Dear Home Based Trade,
In an article in your March 20 issue entitled “Host, Home Based, and Vendor Relations,” it was interesting to read the opinions and concerns the suppliers, vendors and Host agencies had about reaching the Home Based agent. As a Home Based agent, I’d like to express my opinion: It’s a two-way street and a two-part problem. I like recognition from suppliers, to be invited to local seminars, to be informed of specials. But I understand that as an agent who works with a Host agency, CruiseGal in Arizona, while I live in Pennsylvania, that it is my responsibility to get out there to meet suppliers locally, let them know who I am, what I sell and how I want to grow my business.
Getting out there means Home Based agents have to attend ASTA, NACTA, OSSN or CTO meetings. Where I live in the Philadelphia area, there is an organization called the Philadelphia Area Travel Association which holds five meetings a year and invites suppliers to participate in a mini trade show and seminar followed by a dinner.
Agents pay to attend these meetings to meet suppliers, hear about their products and network with local agents. This organization uses MailPound.com to send meeting announcements to 1,400 agents in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware area. I’m sure there are organizations like this in other parts of the country. If not, (or in addition) a Home Based agent should try to attend at least one national trade show a year.
Besides meeting suppliers, meeting and networking with other agents should be on a Home Based agent’s agenda. Working from home, agents need to leave their vacuum and connect with other travel professionals. When I receive information about a seminar being held by a supplier, I routinely E-mail the announcement to at least three other Home Based agents to make sure they have the information and the opportunity to learn about a destination or product. These agents do the same for me.
Home Based agents who are part of a Host agency should hand out business cards with their E-mail address. Sales managers should be eager to connect with agents who can produce business for their companies. Herein lays the second part of that two-way street/two-way problem.
Everyone admits in the above named article that the distribution system for travel has changed with the increase of Home Based agents and Host agencies. Now it’s time for the travel vendors and suppliers to change their recognition of how business is generated. I’ve actually had sales reps say to me “Oh, if your Host is in Arizona, you need to talk to the sales rep in that territory.” Now that’s really productive and you can believe that my enthusiasm to sell that product dropped dramatically with that news.
Everyone in the travel supply triangle — suppliers, Hosts and Home Based agents — wants to generate sales and increase business. Any obstacle put in the way acts as a detriment to the flow of the process that produces income for everyone.
Suppliers and vendors: Home Based agents want to find you, learn about your product and work with you, whether independently or through Host agencies. You’ve admitted things have changed. How are you going to change your business to make the new travel paradigm work for you?
Home Based agents: Get out there and meet suppliers and vendors and network with other agents. Break out of your vacuum: suppliers are looking for you. What is your plan to find them?
Sincerely,
Kate DeLosso, CTC
Collectible Tours, an affiliate of CruiseGal LLC
kate@collectibletours.com or kate@cruisegal.com

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