I have been in the industry since the summer of 1997. I graduated from the two-year program at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton in 1998. I was hired part way through my program at Sears Travel. I was employed during the glory years of Sears Travel in Alberta and then New Brunswick. I moved to CAA Atlantic, and then upon returning back to Alberta worked for AMA and made the move to start my own business in 2017 with The Travel Agent Next Door. The best move I have ever made. Twenty-seven years goes by very quickly!
I grew up on a grain farm in rural Alberta, my family never travelled. I had never flown on a plane or been anywhere till I became an adult. I had considered a career in social work, or agriculture, but my path took me this route and I am so glad it did. In some ways I am doing social work! Ha.
I am a very traditional person, even though things have changed completely since I began in the travel industry, to me the fundamentals of customer service and how I was taught are the same. Is it what I expected; likely not. No one could have written this book or planned this journey if they had a crystal ball.
My favourite part of being a travel agent is honestly the pride of being part of this industry that is sometimes confusing and underestimated by the general public! I love feeling like I have a place and relationship with suppliers and other agents who I hold so much respect for across Canada. I do love interacting with most clients. I am proud to be thriving in my business, sometimes guessing if I’m ‘doing it right,’ but continually moving forward the best I can.
Dealing with changes that are out of my control. We can do everything right in the trip planning, accounting, insuring, and scheduling all the spokes in the wheel of a client’s trip planning and often we are left holding the ball feeling responsible for a change or mishaps that are not in our control. Most people are understanding, but when you put your heart and soul into the plans, to have a flight cancelled, not enough water in a river or something going sideways, it is difficult to deal sometimes.
If you are new, learn some history of the business. Listen to your elders. Go backwards a few steps before you start moving forward. It will help you understand changes better. For the veterans, always look forward through the windshield, but don’t forget about the rearview mirror. This comes with training, listening, basically being a sponge and willing to learn from your peers and those that are willing to help you. Surround yourself with the best. Don’t be an Askhole just to get what you want in two minutes. Dig a bit. It will serve you better in the long run. Put time in, don’t assume things, don’t get too brave and have a healthy respect for what you are doing and people’s money, their time and basically their dreams. Don’t run before you walk. Keep learning new things, do what works for you not everyone else, but keep an open mind.
Absolutely, clients are making the most of their time, taking back what they feel they missed, taking longer trips, spending more for a good experience and even though it’s a cliche saying ‘making the memories.’ We never know what tomorrow holds, so a lot are taking the opportunities now if they are healthy and able to go a bit further out of their comfort zone.
My business works a lot on referrals, mostly because things go right, but sometimes they go wrong. People remember how you handled them in the good and the bad times, then they tell their friends. I think some still have a healthy respect for what I call ‘running big equipment.’ I also think that our industry gained a huge amount of respect in the last three years. We shared what we went through, we reemerged as professionals who know what they are doing. Websites didn’t help people during Covid. Respect is earned, but even those who have merely made one wrong click to an undesirable property hopefully have learned to circle back to a professional. We don’t do our own dental work, we don’t write our own prescriptions, or re-shingle our own house. Why not use a professional? People also are short on time. Let us do the work and do it right.
I am very blessed; I cover a very wide area that keeps growing. Most of my clients are from 50-80 years old and retired or still working blue collar or farmer type jobs. In this demographic, you get loyalty if you treat them with respect, possibly hold their hands a bit more. However, their children are my age and they have grandchildren who also use me. I do love helping younger clients and I often say that it is the start of a long relationship. I am trying to teach the older folks new things (apps) each time they book. I’d rather focus my time on this pod of clients rather than answer a Facebook message from a stranger looking for a deal on a Saturday night.
There have been many over the years, I have been very fortunate to have covered the ground that I have. I don’t get away a lot, but when I push myself to leave my office chair I’m always amazed at this big world. One of my favourite memories was just this past June. I was awarded a fam trip to New Zealand with Goway Travel. We had an amazing small group of agents. We took a coach to Milford Sound, did the cruise and then were told they had a surprise for us to get out. Rather than the coach, they loaded us into helicopters. We flew over the mountain range and I literally couldn’t catch my breath for what I was seeing. All of a sudden, the two choppers ahead of us tried to land and I thought OMG we are going to die. Then ours landed, on the top of the mountain in the snow. We all piled out and stood there, I had tears rolling down my face. The pilots opened the cubby in the back of the chopper and pulled out a cooler with orange plastic cups and champagne. We had a toast! I was so wide-eyed and exhilarated I couldn’t stop crying. Moments like these don’t happen to a flat-land prairie gal like me. I hugged my new friend Amanda and the group leaders thought we were crying because we were scared to get back in the helicopter. Nope, just high in the moment. It was amazing.
A customized Kenya/Tanzania itinerary $130k.
As of right now, I do not charge for my services. I have implemented change and cancellation fees though. Since starting my own business, for the first time in my career, I feel fairly compensated for the work I do. I do not need to charge fees. However, are there times that I’d like to use one to pump up revenue on a file? Absolutely. The client who is a bit more work, yes. It may be something I consider in the future. My closing rate is quite high, so I don’t feel I need to charge, however, I am fully aware that my services are valuable, that I am worth a fee — I just haven’t implemented them yet. I support anyone who does charge.
I was completely flattered to be nominated for this project. It is an amazing feeling to share some insight. I love hearing how others do things too. Sharing is where the good stuff happens.
