Staying top of mind
Travel Courier chats with Jasmine Grant & Stacy Niemi, BDMs with AIC Hotel Group, about their strategies for staying connected with travel advisors during a challenging year.
Can you share a bit about how you’ve stayed engaged with agents during this time?
Jasmine: Creatively! Really the goal right now is to keep agents engaged and connected in whatever way I can. I have been running short webinar series to help agents.
Over the summer, I broke down weddings and did a wedding webinar series, through September I ran a few webinars based on specific travel needs like inclusive travel (featuring accessibility) — and I am currently running Masterclass Mondays which is a business strategy webinar series touching on topics like marketing strategies, branding, target markets, social media, sales, and public relations. I have tried a couple of in person meet ups, but that has been difficult given the current situation.
Stacy: In Canada, the Nobu brand isn’t as prevalent as it is in the States, and I love sharing the brand story about Chef Nobu — his multi-decade culinary journey, trials and tribulations, successes, and how the hotel came to be. I try to do one-on-one presentation or smaller groups as much as I can so it’s more of a conversation about the brand and hotels. This way the presentation is customized to their business, brand, and their clients in the luxury market.
The Canada Team also coordinated a Toronto Thanksgiving walk to say thank you to the agents for their continued support, share updates across all the AIC hotels, and of course, chat with them all about how they are doing. A social distance stroll among the fall colours, good conversation, and a sweet treat with some sunshine were much needed and very enjoyable.
What kind of updates, information and support are you finding is the most valuable to travel advisors right now?
Jasmine: The most valuable action right now is letting agents know that we are here for them, and we support them, and that we are ready to help them book, when their clients are ready to travel. Whether it is a quick check in via email, or a social post reminding them that we are in this together #AICagentstrong, keeping in touch during these times is key. There has been a lot of information to digest over the last couple of months, so sharing the updates and information in shorter summaries has been effective for me, and using different methods to communicate that information (webinars, social posts, live videos).
Stacy: There is definitely a big difference between doing a presentation with a bigger audience vs. a one-on-one experience. The one-on-one video conversations just like luxury travel is more hands-on, personal, and customizable, and has given me the chance to get to know the agents a lot better. With bigger presentations, I find it is important to outline there will be a Q&A at the end so they can ask lots of questions and sometimes it sparks questions for others.
Also, keeping the agents up-to-date with new protocols and changes on a regular basis. Congratulating the agents when they roll out a new idea that I know they have been working on, offering insight, and providing feedback.
The most valuable action right now is letting agents know that we are here for them, and we support them, and that we are ready to help them book, when their clients are ready to travel. Whether it is a quick check in via email, or a social post reminding them that we are in this together #AICagentstrong, keeping in touch during these times is key.
Jasmine Grant
I have been lucky to work in different parts of the travel industry world and it has been really interesting to see how it has evolved not only throughout the years but especially throughout the pandemic. I think in the past seven or eight months as an industry we have become more creative, collaborative, and innovative.
Stacy Niemi
How has the pandemic changed your approach to tackling the day to day of the job?
Jasmine: I have had to come up with creative ways to get in front of agents, and it is much harder to do everything behind a computer screen versus getting out to spend face to face time with agents. I miss seeing people in person, and can’t wait to get out and visit all of our wonderful agents again soon!
Stacy: Instead of targeting offices, mapping out different cities to visit, and coordinating trade shows, I am targeting agents across different networks using Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and also utilizing my relationships with other BDMs. My days are filled with one-on-one presentations, group presentations, meetings with other BDMs about new ideas, and lots of emails about future travel (exciting)!
What was it like hosting a fam trip during the pandemic? Was it exciting to travel again?
Jasmine: That was my first fam trip, so I don’t have anything to compare it to outside of the pandemic. It was great to see agents be able to experience the resorts and the safety protocols first hand, and it was great to be able to see and experience them for myself as well. There is a level of excitement only invoked through travel – for me it’s the drive to the airport, or getting that first cocktail in sunny paradise, or hearing the waves for the first time arriving at a destination — I didn’t know how much I missed that feeling until I was driving to the airport. It was very exciting to travel again, and I am counting down the days to feel that giddy excitement that only comes from travel, again soon!
What were the biggest changes you noticed on location or at the properties you visited/stayed at?
Jasmine: The staff, the service and the experience was impeccable – I could not pick out any changes that made any difference in our stay. The only small difference that was noticeable enough to comment on would be that the rooms are not stocked as they normally would be including the minibar, an iron, and robes. That being said, room service attendants were quick to bring anything you needed! Swim up bars are currently closed – but the pool service staff was so quick, and accommodating it was not noticed! Restaurant buffets may be closed as well, but the staff were so accommodating with orders, and the food was prepared so quickly it was not noticeable.
What kind of feedback did you get from agents and how will this experience help future bookings?
Jasmine: The feedback was extremely positive from agents. The big takeaway that agents and I got was that even with all of the safety protocols in place, the overall vacation experience was not inhibited. Having agents travel with me definitely peaked interest in their clients for our properties. We are looking forward to welcoming their clients in the new year!
Stacy: For those that used the Friends & Family rate, they were impressed that the hotel was able to implement protocols so flawlessly without changing the Luxury Lifestyle atmosphere of the hotel experience. This instilled confidence that no matter what happens we can and will adjust to the changes in the world.
Is there anything you want to share or add?
Jasmine: Thank you to agents for your support, your positivity, and your patience during these crazy times! I look forward to what the future holds.
Stacy: I have been lucky to work in different parts of the travel industry world and it has been really interesting to see how it has evolved not only throughout the years but especially throughout the pandemic. I think in the past seven or eight months as an industry we have become more creative, collaborative, and innovative.
