threat they pose to the traditional “bricks and mortar”, and home based travel professional. While statistics and behavioural studies show that most people will go to the internet to research destinations and options, the same studies indicate a state that has been called ‘information overload’ or ‘analysis paralysis”; meaning that there is just soooo much information on the internet that it takes a true travel professional to sort out the junk from the gems and the risks from the rewards. In the typical scenario, where two seemingly identical trips are advertised, one may be a disaster waiting to happen, while the other may be a travellers dream come true. Consumers have come to the realization that they are not qualified to make these distinctions, nor are they prepared to spend the enormous time and energy that proper research requires, or risk their hard earned vacation funds by rolling the dice and hoping that they make the correct decisions to suit their needs. The myth that the internet is replacing all the travel jobs is mostly a media fabrication, and the mythical aspect is borne out by the resurgence of travellers using the services of travel professionals. The Go‐To‐Career So having set aside at least two of the predominate myths, why would you want to become a travel professional? Like any vocation it depends on your own needs and how you would like to be at peace with yourself having selected a career that brings you personal satisfaction, joy, feelings of accomplishment and a role in the community that makes you a very important go‐to person. Most people start off with their love of travel—or the idea of travel‐‐‐and the ideal of making people’s vacation (or business) dreams come true. And while this may sound a bit overstated, there are people out there who think and dream in terms of where their next travels may take them. Their ideal career is to get as involved as possible in selling or promoting or marketing travel products and services; discussing them with other interested people; taking opportunities to travel and expand their knowledge when possible, and to make an impact on their community by majoring in knowing as much about the globe as possible. Tied in with this are the skill‐challenges that a career in travel provides. Selling is first and foremost and most people who know how to sell themselves through positive body language, greeting skills, customer service orientation and confidence in the knowledge they possess, do quite well in this area.
Next is time management skills, where a million and one details are on the go during a typical day and you are able to set aside the time, without interference, to deal with them. Attention to detail is part and parcel of time management, as accuracy becomes extremely important in a world with travel regulations, travel documentation, travel insurance, and of course attention that your clients’ needs—both articulated and non‐articulated—require. If you choose to be a destination wedding specialist for instance, you may have a wedding consultant at the destination but you are front and centre with the client at home, and fully accountable for all the arrangements. Likewise if you have a client with special needs. Customer Service is the glue that binds you to your clientele and determines whether they will seek your services in the future. Technology skills keep you attuned to the communication needs of your clients. And even skills such as numeracy (adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing), spelling and spell‐checking, reading (many travel professionals are adept at reading the brochure upside down so it is right‐side up to the client) and presenting (are you trying to attract some group business— can you comfortably address a meeting of that group and wow them with the destination and services you will be providing?). All these areas and more, are part of this career path. And then there is more. If you seek to go into management, there are more advanced skills that are required –with programs readily available‐‐ to help move your career forward. There are so many stories of troubled holidays that could have easily been avoided if a travel professional had been involved. There is the woman who did not know she needed two visas for China—one to leave the country to visit Mongolia and one to get back into the country to catch her flight home to New York. There was the senior traveller who chose a vacation in Acapulco because she wanted a quiet, peaceful beach and canasta experience. There were the travellers who unfortunately booked their own tours or flights and then had the airline or tour operator declare bankruptcy while they were on holiday and had no recourse but to try to get home themselves, and there was anecdotally, the clients who booked their trip to Sydney, thinking they were set to visit Australia and ended up instead, in picturesque Nova Scotia. All these people needed a travel professional. But you know, if we put all this aside and just look at the global influence, literally, of a travel professional…
With the planet earth as the main product you sell you are ideally situated in a vocation where you can make a world of difference, whether it’s opening the eyes of your clients to the idea of sustainability or appealing to a younger generation with voluntour opportunities; whether it is educating your clients about a new destination, leading the charge to raise funds for a destination in trouble, celebrating destination milestones (everything from South Sudan’s first anniversary as a country to Jamaica’s 50th year since independence, and more), or re‐energizing neighbourhood sales through cross‐marketing creativity with the local book store, luggage shop, restaurant, clothing store etc—every store that has some relation to the concept of travel); a career in the travel industry can be the best decision you have ever made.
Try it on for size Professional golfers, track stars, skiers and other athletes use a technique called Visualization to literally picture themselves making the perfect golf swing or putt or jumping the hurdles or conquering the mountain. You can try out a career by contacting a local college or vocational program that offers travel, or contacting a travel agency to volunteer, or even by joining an introductory program on travel careers, such as those offered through SMP Training and Talking Travel. But you can also watch the Outdoor Life Network and read magazines on travel and see if they stir something in the deepest recesses of your mind. Getting excited about a travel career? Go for it!
Steve Gillick is the President of Talking Travel. He has been associated with the travel industry for 35 years as a tour guide, tour operator, vice president, executive director and then president and chief operating officer of CITC, the educational trade association. Steve’s talks and presentations on travel have taken him across Canada, to the United States, South Korea, South Africa and Peru and as a destination specialist he has provided marketing and promotion advice on most of the 68 countries he has visited to date. www.talkingtravel.ca
CUSTOMIZING YOUR TRAVEL CAREER ‐ more from Steve Gillick One of the advantages of a career in travel is your ability to customize and tailor your career to your own personal interests. We talked before of specialization and here is where you can shine. Love spas? Specialize in them. Love Latin America? Become the acknowledged expert in that part of the world. Love Shopping? Lead tours that express your joy. Love food and wine? Then specialize in culinary travel and have wine and food get‐togethers to pique the interest of potential new clients. In my own case, I love to write and have leveraged that interest into writing travel columns and guest articles (like this one) on various aspects of travel. I love to collect masks and therefore I often travel to countries where a ‘mask culture’ exists and then, combining my interests in writing, photography, shopping, and education, I conduct workshops and training sessions and even Conference keynotes on my personal interests as well as the interests of travellers in general. (Did you know, for instance that there is an excellent Globe Museum in Vienna, to sate the appetite of those who love to collect and consult maps?) .
When I was recently in the Czech Republic, there were, alas, no masks. But…there is a rich history in marionettes and many have the most amazing, hand carved faces—almost like masks! So I was bouncing from store to store and even to the Marionette Museum in Cesky‐Krumlov to see and learn all I could and at one point I remembered that I took a puppetry class when I was quite young, so my interest in puppets and masks was starting to come full circle. A travel career allows you to expand your interests, share them with your clients, learn what really excites your clients and then, with research, cater to their needs. It’s a need‐fulfillment industry—and that includes your own needs. Take advantage and think “Travel Career”.
On this page we enhance the sales relationship between supplier BDMs and the travel agent. Outcome: faster, quicker, larger, higher revenue sales!
How’s the sales coming? Are you in line for the new car, a bonus, an award? Good for you if you are. Thing is, your success is based on the success of your agency accounts selling your brand. There is a way you can boost sales in your territory and that’s by conducting sales workshops. As you read through this issue of Selling Travel you’ll be getting the point that travel agents need and want more money, better positions, new career opportunities and you can help them attain these things AND grow your sales too. The idea here is for you to become the sales coach and sell’em on selling. You also want your brand represented in the most professional manner don’t you. Yes of course you do. You can help build the careers of those travel agents working for your agency accounts by offering them in‐ person and online sales workshops. Chances are the owners, managers and senior executives would be very supportive of your program. When sales targets are reached or short term competitions are won, you can offer more than travel and a cash bonus. You could, depending on the agency account’s corporate culture, offer the winner a fashion make‐over. You could give them a fashion‐based gift card. A spa treatment wouldn’t go amiss. For the guys on the team, you could present them with a new tie, a bright white button down classic Oxford cloth shirt. Now they’re stylin’. Looking good. Looking like they can sell your brand like you want them too. What else could you do to reward the sales of your freshly coached sales team?
