Technology Trends - Part 1

By David L. Goodis, President
Revelex

Everyone is talking about home based travel agents. Whether it’s becoming one or selling a product and/or service in this growing market segment two things are clear: The growth is explosive and by opening up new windows of opportunity to both travel agents and their customers, the home based community is great for the travel industry.
With so much technology readily available in the marketplace, agents can operate from anywhere with access to a computer and the Internet. This new way of doing business is not in fact so new. However, an agent’s ability to work from home has been greatly enhanced by the Internet. What is new is the awareness of the importance of this distribution channel.
Everybody wants in. Amadeus has launched Agenta to provide home based agents with the new tools necessary to compete and prosper online. Major cruise lines, such as Carnival, are spending significant resources to help the home based agents with product training, marketing resources and collateral material to fully leverage their sales capacity.
So you dropped your ARC designation, closed up shop and now work in the comfort of your home. Well, you’re not alone. The industry estimates that there are over 100,000 home based agents in this country alone, and some would argue that the number is much higher. In any case, the number is growing and, as a result, no one can claim to have the ear of the entire community, nor can anyone be sure whether the agent on the other end of the phone or the Web site is home based or not.
Vendors claim to be able to distinguish the home based from the office based, but I often hear stories from agency customers claiming that with the exception of the occasional barking dog, their home based agents are very productive and that customers often have no idea that Patti is working in her pajamas from her desk overlooking the garden. Home based professionals don’t get tied up in rush hour traffic, usually work longer hours, don’t require costly office space and seem to be happier people. The result is more productivity, which equals more profit for all the players in the industry.
We can thank the Internet for this large growth curve, so let’s take a look at the technology necessary to get the job done.
Before getting started, you must establish a budget. Having the latest and greatest of everything might not make sense for you, nor is it usually necessary. You might want to take a written inventory of your current office equipment to avoid purchasing or replacing products you already own.
You should have a room in your house specifically dedicated to your business, not just for tax purposes. When you are in your office your family members are more likely to understand that you are working and not interrupt you.
You need to have a reliable computer with up-to-date versions of whichever operating systems you prefer. A super gigahertz computer is a waste of resources. Instead, put the extra money into more RAM. A good monitor such as a “flat panel” display is preferable because it’s easy on your eyes. With hardware prices dropping, it’s also a good value for the money.
When it comes to bandwidth the choice is simple: Choose DSL. Although dial-up will work fine for most applications, the cost of DSL today is low enough so that the expense is no longer extravagant and the speed is fantastic. Most DSL providers will throw in the modem if you sign up for at least one year.
A fast laser printer is inexpensive today. For reliability and ease of use, Hewlett Packard is my first choice. Color printers are practically being given away today but beware of the high cost of the ink cartridges.
A flatbed scanner is probably not necessary for most home offices. If you decide to purchase a scanner anyway, then buy whatever is on sale. I am willing to bet you will use it mostly as a paperweight.
Don’t make the costly mistake of not having a back-up system for your data. There are so many low cost options to choose from that if you pick one and implement it, you will never get caught with a blank stare that comes with seeing your hard drive crash before your very eyes.
A good two-line telephone is a wise investment. Call-waiting is a must. Don’t buy an answering machine. Instead, use the service from your local telephone company. It’s much easier to access from anywhere and more reliable than a machine. Think about forwarding calls to your mobile phone when you’re out, since an automated message during business hours may result in lost sales.
For agents on the go, a clear cell phone and an unlimited calling plan make sense. If you plan on doing a lot of traveling, in addition to a clear mobile phone (“Can you hear me now?”), consider investing in a world phone, such as a GSM telephone, as well as an international calling plan.
A good PDA (personal digital assistant) that can sync with your mobile phone using wireless technology like Bluetooth is easy to use and affordable.
For the road warrior, a good laptop that has great battery life is a good idea. If you’re equipped with a laptop, checking your E-mails at $1.00 a minute in the business centers of a hotel becomes an unnecessary expense.
Let’s talk about fax machines. Although I would love nothing more than for every travel agent to throw this outdated piece of junk into the street, I will refrain from encouraging you to litter. For those who know what a teletype machine was, I promise you that they will be saying the same thing about the fax machine in a few years. If you really must use a fax machine instead of your computer’s superior methods of conveying data, then, please, buy a used one on Ebay to avoid supporting the continued production of these relics.
In part II, I will discuss agent desktop solutions and what I consider to be the future of the desktop. In part III, I will discuss online marketing strategies and solutions. Stay tuned.