FORT LAUDERDALE -- Agents' use of technology to improve their workflow was the overarching theme of this year's Think Tank at CruiseWorld on Wednesday evening.
The Think Tank was sponsored by Amadeus North America and Trisept Solutions, and hosted by Carolyn Cauceglia, Amadeus' vice president of strategic sales and account management, and John Ische, Trisept's president.
As per tradition, moderators Mary Pat Sullivan and Joanie Ogg kicked off the session by, well, kicking off their shoes, making it easier to run around the room fielding agents' questions and comments in the open forum.
The lively crowd was a mix of independent contractors, independent (unaffiliated) agents and retail agents, as determined by the first question of the evening. Evidenced by the conversation, the agents present used almost as many technologies as there were agents in the room to help get their jobs done.
When it came to websites, agents said they are using them to drive leads: some are posting blog content to draw in potential customers, another offers real-time pricing and availability, and yet another uses their website to feature photos of agents, their biographies and their expertise so clients know exactly who they're dealing with.
They serve customers through websites by offering destination content, so clients can "fuel the fire" to then come to the adviser to book their vacation, as well as offering client forms that are mobile- and tablet-friendly, as one agent said she does.
Cauceglia then asked what's missing, technology-wise, from agents' websites.
Carolyn Cauceglia, vice president of strategic sales and account management for Amadeus North America, one of the Think Tank's sponsors, helped run the show. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada
For one adviser, it was the ability to easily edit and create her own content, like adding on a new certification she received. For another, it was the ability to make quizzes like those that are so popular right now. The agent gave an example of "Which Disney princess are you?" to illustrate the type of quiz she meant, but said she would create quizzes with a travel bent to them, a la "What destination is best for you?"
Trip itineraries and their creation were another hot topic of the evening. Agents used a variety of tools, from simply cutting and pasting information into a document, to itinerary creation programs like Umapped and Travefy.
One agent had a particularly clever approach to creating itineraries. A 60-something, she said she's not too technologically adept, so she hired a 22-year-old college student to create her itineraries at a cost of $100 a month using a website the student designed herself. The student, in turn, can use the opportunity as experience for future job searches.
Advisers were full of advice when it came to the services they use to communicate with their clients when they are in-destination, like Whatsapp, a chat application. Facebook Messenger, another chat-based application, was also popular, as was Google Voice.
Several advisers made an important point: They communicate with their clients however their clients want to be communicated with, whether they prefer calling, texting, emailing or something else entirely.
Agents receiving inquiries from potential clients via social media is on the rise, those in attendance reported; in fact, by a show of hands, nearly all said they have received leads through one social media source or another.
By another show of hands, prompted by Cauceglia at the end of the session, nearly all in attendance said they learned something they planned on applying to the way they run their business.
Trisept Solutions was one of the Think Tank's sponsors. President John Ische helped run the show. Photo Credit: Jamie Biesiada
Ische said Trisept's technology investment next year will be over $25 million, and the feedback received at the Think Tank will help shape how those funds are spent.
"I probably have 15 good ideas [from] things that you've asked us today," Ische said. "Really, this feedback is so important to Trisept to really make sure that we're building products, technology, that you need to be successful."