As the focus here is on selling, you could send your top producers to an all purpose top notch 1‐2 day sales course. These can be arranged directly with SMP Training with the training content customized to selling your brand and products. Key phrase is selling not product knowledge. If money is tight, you can design your own sales course. The main thing to teach is the actual how‐to. Every other BDM is delivering the what‐to‐do which sounds like this: “Sell more groups, that’s where the money is.” Not a hint of how to actually go about putting a group sales plan together, or prospecting, presenting a proposal or closing a group tour. If you haven’t closed groups before, then tap the talented team on your group desk. They will know the how‐to. After the sales course you’ll need to follow up and follow up again. Training outcomes tend to surge and then die off as old habits return. You’ll need to keep selling your TA accounts on selling. You may want to publish a white paper on how to sell your brand. Collect all the tips and tools and successes other TAs have experienced and publish a 25 Selling Tips document and email that to everyone on your agency account list.
Remember the BDM Mantra: “If I can’t sell it to them… they won’t sell it for me!”
Everyone wants your job. Did you know that? May be you did, may be you didn’t – but nine times out of ten, it’s the truth. Your friends are jealous, your doctor (despite making six figures each year) would love the travel benefits. Your hair stylist, too. Rumour has it that travel doesn’t pay enough to join it for a serious career, but that’s not true, is it? We all know someone who is making a decent wage and all the way up to six figures or more. Sure, they are in the minority – so let’s stop off at the $60,000 to $80,000 range and there are hundreds of people in the travel trade earning this range. The higher salaries are not found so much in the small Ma & Pa agencies. They can’t support high wages. They can support however an entrepreneurial go‐ getting rain maker that sells a million and retains 80% commission. That equates to some decent coin. When I think about and talk about travel jobs, salaries and benefits I’m thinking about the entire spectrum of the travel & tourism industry. That would include these eight sectors of which the travel trade is one: 1. Accommodation 2. Adventure Tourism and Recreation 3. Attractions 4. Events and Conferences 5. Food and Beverage 6. Tourism Services 7. Transportation 8. Travel Trade
Within these eight sectors are hundreds of jobs with as many titles and levels and departments that the career outlook for you and anyone else in the biz, is simply overwhelming. Too much choice perhaps? Main thing is – there are 8 sectors and there is a job out there to match your talents and vice versa. Moving up in the retail travel trade it’s always a good thing to have wide experience. Too many old hands who stayed put for 20 years, cannot get to first base right now. Reason: not enough varied experience.
That means a generalist is sometime better off than a long term specialist – especially when job hunting for something new and exciting. When the questions come hard and fast about ‘what have you done?’ and ‘what do you know?’ – and the response is “I’ve sold Hawaii for ten years now” ‐ and that’s ALL you’ve ever done, then the lack of ambition question comes up. Compare that situation to someone who has chased their career, built a multi‐faceted knowledge base and can offer what we call a Global Resume, well then, this person is worth meeting. There is nothing stopping you from being a top notch leisure agent, moving to groups, then over to corporate, on to a sales or service position, and then behind the scenes to manage the call centre, requesting a move to the training department – then out into a different sector, let’s go with a hotel chain. Now you sell your business soul to the hotel corporation and request to be trained as the #1 hotel manager in 5 years. That means you are on a schedule, on the circuit and you will, in 5 years time be worth a lot of money to the next corporation you join. Did you want to write a book during the journey? Well why not. How about opening your own brand of boutique hotels? Sure you can do that too. Later on once you’ve made your money and retired early you can consult to other firms for a project fee. The wide ranging global resume that presents high level skills, proven talents and accomplishments will win you that next interview with blue chip travel firms, tourism offices, high end magazines, airlines. associations and whatever you wish to do next. On the other hand you could visit Hawaii for the 101st time, be the guru of all Hawaiian gurus and generate that same six figure income working as a home based agent. It’s all there waiting for you.
SOON! Yes The Travel Agent’s Store will be opening in the fall and thanks for your patience. I appreciate all your emails and comments about buying my self study workbooks online and finally I’m getting closer to finishing the project.
When the store does open you will be able to purchase and download a series of manuals and ebooks, plus ready made graphics and Facebook timeline covers, webinar recordings and if you run a training division or travel school you will enjoy the PowerPoint training kits. You will also be able to purchase a variety of forms, contracts and agreements, business plan examples and more. My new book, SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING for Travel Agents will be released as an e‐Book in the fall and you will be able to buy it right from The Travel Agent’s Store too. Like my 273 Ideas book, the Social Media Marketing book will deliver the no‐fluff / no theory how‐to‐do‐it information you need to boost your social marketing activities. Keep an eye on the trade press and be sure to read Selling Travel for an update on the Store and my new book.
THE JOB TITLE LIST When you are talking travel and the types of careers that are available within the travel trade, you should include the tourism industry too. I’ve known more than one career travel agent who shifted into a different sector and became a meeting planner, a hotel manager, a concierge and an airline BDM. A travel trade career is not limited to travel agency work. You would still be involved in selling and the sale of travel but working in a different area of the business. When all travel & tourism sectors are considered, the industry contains almost every job title that’s out there – a key point that seems to be missed by many in retail travel and a big mistake when trying to attract new people to the firm. Are there accountants in the trade? Of course. How about lawyers? Yes. Graphic designers? Yes. They may start in your agency but they could, with your help go on to become very successful in another area of the trade. Your next hire might be working in another sector of the trade at this very moment too. Here’s a list of job titles to be found within the eight sectors – there are hundreds more – any of them of interest to you? Accountant Administrator Adventure Guide Air Traffic Controller Airport Employee Angling Guide Applications Engineer Area Manager Baggage Handler Baker Banquet Server Bartender Bed and Breakfast Blogger Business Development Manager Campground Operator Casino Dealer Casino Slot Attendant Catering Manager CEO Chief Executive Officer Chef Chief Concierge Chief Information Officer Chief Technology Officer Concierge Conference Planner Cook Corporate Travel Agent Counsellor Cruise Ship Activity Director Customer Service Manager Customer Service Representative Database Administrator Daycare Employee Director of Golf Activities Director of Sales & Marketing Distribution Centre Division Manager Educator Equipment Technician Event Coordinator Event Manager Executive Chef Executive Housekeeper
Ferry Boat Captain Flight Attendant Food & Beverage Server Food & Beverage Supervisor Food and Beverage Manager Food Service Counter Attendant Foreman Front Desk Agent Fundraising Consultant Games Manager Gardener Gate Attendant General Manager Gift Shop Salesperson Golf Club Manager Golf Course Assistant Superintendent Golf Professional Graphic Designer Grounds Manager Groundsperson Group Coordinator Group Travel Agent Guest Services Attendant Hair Stylist Help Desk Technician Heritage Interpreter Housekeeping Room Attendant Human Resources Human Resources Manager Hunting Guide Kitchen Helper Lawyer Leisure Travel Agent Lift Mechanic Lift Operator Line Cook Maintenance Management Consultant Mechanic Motor Coach Driver Museum Curator Network Engineer Night Clerk Nightclub Manager
Owner Parking Lot Attendant Personal Assistant Photographer Pilot President Programmer Publisher Quality Control Railroad Conductor Rental Technician Reservation Agent Retail Supervisor Ride Operator Sales Manager Sales Support Security Ski Instructor Ski Patrol Snow Maker Social Media Manager Sous‐Chef Special Events Coordinator Supervisor Taxicab and Limousine Driver Terrain Park Manager Ticket Office Supervisor Tour Guide Tour Operator Tour Planner Tourism Researcher Trade Show Guide Trade Show Registration Clerk Trainer Travel Agency Manager Travel Counsellor Travel Trade Sales Manager Travel Writer Vice President Visitor Information Web Administrator Webmaster Wine Server
BEWARE THE NEW FANCY TITLES
STAR TRAVEL & CRUISES
Ivan Eego, Chief ThinkerUpper e: ivanCTU@stc.com 123456 New Town Road, Old State, Galaxy 2.
