Our Vacation Consultants are independent contractors who are paid on a commission basis. Commissions are generally paid after the customer travel has occurred. In this respect our consultants are self-employed small business owners who do not have a "Boss" in the traditional sense. We provide resources and opportunities for you succeed, but in a very real sense you will be your own "Boss." This provides great flexibility, but also comes with a risk of failure. We will help you hold yourself accountable to your own income and success goals. We will not tell you when to work. or set your work schedule. If you are not comfortable being your own Boss, this is not for you.
Successful consultants possess:
- A Demonstrated Passion for Travel
- An Entrepreneurial Drive
- Realistic and Practical Financial & Lifestyle Expectations
- A Growth Mindset, Coachable Attitude, & Love of Learning
- A Circle of Influence
- A Bias towards Initiative, Creativity & Action
- An Appreciation of Hight Quality Customer Service
- Strong Computer literacy
- Commitment to Putting in the Time and Effort Needed to Succeed at Commissioned Sales
The Onboarding and Training Process requires completion of the Expedia Cruises™ International Cruise Academy®. ICA certification provides basic knowledge of the leisure travel industry and professional sales training that become the foundation of a life-long professional development program. Regular in-store and online training sessions and Team meetings provide knowledge about ever-changing vacation and leisure travel products and promote critical marketing and sales skills. If you do not enjoy learning, this is not for you.
We provide leads. Leads can be either prospects and past customers who call-in, walk-in, or make online inquiries. Many are subscribed to our regular email marketing communications promoting various cruise and vacation packages and promotions.
Our Consultants do not make random "cold calls" to pressure people into buying vacation packages. Nor do we ask them to. We train and develop our consultants to be dedicated sales and travel professionals who engage with "warm leads" who build long term consultative relationships. But, if you are afraid to pick up a telephone and make calls to "warm leads", this is not for you.
Our Vacation Consultants are Order Makers, not Order Takers. Successful Consultants do not wait for customers to call in or walk in and ask to purchase a cruise or land vacation. Successful Consultants spend their time on the phone, in the community and on social media reaching out to identify qualified prospects. They determine where their prospects are in the buying process and then work to build a genuine relationship as their trusted travel advisor.
In this way, prospecting leads is not focused primarily on making an immediate sale, although that frequently occurs. It is focused on identifying qualified leads with whom you can, over time, grow a strong repeat customer relationship. If you do not enjoy the process of developing genuine relationships leading to future business, then this is not for you.
Building customer for life relationships takes time. But, the lifetime value of a customer is substantial, and customer satisfaction with our core product, cruises, is very high and pays the highest commission rate. Eight out of ten people who cruise becoming repeat customers.
The downside is that in the travel industry commissions are generally paid after travel occurs. So, consultants need a source of financial stability to lean on while we work to develop their skills, knowledge, and a book of repeat business.
The length of time it takes develop a steady full-time income is mainly dependent on the amount of time and effort the consultant puts into identifying qualified prospects and developing customer relationships. So, if you need immediate income, or are looking for a quick payday, this is not for you.
Teamwork makes the Dream work. Some of our Team are based in our local area and generally work out of our agency storefront. Others work remotely from home. In either case we provide training, coaching, marketing support, promotional opportunities and warm leads. And in either case, dedication to your own travel career is essential. Consequently, whether you want a part-time side gig or full-time career, success only comes through consistent and persistent daily effort. If you are not willing to "put yourself out there" in the community on a daily basis as a travel sales professional, this is not for you.
Successful consultants, whether operating out of the agency storefront or remotely and exclusively from home, engage daily, either virtually or in person with the Franchise Owner and the rest of the sales team. They participate in sales promotions, sales events sponsored by the agency. They attend in person or virtual training session. They engage in self-study. They take advantage of co-op funding and training incentives offered by the agency. As a sales team we communicate with and assist one another. We do not compete for customers or leads. We teach and learn from one another. We have each other's back when it comes to delivering high quality customer service. If you are a "lone wolf", then this is not for you.
Daily engagement is where the risk comes in. We cannot tell you when to work. or set your work schedule. We can, and do, provide a professional work atmosphere for you to receive clients and walk-in customers. We can, and do, provide the tools, technology, training, marketing and promotional support you will need. We can, and do, sponsor travel events and travel groups, email and social media campaigns to drive leads to the agency and to you. We can, and do, provide opportunities to grow your customer base and build your sales. But we can only create the doors of opportunity. You must open the doors and walk through. So, if you are not a goal setting, self-motivated, self-starter, who blocks time on the calendar and works with a to-do list, this is not for you.
This costs money. This is not a job in the traditional employer-employee relationship model. It is a joint business venture. That requires an investment of money on your part. Investing in your business and professional development is different than investing in a traditional college or trade school education, in that you can begin earning a return on the investment while you are making it.
There is an initial onboarding fee of $299.00 which covers your set up ICA training and materials, and a monthly technology fee of $15.00 which covers your:
- Partner Central & CruiseDesk license – your Customer Relationship Management System…your one stop shop for running your entire business.
- Professional email address – establishing Brand creditability with clients
- Personalized website and booking engine – where you and your clients can search for and book over air, land and sea vacations
- Regular Award winning email marketing sent out on your behalf.
While we provide desk space and computers at the agency, you will likely need to invest money for things like a cell phone and a quality laptop computer should you not already possess these. You will need branded items such as business cards and branded logo wear (shirts). You will want to take familiarization trips (at agent rates) to various resorts and on different cruise lines to learn about their product, so you can better sell it. Again, the amount you invest in your professional development and in promoting your business will be up to you. While we can provide some co-op funding, ultimately these are your financial decisions. If you are not interested in investing your money and your time in yourself, then this is not for you.
Our Consultants travel frequently, both domestically and internationally. Our consultants spend substantial time not merely planning travel, but also on familiarization trip, leading a tour groups to exotic destinations or aboard one any one of the hundreds of cruise ships sailing the oceans and rivers around the world. They can also enjoy substantial discounts for personal and family vacations.
At the end of the day, it comes down to a passion for travel and the desire to help others experience it. It's not just about the money. It's about more than that. We believe, as Mark Twain once famously said, that "Travel is fatal to all forms of bigotry and prejudice." We are more than mere travel agents. We are agents of positive change in the world. We relish the act of helping others discover the wonders of the world and the joy of visiting all the places and meeting all the people who make it go round. If you truly share that passion for travel and positive change, then this might be for you!
Before you apply for this position, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you have a genuine passion for travel and helping others experience travel?
- Am I willing to commit to 20-40 hours per week to training to become a sales and travel professional, promoting myself in the community, calling warm leads, developing relationships with prospects, and servicing customers?
- Am I willing to complete ICA certification training within 30 days?
- Am I willing to learn how to make effective phone calls to prospects and leads provided to me?
- Am I willing to attend, in person or virtual supplier trainings and team meetings?
- Am I willing to engage with the team and share my creativity and skills with others?
- Do I have or am I willing to develop strong computer research and communication skills?
- Am I willing to develop a strong professional presence and social network, community connections, in person, in groups, and on social media?
If you answered "No" to any of these questions, then do not bother to apply. On the other hand if you answered "yes" to all of them we would be interested in reviewing your application!
