WASHINGTON -- Tired of setting sales goals but never reaching them?
Want to gain new business, but don't know how? Have some other goal
in mind?
ARTA is preparing to launch a program that it believes can
help.
Teaming up with several suppliers, ARTA said it intends to
launch a program within several weeks specifically designed to help
agents achieve their objectives.
"It is a year long promotion that encourages agents to increase
their sales for 2004 by setting a goal and we've got a program to
help them monitor their goals," said ARTA president John Hawks.
Hawks declined to delve into the specific details of program,
since it is still in the planning stages. But he did provide a
general outline of what it will entail.
"We are looking at having some electronic support groups, where
agents would get on an e-mail list serve with [groups of] three or
four agents of similar size and type," Hawks said, noting
participation is open to both ARTA and non-ARTA agents.
Guiding agents would be an industry expert, to be named be named
at a later date, who will coach agents into reaching their goals,
as well as periodic checks to see how they are progressing.
Several suppliers have also signed on to provide incentives and
prizes.
Hawks said the inspiration for the program came from two ARTA
staff members, who for the past year have been shedding pounds on a
Weight Watchers program.
"The more we talked about [the weight loss program], the more we
thought 'wouldn't it be great if we had something like that, a
system where you would have a goal and have some outside
support.'"
Hawks said he would also like to see the major travel trades get
involved by "following a couple of the agents through the year and
updating on how they are progressing."
In other news, Hawks said in the next several days or weeks,
ARTA plans to announce a "big expansion" of a program it launched
last year with Hickory Travel Systems in which agents that have
given up their ARC approvals could book airline tickets through a
Hickory host agency.
To contact reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].