It’s happening in the corporate world and to the point of being childish as heads of company departments try to distinguish themselves. The head hunters looking for qualified people are shying away from the super dude names and the ‘sales ninjas’ and ‘marketing mavens’. That’s right. If it sounds like a comic book and walks like a comic book it’s not getting hired here.
From an all‐whacky title list I found online: q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q q
Communications Ambassador Copy Cruncher Corporate Magician Designer Extraordinaire Digital Dynamo Happiness Advocate Head Cheese Linux Geek Marketing Rockstar Master Handshaker Movie Magic Maker New Media Guru Plumber Hero Problem Wrangler Sales Ninja Social Media Trailblazer Superstar DJ Transportation Captain Web Kahuna Word Herder
Some of these are pretty good if used internally or as part of a promotional campaign or truly represented the company’s core profile. For instance Head Cheese would work great, tongue in cheek, for a gourmet cheese manufacturer. I get that. When naming and claiming your title make sure it fits in with the company’s profile and reputation – let’s explore travel agent titles.
Right – what’s your title going to be? If you are not a travel agent, who and what are you? Edgy titles can work for progressive travel firms, but for the traditional firms better to use standard titles. 1. Agency Owner 9. Senior Travel Consultant 2. Aussie Specialist 10. Senior Travel Counsellor 3. Cruise Specialist 11. Supervisor 4. Franchise Owner 12. Travel Consultant 5. Manager 13. Travel Counsellor 6. Meeting Planner 14. Travel Salesperson 7. Owner 15. Wedding Planner 8. Owner/Operator When starting your own business you can choose whatever title suits you that morning. Easy. Job done. The main thing to be aware of is to make sure you are not confusing your prospective clients. The home based agent title is causing some concerns in the trade and there’s been a call to drop the home‐based wording. Virtual Travel Agent has been mentioned. Mobile Travel agent too. I’m thinking that Travel Agent is good enough – leaving you to advise your prospect if they ask, where you are located. A response might be, “I’m associated with the ABC Group and we work from our home offices…” What you actually do can always be listed on your business card. So be the travel agent you are, then offer Wedding Planner, Specializing in Hawaii somewhere on your card. You could as someone suggested list your traditional title as Group Travel Specialist and then to humanize you, add a word or two that sums up one of your leisure‐time passions: Outdoorsman, Guitarist. You get the personal side that sparks off discussions and the more formal side that keeps it focused on the business
Did you know that as soon as you are hired, your skills, talents and knowledge are pretty much obsolete? The only way out is to commit to maintaining, building, increasing and sharpening your mental edge. If you don’t, you are embarking on an uphill battle and a downhill slide! Ouch. Who knew? But it’s a fact. Everyone of us has stuff we know and things we do so well. Trouble is that was yesterday and in the current world of selling travel, which would be now, this nano‐ second… things have changed. You need to upgrade. For some readers this is a blessing. You love to be on the cutting edge of knowledge. You fit the time to learn into your day, week, month. You mix and mingle with those that are ahead of you in terms of knowledge and you learn. You are an owner, manager, supervisor, frontline, CSR, BDM, VP, CEO… you all share the interest in continued education and you make it happen.
In my management level workshops we ask the question “How do you know?” This is followed by a request, “Show us you know…” which means get up front and teach us, your colleagues what you know. Demonstrate it. Sketch it out. Go online and take us there. Open a program and create something for us. Agencies that do this, learning from those who know, are way ahead of the game. This internal skilling is a low cost way to train the team and bring everyone to the next level. I can tell you that’s it’s a blessing when I walk into a training room or board room to work with a team of people who are on the cutting edge and are the best of best at what they do. To take these talented people to the next level is sheer joy. Let’s get back to skills, talents and knowledge and we’ll add competencies here too, of which there are 70 that you would need to sharpen if you were to be operating at 100% every second of the day. So what skills do you need to upgrade. What knowledge do you need to know?
The Knowledge Inventory If you haven’t done it yet, do this as soon as you can. Do it for yourself and if you have any pull within the agency, get the agency team to do theirs too. What you are going to do is to sit by yourself, with MS Word open, new page, click on Numbering on the Formatting toolbar and start to type in headings that represent what you know. Then tap enter and create another. If you prefer pen and pad then use a lined pad of 100 pages. So here we go – jot down the things you know about. Keep it light and fast paced and once your mind gets the format you will be zapping those bulleted headings pretty quickly. No need to order them, just let it flow… so here’s my example: 1. Talking 7. Features 2. webinars 8. Benefits 3. Sales 9. Add sell 4. Service 10. Closing 5. people 11. Japan 6. UK 12. art I typed that in real time, it is as it flowed… some lower case some sentence case, some words related to the next and on it goes. When I did this with some purpose a few years back I filled the 100 pages as you will too. You may experience a flood of captions or you may dry up and then return to the page as more ideas flow forward and you acknowledge that you do know these things. Next comes how well you know these things and how good you are at something. You may know of, but you may not know about. So you start to categorize once you’ve finished your list. Your next step is to move your list under headings such as Internet, or Sabre, or Mexico, or sales… this then presents what you know as an inventory under dedicated headings. Next you can start to analyze how well you know these topics. Eventually you will drill down to what might be your top five skills, your number one talent and the depth of knowledge you possess. Now think about what you don’t know and create that list too.
This knowledge inventory is something each owner / manager, sales manager should conduct with his or her team and especially the going forward skill sets and upgrades that will be required to compete in whatever market you are in. This ‘What do we need to know in the future?’ question is often missed and I’m not sure why. It’s an absolute part of planning the direction and the success of the department and the entire company. The “what do we need to know?” question goes all the way to the top – to the president, CEO, board of directors… everyone should complete the review. The Upgrading Process There are workshops for presidents on how to be better presidents. There are workshops for those who sit on boards to become better at advising. There are sales and service workshops, teamwork programs and product knowledge based training too. All you have to do is commit to being the one who wants to sharpen up. Blue chip firms, the ones who are cutting edge, have their management teams in training for some 45 days each year. Their knowledge if you can imagine is as current as the last second. They are tapped into what they need to know, they share it, they discuss it, they work it into their culture and they move on and create the future for themselves. Applying Without Buying For your agency to run effectively it needs systems and processes and people that know them. The Six Sigma program costs tens of thousands of dollars – and you may not be able to afford it. You can afford however to read about it and learn from it and then apply the concepts to your business. Simply put, everything from how a customer is greeted, to how a document travels through the agency, to email etiquette and protocols – all of these actions are documented and the process analyzed. The best format is chosen and the team commits to doing it ‘this’ way. It’s like writing an Operations Manual. Once you know how things are supposed to work and the knowledge needed to make things happen at ‘this’ level – life gets better and richer.
What Do You Need To Know? So now I’m talking to you… yes YOU. What’s your title, what’s your job description, what’s the role you play and what do you actually do all day? I’ve witnessed some very red faces come the last part of that question. What do you actually do here? Oh boy! After an initial splutter and false starts and digging deep you might hear a whispered, “I’m not sure…” or a very confident “Well, I manage!” Then of course comes the “Can you explain that, in detail for me?” which seems to end the bluff. Do not shy away from the question about what you need to know. We’re talking being top of your game. It’s not a crime not to know, but it is not to correct the deficiency. For most senior managers it is all about communication, presentations, running effective meetings, delegating and leading by example and quite a few more topics too. So many managers believe they are communicating when the opposite is true. The meetings are boring, go off track and the speech was terrible – but no one said anything. On the front end where the action happens and the money is made, what do they need to know? Certainly everyone can do with a sales workshop. Most everyone needs to know how to market in this social media world we live in. Every travel counsellor needs to know how to be well groomed and well dressed and how to arrange their desk for maximum efficiency. It sounds like boot camp and it is. Once you pass through it you will feel very confident having proven you know and you can do. You have shown others how to do things and they have shared their knowledge too. You have read the prescribed business books and you now have a penchant for reading a business book each month or the summary if available. This is how you stay on the cutting edge of what you are supposed to know and going forward what you need to know in order to compete and not be told during your next review – sorry but, well, err…. you skills are on the heap. We need a new you, a new model, current, ahead, a next generation you.
The Monthly Review I never did like or enjoy reviews. Mainly because my managers never knew how to do them properly. Now that I don’t have a manager I ask fellow trainers and consultants to tell me the truths I need to hear. We all need someone to advise us what you are doing wrong and how to correct it. Re annual reviews ‐ dump that plan right now. The review should be monthly – that way you can keep your team (and yourself) sharp. Some firms do this each week so nothing escapes for more than 5 days. If it’s a blatant gotta stop this situation then the review is happening this very second. This monthly discussion should follow the path of ‘how did you do, what could you have done better, what are you going to do to make it better…?’ and then you if you are the manager, add your ideas for growth and commit this person to reporting back to you. You do not chase. You receive. Make sure everyone is accountable for their own education. At month end, you review again. Think of a stage performer, an actor, a musician… they practice all the time. They have someone watching. They repeat until they get it right. We don’t do this in the world of travel. We tend to bumble along and refuse to get involved in simulated situations or role plays as they are called. For me role plays are the best. You go at it until you can say it as it was intended, until you can work that software like a pro, until you know how this form is supposed to be completed, until you can total the accounts to perfection. Anything less is second rate and people know when they are not performing. There is a complete change in their demeanour when they know they know and do it 100% correctly. Remember this: your skills are obsolete. To stay in the game, to keep your job, to further your career, you need to update the firmware, get the next version, pay for the upgrade. Get YOU Ng ready for your next journey. It’s ALL about YOU.
Training in MANAGEMENT SOFT SKILLS for the travel trade now available from
SMP Move your management team To the next level www.smptraining.com
Travel Agents are tired of hearing they are ”unprofessional, hobbyists, order takers and that the average Joe can book his own vacation online without the aid of a travel agent”. Yes there are tools available for consumers to book their own travel, however the fact remains that the excitement of a great price is instantly forgotten when the consumer experiences the bitterness of a badly planned vacation. Three Travel Agents have started a revolution. Mary Clegg and Cory and Cheri Andrichuk are founders of the "Travel Agent Revolution", a company dedicated to "shouting from the roof tops" the value of using a professional travel agent. The Travel Agent Revolution is a grassroots movement. It’s about putting travel agents FIRST. It is about helping all travel agents from all walks of life understand that they matter in their business; that personal and professional development are just as important as product knowledge when it comes to selling travel. The Revolution offers innovative business resources that will teach agents how to brand and market themselves and then align with the correct products to sell. Agents will discover who they are, what they want to achieve and how to define their success, not someone else’s definition of it. Travel Agents who join the "Revolution" will be trained on how to market themselves and grow their business based on personal branding and their professional passion for travel. "Our mission at the Travel Agent Revolution is to provide a roadmap for travel agents to build their own brand and business, focusing on personal and professional development and training and not just product training. Finding out why the agent is in travel, what their passions are and then fitting the right products that relate to their passions, is what we are all about." said Cory Andrichuk, Principal Founder of the Travel Agent Revolution. The Travel Agent Revolution launched their new website on June 25th. According to Mary Clegg Principal Founder of the Travel Agent Revolution, Travel Agents are able to join for as low as $12 per month which includes opportunities for certification training, mentorship, group business coaching, industry resources, and regularly scheduled live and virtual training events. The Revolution will also spear head a revolutionary consumer campaign that is aimed at promoting the value of using a professional travel agent when planning a vacation of a life time. “Making this type of training value packed and affordable for all agents is extremely important in today’s economy. Another focus that has been travel agent driven, is our goal to fund a social media consumer campaign that will educate the public to plan their next vacation with a trusted travel agent and not even consider any other booking options.” Clegg added.
We believe the professional travel agent needs to take a stand to position themselves as the personal bridge between supplier and consumer. “Agents are still the best option when planning a dream vacation of a life time” according to Cheri Andrichuk , Travel Agent Revolution’s Principal founder. “Consumers need to protect themselves from being "stung" when planning their own travel and by using a professional travel agent they can avoid the pitfalls of a low price vs. the actual vacation they really expect. The Revolution helps agents communicate their value and much needed expertise to the traveling public through special training and resources available on www.travelagentrevolution.com .” Andrichuk added. Professional Travel Agents who join by August 1st will receive a discount off the normal rate of $12 per month to just $9 per month as a founding member of the Travel Agent Revolution! Anyone who is serious about building their travel business will benefit by being a part of this incredible training event. To learn more about the Travel Agent Revolution sign up for our FREE webinar at www.travelagentrevolution.com . The Travel Agent Revolution is a grass roots movement / organization started in June 2012 by three travel professionals Mary Clegg, Cory and Cheri Andrichuk who have over 75 combined years of experience in the travel industry. The Travel Agent Revolution is focused on providing one of a kind travel agent training, events and mentorship for travel professionals. Visit the Travel Agent Revolution at www.travelagentrevolution.com and LIKE us on www.facebook.com/travelagentrevolution.com
OPPOR TUN ITIES! Are you ready to go to the next level? Want to get your career moving ahead? To do this you will need to study the various opportunities that match your skills, talents and desire to achieve. Not all opportunities arrive on a silver platter. Most take hard, very hard work to find, to win, and to keep. For instance most CEO’s barely make it through the first 18 months of work. Average tenure 8.4 years and 28% are dismissed. It’s tough at the top!! When you move up from a small retail agency into one owned by a large chain things are different. You have moved from small business to big business and with that comes rules and methods and ways of doing things that might tip the scale and push you back to a smaller agency once again – OR… it will be something you sink your teeth into and go for. I hope it would be the later. To find opportunity you have to go looking for it – it rarely comes to you and when it does, you’ll know it, see it, sense it and grab it. Sometimes we only get one chance at success and if you wait too long, it’s gone. The world is full of travel counsellors who ‘should have’. That’s all fine if you are the kind of person who can bounce back and go for something similar to that opportunity or better still create your own – and that’s one of the best ways to do it. Create your own future.
Getting in the way of opportunity is your goal. To do this you’ll need a terrific resume, a Global Resume if you’ve worked the world already. Your resume format should change to meet the demands of the businesses you intend to target. For instance if you are seeking a social media managers position or a multi‐media marketing position you can forget a paper resume in the mail. Better come up with an HD video of your selling your skills. The way you find career opportunities today is to target the firms you wish to work for, do your research on and about how they work, operate, their culture, learn the mission statement, find out what their plans are (all of this is online) and then you pitch. And you don’t give up. You get a ‘no thanks’ you respond and follow up. You try again. You want to be on the waiting list. Keep it in mind that things change. They always do. The person sitting in the chair you want, wants something else. They will leave eventually. Or they might be terminated. Or the company merges and all things change. If it’s one thing I know about for sure it’s opportunity is always there and situations always change. Your goal is to be there when the change happens.
When you do target a firm and apply for a position someone in the HR department will look for your online presence which means your Facebook page and anything else that’s got your name and face on it. Here’s the challenge with being social. That screwed up face with the UFC tongue hanging out with the two handed devils horns image is not going to get you that supervisory job. Your blog about what you did on the weekend, or what you think of the current government or worse, your current employer is going to ban you for life from ever getting a job with a high‐end firm. Count visible tattoos and facial jewellery in there too. So, if you are going for the better opportunities better clean up your social life, at least online. Different if you are planning Irezumi tours of Japan.
On the other hand you can use your social networking to boost your social cred’ and have companies knocking on your door. Write it right, give out cutting edge information and project your ideas and thoughts and have your blog picked up and go viral – well now you are in the fast lane. Better know what you are talking about though, and better still not to steal the words and phrases from someone else’s blog. Keep it real. Where is the retail trade going do you think? What do you know about eco tourism? Is global warming actually happening? What about airline fees? What about travel in general, what’s up with it – will the industry be viable in 10 years? How do you sell to GenY? Got something to say, say it right, get hired.
NEXT GENERATION KNOWLEDGE = OPPORTUNITY If you are in the trade at this moment in time, you will know that it is not the same old business it once was. The surge of new and fantastic technology, software, systems, gadgets and tools make this industry one of the most exciting to be in. That, plus we now have flights heading out into the universe. I can tell you, my hero Mr. Thomas Cook of Victorian fame, would be having a wonderful time if he was alive today. The next generation of knowledge is all about tools, apps, travel safety and knowing how to access all things digital, mobile and cloud based. No matter your age, if you truly want to win the opportunity you are seeking you must gain more Ng knowledge about travel applications for both leisure and corporate travellers. You should have your own smartphone and tablet and be able to demonstrate how certain apps work. You should be able to surf the Internet like a pro and show your clients how they too can set up Alerts through Google, find locations, look for maps and online guides and more. This is the new era of Ng customer service. What about travel safety and travel insurance? As old as the hills but still travel agents gloss over them. Clients consider insurance as an add‐on and a bit of a catch, a cash cow for the travel agent. You must know how to sell insurance. It’s Ng know‐how.
Knowing how to tell and sell travel insurance and knowing about the safe travel applications will go a long way to winning you that new job and especially if it is a management role that requires building and increasing the sale of travel insurance products. You may want to venture out on your own. Do your due diligence. Explore the home‐based agent route and make sure the host agency offer fits your needs and most especially your intended target market. Most home based programs serve the leisure agent, few support the group specialist and less support the corporate agent or meeting planner, although some host agencies have connections you can work with. You may wish to join a consortium if you’ve been holding out. The consortiums have moved ahead with their Ng services making who you sign with a bit of a challenge. Just keeping asking “How?” and “Why?” and always follow up with “Show me…” especially when it comes to YOUR revenue potential. Finding the right opportunity is the goal. You can go it alone or you can join a large corporation and if you speak a language or two fluently, then you have other countries in which to search too. Hope you go for it.
TRAINING NEEDS AND OUTCOME ANALYSIS By department, what skills need to be increased? Key: L: Leadership; M: Management; C: Customer Service; S: Sales; H: HR.
TRAINING TOPICS AND NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT…
Achieving Consensus Adapting to Change Administrative Assistant Skills Attitude Budgeting Business Etiquette and Professionalism Calming Upset Customers Closing Skills Coaching for Development Communication Skills Company Image Improvement Concentration Skills Creative Decision Making Creativity Customer Service & Satisfaction Decision Economics Delegating Direct Mail Downsizing E-Mail Empowerment Facilitation Skills for Managers Financial Analysis Forecasting Goal Setting Skills Group Sales Humour – Making it Work Internet – Best Practices Interviewing & Hiring Skills Leadership Skills Management Excellence
L
M C S H 10% improvement would mean…
Managing Change Managing Performance Managing Quality Customer Service Marketing Skills & Strategies Meeting Skills Mentoring Motivational Skills Negotiating Skills Networking Organizational Change Organizational Development Planning – Business, Marketing… Presentation Skills Productivity Improvement Proposals & Report Writing Skills Project Management Basics Prospecting For Business Publicity & PR Recruiting Skills Sales Management Self-Empowerment Social Media Marketing Supervisory Skills Team Building & Development Skills Telephone Skills Time, Self & Stress Management Training the Manager to Train Vision, Values and Mission Writing Skills General Other Other
NOW ADD UP YOUR CHECK MARKS By taking the time to review your departmental skills and training needs you can quickly determine which area of your business requires immediate attention. Your next step is to prioritize your training needs for this and all other departments.
TOP FIVE TRAINING NEEDS BY DEPARTMENT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. © 2012 Steve Crowhurst, SMP Training Co.
Here is a generic list of management core competencies used in the DrakeP3 profiling instrument. Review the Detailed List opposite to question yourself and rate your competency level on the bar graph. You’ll want to be scoring at 8 and above. Anything less needs upgrading. Transpose your bar graph rankings here. Work to identify your top 3.
COMPETENCY
Rank
COMPETENCY
Rank
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.
ACCOUNTABLE ACTION ORIENTED ADAPTING TO ENVIRONMENT ADAPTING TO OTHERS ATTENTION TO DETAIL BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE CHARACTER CHARACTER IN COMMUNICATION COACHING COMMAND SKILLS COMMITMENT COMMUNICATION COMPUTER SKILLS CONFLICT MANAGEMENT CONSCIENTIOUSNESS CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP CREATIVITY CUSTOMER SERVICE DEALING WITH PARADOX DECISION MAKING DELEGATION DETERMINATION DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT EMPATHY EMPOWERMENT ETHICS FIRST IMPRESSIONS FLEXIBILITY GLOBAL ORIENTATION HUMOUR INFLUENCING AND PERSUADING INTEGRITY INTENSITY INTELLECTUAL HORSEPOWER INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
ISSUES IDENTIFICATION LEADERSHIP LISTENING MANAGING YOUR MANAGER MEETING EFFECTIVENESS MENTAL TOUGHNESS MENTORING MOTIVATING NEGOTIATION OPENNESS & APROACHABILITY ORGANIZATION & TIME MGMT ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT PERCEPTION PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS PERSONAL CARE PLANNING PROACTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING / DEC' MAKING PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS PROFITABILITY PROJECT MANAGEMENT RE‐ENGINEERING SAFETY ORIENTATION SELF‐DEVELOPMENT STAFFING STRATEGIC THINKING STRESS TOLERANCE SUPERVISING TEAMWORK TECHNICAL / COMPUTER SKILLS VALUES WORK / LIFE BALANCE OTHER
36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70.
All Core Competency related forms are the property of Drake International. SMP Training is approved to promote and use Drake P3 products.
CORE COMPETENCIES IN DETAIL 1. Accountability 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Acts dependably to get things done right the first time. Can be counted on when times are rough. Doesn’t shirk personal responsibility. Is comfortable working alone on tough assignments. Has an internal locus of control. Consistently arrives to work on time. Works steadily on assigned tasks, asking for / taking on new work. Initiates contact with others to check on progress Develops processes to ensure successful completion of assignments
2. Action Oriented 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
Can act with a minimum of planning. Enjoys working hard. Seizes opportunities. Steadfastly pushes self and others for results. Very bottom-line oriented. Conveys a sense of urgency. Displays high energy levels. Goes beyond what is expected.
3. Adapting to Environment 1
2
3
4
5
Adjusts readily to shifting priorities, ambiguity and rapid change. Able to adapt to a variety if environments. Handles crisis situations effectively. Willing and able to adjust to multiple demands. Shifts gears comfortably. Is sensitive to changing demands and requirements and adjusts accordingly.
4. Adapting to Others 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Posture and body language shows interest. Effectively adjusts pace to match varying job demands. Adjusts priorities to reflect changing needs. Accepts new duties, responsibilities and other assignments. Flexes personality traits to work effectively with different types of people. Flexible when interacting with others.
8
5. Attention to Detail 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
Clarifies unclear details of tasks and assignments. Fills out forms accurately, completely and on time. Maintains a clean and organized work space. Adjusts easily to changes in workload.
6. Business Knowledge 1
2
3
4
5
Maintains up-to-date knowledge of products, services and markets. Understands business strategies and operations. Understands the competition. Correctly interprets in advance, the impact of decisions on others in organization. Effectively uses organizational guidelines and procedures to solve problems. Develops larger networks of strategic internal and external contacts. Maintains awareness of other department needs. Detects subtle but important changes in the market or competitors. Knowledgeable in possible and future policies, practices, trends and information affecting his/her business and organization.
7. Character 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
Takes steps to limit "surprises." Deals constructively with mistakes. Projects an appropriate degree of self-confidence. Demeanor is steady and consistent. Follow established processes. Stands strong for beliefs and commitments. Handles people problems quickly and directly. Is not afraid to take negative action when necessary. Projects polished image. Avoids or limits use of alcohol, drugs and other substances.
8. Character / Communication 1
2
3
4
5
6
Exhibits will power to avoid inappropriate words and / or actions. Accepts criticism openly and non-defensively. Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said. Lets people know where they stand. Provides direct, complete, actionable, positive and corrective feedback. Listens and checks before acting. Sensitive to due process and proper pacing. Chooses words carefully before speaking. Questions unsubstantiated or invalidated information.
9. Coaching 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Analyzes performance problems. Prepares individual development plans. Transfers and teaches skills to others. Provides ongoing coaching. Makes employees aware of career opportunities within organization. Guides new employees through orientation program. Utilizes training programs to develop employees. Is readily available to answer questions and provide guidance Probes subordinates more deeply to reach underlying needs Provides clear, complete orientation to people in new assignments Explains expectations clearly, gains agreement on desired actions Maintains close contact while employees learn new skills Gains commitment to specific and measurable performance expectations Develops mutual agreement on tracking performance Jointly reviews performance at specified intervals Recognizes and maximizes the potential of subordinates
10. Command Skills 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
Encourages direct and tough debate. Knows when to end debates and move on. Energized by tough challenges. Conforms others. Is looked to for direction in a crisis. Relishes leading. Takes unpopular stands if necessary. Encourages others to express contrary viewpoints. Champions new initiatives.
11. Commitment 1
2
3
4
5
Commits fully to the organization. Initiates activities without being told to do so. Readily puts in extra time and effort. Seeks out new work challenges. Sets high standards for performance. Acts consistently within core organizational values and norms. Actively supports and implements company decisions. Represents the organization consistent with its target image. Takes corrective action when others violate basic organizational values.
12. Communication 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Gets the message across. Communicates in writing clearly, concisely, accurately and completely and appropriate for audience. Conveys a feeling of special concern to all employees, clients and suppliers. Informs management of red flags / deteriorating processes quickly. Keeps team informed of important changes. Explains concepts or procedures more clearly or completely one-to-one. Obtains and passes in relevant information to others who should know. Listens attentively to others when they speak; doesn’t interrupt or allow interruptions. Presents complex concepts or procedures more clearly to groups. Asks clarifying questions to understand more completely. Reaches underlying needs of clients, suppliers, peers and subordinates. Chooses the most effective medium - oral, written, email, voice mail, video or newsletter - for those who will receive the information.
13. Computer Skills 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
9
10
Uses necessary software programs effectively Types accurately and efficiently Uses email productively Effectively uses internet / intranet to perform job duties
14. Conflict Management 1
2
3
4
5
6
Uncovers the underlying issues of problems. Resolves conflict among employees. Works to create win/win relationships. Deals with problem direct reports firmly and in a timely manner. Doesn’t allow problems to fester.
15. Conscientiousness 1
2
3
4
5
6
Sets dates to follow up on assignments Initiates contact with others to check on progress Develops processes to ensure full and successful completion of assignments Work more steadily on assigned tasks, asking for / taking on new work Consistently arrives to work on time
16. Corporate Citizenship 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Contributes time and resources to community organizations. Contributes to the future education of the work force. Develops collaboration between business and community. Encourages responsible use of resources. Seeks alternatives to business practices harmful to the environment. Supports efforts to improve stewardship. Understanding community issues relevant to the business.
8
17. Creativity 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
Comes up with new and unique ideas. Makes connections among previously unrelated notions. Adds value and creativity to brainstorming settings. Thinks of new ways to benefit from existing knowledge. Approaches problems with curiosity and open mindedness. Challenges "This is the way it has always been done." Facilitates effective brainstorming. Projects how potential ideas may play out in the marketplace. Applies creative thinking to solving problems
18. Customer Service 1
2
3
4
5
6
Acts with customers in mind. Practices quality customer service with own employees. Rewards excellent customer service. Balances requests with business requirements. Resolves the problems of angry customers. Follows through on promises. Is agreeable and cooperative while staying within boundaries Maintains current knowledge of company products and / or services Manages customer interactions in a friendly, courteous manner Shows empathy through verbal and non-verbal communications Quickly acknowledges customers’ presence Constructively resolves the problems of angry customers Carefully clarifies needs of customers Proactively pursues customers to ensure satisfaction Responds quickly to phone messages Presents own company in best possible light
19. Dealing with Paradox 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Acts differently depending upon the situation. Is seen as balanced despite the conflicting demands of the situation. Sees the conflicting points and works with both. Decides and acts without having the total picture. Moves on without having every last detail completed. Combines apparent opposites (e.g. can be compassionately tough; strong, but flexible, etc.)
20. Decision Making 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Gathers relevant information systematically. Grasps complexities and perceives relationships among issues. Seeks input from others. Uses accurate logic in analyses. Takes responsibility for decision making. Facilitates development of effective solutions. Takes action to remedy problem solutions. Rakes reasonable risks justified by upside potential. Makes careful; decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgment.
10
21. Delegation 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
Assigns appropriate degree of authority. Conveys clear expectation for assignments. Determines appropriate tasks for others. Has a willingness to delegate. Monitors progress of others. Lets direct reports finish their own work. Tends to trust people to perform.
22. Determination 1
2
3
4
5
Persists until completing tasks and / or assignments. Overcomes obstacles while working within company guidelines. Recognizes the appropriate time to move on. Bounces back quickly from rejection and /or criticism Persists through multiple disappointments. Exhibits high tolerance for rejection. Maintains enthusiasm, sense of humour and positive attitude in face of adversity. Applies more effort to reach important targets during periods of high demand. Maintains effectiveness in the face of longer hours and / or difficult assignments.
23. Diversity Management 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Accommodates the needs of a diverse work force. Celebrates differences. Creates an environment of acceptance. Recruits for and promotes diversity. Ensures that diversity goals are achieved. Hires variety and diversity without regard to class. Supports a work force that reflects differing life-styles and cultural / ethnic backgrounds Encourages a work environment that makes all people feel comfortable Acts quickly to correct unacceptable behaviour and comments towards individuals or groups Deals with all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages and sexual orientation. Treats all people fairly regardless of their culture of life-style Promotes training and advancement opportunities to all employees
24. Empathy 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Inquires about other's plans, problems, desires, concerns and questions. Demonstrates interest in work and non-work lives of direct reports. Is available to answer questions and provide guidance. Monitors workloads and appreciates extra effort. Demonstrates real empathy with joys and pains of others. Is available and ready to help. Is concerned about work and non-work problems of direct reports. Knows how to listen effectively.
8
9
10
25. Empowerment 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Empowers others to manage responsibility. Removes barriers to frontline decision-making. Expresses confidence in the abilities of subordinates Holds subordinates accountable for tasks and assignments Clearly communicates boundaries of authority and responsibility Implements follow-up procedures and timeliness Effectively matches assignments to individual skill levels Ensures availability of necessary resources Creates a work environment where team members hold each other accountable.
26. Ethics 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
Open to challenges and development. Protects the organizations reputation. Practices what he/she preaches. Accurately represents company products and services Follows through on promises. Is accurate and complete in sharing information. Respects requests for confidentiality. Respects the privacy of others. Works within company guidelines.
27. First Impressions 1
2
3
4
5
Voice conveys confidence and warmth Posture and body language shows interest Attire is appropriate to the situation
28. Flexibility 1
2
3
4
5
Flexes personality traits to work effectively with different types of people Quickly adjusts priorities to reflect changing needs Readily accepts new duties, responsibilities and other assignments Changes means or methods when necessary to achieve results Switches subjects quickly and effectively Effectively adjusts pace to match varying job demands
29. Global Orientation 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Analyses the globalization of the business Understands other cultures. Understands how world events affect his/her organization. Conducts business in other countries. Learns business practices of other cultures Skilled in managing employees in other countries. Understands cultural impacts and develops cross-cultural knowledge / can think globally.
30. Humour 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10
9
10
Laughs at him/herself and with others. Has a positive and constructive sense of humour. Is appropriately funny and can use humour to ease tension.
31. Influencing and Persuading 1
2
3
4
5
6
Commands attention and respect in groups. Offers suggestions and / or ideas in a persuasive, compelling and convincing manner Effectively influences and persuades decisions of upper management and Gains commitment of key individuals and others to commit to specific actions Accurately evaluates needs and decision process Matches persuasive approach to situation Listens carefully to concerns and objections Addresses and re-forms objections. Clarifies and answers objections; checks for agreement Expresses self appropriately (e.g. words, action, attire) Effectively targets benefits of products / services to identified needs Explains complex concepts in simple terms Promotes specific proposals more persuasively
32. Integrity 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Doesn’t have a hidden agenda. Has candid discussions. Treats direct reports equitably. Admits mistakes. Can present the unvarnished truth in an appropriate and helpful manner. Doesn’t misrepresent him/herself for personal gain. Is direct and trustful. Is widely trusted. Keeps confidences.
33. Intensity 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Applies more effort to reach important targets during periods of high demand Persists longer when assigned to boring, demanding or unpleasant work Maintains effectiveness in the face of longer hours and / or difficult assignments
34. Intellectual Horsepower 1
2
3
4
5
Deals with concepts and complexity comfortably. Intellectually sharp, capable and agile. Is bright and intelligent.
6
7
8
35. Interpersonal & Peer Relationships 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Notices and rewards extra effort or good ideas. Consistently shows respect and concern for people as individuals Probes more deeply to reach underlying needs. Shows empathy through words and actions Uses diplomacy and tact Is candid with peers. Gains trust and support of peers. Is a team player and is cooperative. Embraces different points of view.
36. Issue Identification 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
Probes more deeply to reach underlying needs Takes time to gather relevant information Detects problems early in their development Effectively organizes information Recognizes cause-effect relationships Anticipates changes in conditions Anticipates technical advances. Looks beyond the obvious.
37. Leadership 1
2
3
4
5
Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Makes the team's mission and strategy clear to others. Accurately identifies long range opportunities Facilitates development of company vision and values Correctly anticipates potential resistance to vision and values Promotes vision and values through personal commitment Discover, practice and instills values critical to overall success Gains commitments from others to develop specific, measurable goals to achieve vision Leads by example, words and deeds are consistent with stated values Facilitates development of effective incentive structures Aligns current systems of effective incentive structures Tie personal and team objectives more closely to organizational goals Guides, directs or positively influences the actions and results of individuals and groups Shares personal and others’ success stories, giving credit where due Exhibits self-confidence through words and actions
38. Listening 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Clarifies what people say. Has the patience to hear people out. Listens to the total message. Listens well in a group and accurately restates the opinions of others even when he/she disagrees. Listens willingly to concerns of others Using open-ended questions to encourage communication. Able to use paraphrasing to improve communication.
39. Managing Your Manager 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
9
10
9
10
9
10
Avoids upward delegation Deals comfortably with senior managers. Develops an effective relationship with authority. Effective at giving his/her manager useful feedback. Supplies management with the appropriate amount of detail. Presents to more senior managers without undue tension and nervousness.
40. Meeting Effectiveness 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Comes to meetings fully prepared for presentation Offers suggestions and / or ideas in a persuading manner Develops strategies to overcome expected objections and / or obstacles Encourages differing points of view Encourage team members to take action and accept responsibility Make more productive use of team meetings Arrives in time Completes any tasks or assignments expected to be done before meeting Actively participates by offering suggestions and / or input whenever appropriate Listens with empathy to other participants Follows through on commitments and action items after meeting
41. Mental Toughness 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Bounces back quickly from rejection and/or criticism Effectively persists through multiple disappointments Exhibits tolerance for rejection Maintains enthusiasm, sense of humour and positive attitude in face of adversity
42. Mentoring 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Develops shared understanding of strengths, opportunities and areas for growth. Ensures opportunities for subordinates top practice new skills. Gains commitment to goals for development and training. Minimizes or removes obstacles to development and growth.
43. Motivating 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Rewards people for good performance. Conveys enthusiasm about departmental objectives. Conveys trust in people competence to do their jobs. Inspires people to excel. Creates a climate in which people want to do their best. Invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility. Is someone people like working for and with. Makes each individual feel his/her work is important. Assesses and uses peoples "hot buttons" to get the best out of them.
8
44. Negotiation 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10
Is both direct and forceful as well as diplomatic. Pursues win-win scenarios Gains trust quickly of other parties to the negotiations. Has a good sense of timing. Actively looks for and is open to alternatives Focuses discussion on business issues not on personal issues Listens empathy; fully understands other positions Mutually agrees on points of agreement and disagreement Negotiates skillfully in both internal and external group.
45. Openness & Approachability 1
2
3
4
5
6
Listens attentively and with empathy. Is easy to approach and talk to. Spends the extra effort to put others at ease. Is open about personal beliefs and feelings. Is pleasant, warm and gracious. Reacts with sensitivity and patience to the interpersonal anxieties. Shares his/her thoughts about personal strengths, weaknesses, and limitations.
46. Organization and Time Management 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Arrives on time for meetings and appointments Consistently completes work assignments as scheduled Effectively prioritizes work; focuses energy on most important tasks Keeps personal work-space clean and free of clutter Maintains a productive pace. Gets more done in less time than others. Maintains an effective filing system. Responds quickly to phone calls, voice and email, written requests. Uses systematic time management tools to optimize personal time Orchestrates multiple activities simultaneously to accomplish goals
47. Organizational Ability 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Knowledgeable about how organizations work. Has and uses cross-functional knowledge. Involves the right people at the right time. Anticipates others reactions or positions accurately. Fosters effective "give and take" relationships. Knows when to lead and when to follow. Understands the agendas and perspectives of others. Maneuvers smoothly through complex political situations. Shows understanding of issues relevant to the organization and industry
48. Organizational Commitment 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
Informs supervisors and peers of ineffective processes more quickly Represents the organization more consistently with its target image Acts more consistently within core organizational values and norms Take corrective action when others violate basic organizational values Actively supports and implements company decisions
49. Perception 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Reads non-verbal communication Predicts what groups will do across different situations Sizes up different personality traits of others Reads the mood of the group/s Savvy in understanding the real message people deliver Senses incongruent messages given by others Picks up the sense of group in terms of positions, intentions and needs; what they value and how to motivate them After reasonable exposure, articulates the strengths and limitations of people inside or outside the organization
50. Performance Appraisal 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10
Whenever possible, feedback to subordinates is immediate and specific Gives feedback that is fair, accurate and as objective as possible
51. Performance Standards 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Holds frequent development discussions Is a people builder Is aware of each direct reports career goals Provides challenging and stretching tasks and assignments Pushes direct reports to accept developmental moves Sets challenging but attainable performance standards Encourages others to set challenging performance standards Takes pride in meeting and exceeding performance standards Takes appropriate action to correct substandard performance Clearly explains the consequences of substandard work; takes action
52. Personal Care 1
2
3
4
5
6
Avoids use of tobacco and drugs Avoids or limits use of alcohol Has positive outlook and attitude Maintains physical fitness Involves self in social activities Follows medical advice and instructions of care givers
7
53. Planning 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10
9
10
Coordinates across units Establishes realistic and challenging goals and objectives Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks and projects Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks Develops schedules and task / people assignments Balances day to day demands with planning efforts Prepares long range plans and goals Plans for risk and contingencies Quickly zeroes in on the critical few priorities and puts the trivial many aside
54. Proactive 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Goes beyond what is expected Takes the initiative to solve problems (without exceeding boundaries) Offers suggestions for improvement Seeks and takes advantage of opportunities for development Confronts and challenges the status quo Sets and reviews specific, challenging personal goals more often
55. Problem Solving and Decision Making 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Facilitates development of effective solutions Sizes up the risks and benefits of new ideas more accurately Accurately recognizes trends more often Carefully defines problems, examining alternatives and their effects Takes reasonable risks justified by upside potential Involves and informs others whenever necessary and appropriate Effectively applies decision-making techniques (quantitative , qualitative analysis) Delays impulse decisions when lacking sufficient information Quickly takes effective actions to remedy problem situations
56. Professional Presentations 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Dresses appropriately for presentation Gets point across when talking Speaks with enthusiasm and expressiveness Commands attention and manages the group processes Involves audience through effective use of non-verbal communication Sets the stage, establishes purpose and need, and reviews benefits for audience Organizes content to flow smoothly and logically Vocabulary, pace examples match knowledge level of audience Effectively uses audio-visual aids to enhance delivery of message Listens carefully to questions and objections; responds directly and honestly
57. Profitability - Financial & Quantitative Data 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
8
9
10
Analyzes and justifies capital expenditures Emphasizes the need to contribute to the organizations profitability Makes decisions that enhance the organizations financial position Manages with financial goals in mind Pursues ways to increase revenues Uses statistical and quantitative information Establishes realistic budgets Knows the current financial system Uses software, computer, internet sources to stay on top of financial information
58. Project Management 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Establishes priorities Sets goals and benchmarks Develops time line and schedule tasks Specifies and budgets resources Effectively uses project management tools, software, charts Develops methods to monitor progress Reviews regular progress, reports; and takes action as necessary Maintains regular contact with project participants Identifies best sources for data collection Detects subtle but critical changes in operations more quickly
59. Re-engineering 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Simplifies complex processes Gets more our of fewer resources Knows what to measure and how to measure it Has a systems perspective with an emphasis on process Institutes continuous improvement Aligns the work flow process for maximum efficiency Stimulates others to make changes and improvements Creates a learning environment that results in the most efficient and effective work processes Defines standards for quality - and measures processes, products and / or services against those standards
60. Safety Orientation 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Always in control of self: work pace reflects level of skill Checks equipment and workspaces for hazards Follows / works within safety guidelines Encourages others to work within safety guidelines Notifies management of unsafe or hazardous conditions Takes initiative to improve unsafe or hazardous conditions (within job boundaries)
9
10
61. Self – Development 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Is a relentless and versatile learner Enjoys the challenge of unfamiliar tasks Open to receiving feedback Plans for personal growth Involves others in self-development Transfers learning to observable action steps Knows personal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and limits Takes appropriate action to correct own substandard performance Takes pride ion meeting and exceeding performance standards Takes advantage of opportunities to practice and improve newly acquired skills Seeks out mentors to learn and develop more quickly Reads relevant literature to become more knowledgeable Taps the experience of supervisor and peers Seeks out and / or responds more constructively to feedback
62. Staffing 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6
7
8
9
10
9
10
Anticipates long term staffing issues Interviews and evaluates candidates Matches individuals to jobs Develops a pool of qualified candidates Assembles talented staff Hires the best people available from inside or outside Is not afraid of selecting strong people
63. Strategic Thinking 1
2
3
4
5
Visualizes the present & the future and develops strategies to get there Detects subtle but critical changes in operations Poses future scenarios Anticipates future consequences and trends Creates competitive and breakthrough strategies and plans Develops strategic alliances to increase competitive advantage Recognizes strategic opportunities for success Uses information about the market & competitors in making decisions Discusses multiple aspects and impacts of issues and projects them into the future
64. Stress Tolerance 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Maintains focus and effectiveness under demanding conditions Takes advantage of outlets to reduce stress (exercise, reading, mediation etc) Effectively prioritizes tasks and / or assignments Seeks additional help and / or support from others
65. Supervising 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Brings out the best in people Establishes clear directions Sets stretching objectives; distributes the workload appropriately Designs feedback loops into work Keeps up-to-date with advances in managing performance Keeps subordinates better informed of internal and external changes Regularly notices and rewards extra effort or good ideas of subordinates more often Keeps the work simple enough to be understood and implemented Links rewards to performance Detects and resolves conflicts among subordinates earlier or more often Instructs, directs and positively impacts the actions of others without being coercive Discourage negative comments about managers, peers or other groups
66. Teamwork 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
7
8
9
10
8
9
10
Coordinates work with other groups Creates strong morale and spirit in his/her team Fosters open dialogue Builds productive working relationships Celebrates team accomplishments Knows when to use a team approach Suppresses personal positions to support group decisions Places more emphasis on group goals than on personal goals Shares information freely, completely and accurately Actively participates in group discussions Listens and responds to others with empathy Promotes cooperation and trust building Encourages differing perspectives and opinions
67. Technical Knowledge and Skills 1
2
3
4
5
6
Able to use computers to assist technical functions Possesses up-to-date knowledge in the profession and industry Does well in technical courses and seminars Easily learns new industry, company, product or technical knowledge Carries a great volume of technical information in memory Keeps a greater volume of technical data easily accessible in files Stays abreast of technical developments; understands technical jargon Effectively applies technical knowledge Applies technical knowledge in appropriate situations Performs technical tasks more quickly, accurately or efficiently Introduces large scale technical innovations into the organization with ease
68. Values 1
2
3
4
5
6
Follows through on promises Respects the privacy of others Works within company guidelines Accurately represents company products and services Is accurate and complete in sharing information Respects requests for confidentiality
7
69. Work/Life Balance 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Has broad ranging personal and business interests and pursuits Reduces stress by addressing conflict Reduces stress through adequate preparation Maintains focus and effectiveness under demanding conditions Follows medical advise and instructions of care givers Maintains physical fitness Seeks additional help and / or support from others Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life
ASK ABOUT THE DRAKE P3 PROFILING SYSTEM and other Drake products that can help you increase your productivity and overall performance.
412 PAGES 273 IDEAS 100s of VARIATIONS 700 LINKS TO MORE RESOURCES When you need a source of ideas to either implement as is, or to help jog your own creative juices, this is the book to buy. It took me over 25 years to get it ‘here’ and that story is on page 5. It was some journey. When I started writing it, the IBM Selectric was the word processor of choice! What a laugh. Some suppliers have purchased a copy for each of their Business Development Managers, host agencies have made bulk purchases for their members and individual agents have written in to say this book is their idea bible.
WHEN YOU BUY THIS BOOK YOU WILL RECEIVE 2 HOURS OF IDEA TIME WITH THE AUTHOR AND 10% OFF YOUR FIRST STATIONERY ORDER WHEN PURCHASED THROUGH BIG BARK GRAPHICS EASY TO USE E-STORE!
It also, as you can see, comes in pill form, a cure for the common creative block! Okay, just kidding, but it is available in E‐BOOK format if you prefer to read it on screen! For e‐Books: steve@sellingtravel.net
NO OTHER BOOK LIKE THIS ONE – AND IT’S CURRENT!
PURCHASE THE SOFT COVER FROM
$44.95 + taxes and shipping
SELLING TRAVEL is on a sales mission. That’s it pure and simple. Any and all SELLING TRAVEL services are focused on generating new business for you and your agency. The missing link between marketing, sales and closing that sale is generally a lack of experience, know‐how and creativity. SELLING TRAVEL CAN SHOW YOU HOW Be sure to subscribe to Selling Travel and join the list.
SELF‐STUDY GUIDES AVAILABLE FROM CITC
CONFERENCE KEYNOTES Fast paced, humourous, excellent imagery and delivered with a street‐savvy, no‐fluff and little theory format. Click 4 More.
WEBINARS & WORKSHOPS Webinar’s are a SELLING TRAVEL specialty. Running 75 to 90 minutes, they include a workbook plus 30 minutes of post webinar time with me AND a 5‐day review of the webinar recording for additional note taking. Click here for details.
PUBLICATIONS The ultimate desk reference for TAs. With 412 pages, covering 273 marketing ideas + 700 links to additional information. Order today from Big Bark Graphics – Enter the Big Bark Store here. Now available in e‐Book format from The Travel Institute and from CITC.
Look for it in the Fall Read sample copy here
A division of SMP Training Co.
www.sellingtravel.net T: 250-752-0106 steve@sellingtravel.net