NEW YORK--Raise the subject of familiarization trips in front of
a travel agency owner or a supplier and you will hear sighs and
groans. Such trips are, or can be, very productive for both
parties. And they can be a headache for either or both.
Who should be invited? Who should go? Will John be jealous if
Sue takes the trip? Will your agency really benefit or will your
agent consider the trip to be a vacation? Will your supplier
receive any return for providing the space?
All these concerns are valid.
However, the problems can be resolved with a logical, organized
approach to familiarization trips by both agency owners and
managers and by supplier managers.
Is a fam trip an educational tool or a reward to motivate an
employee? Or can it be both training and perk?
The sponsoring organization has the right to expect a fam trip
to be educational. The sponsor also has a responsibility to provide
interesting, informative elements which encourage agent
participation.
A well-designed program permits agents to mix business with
pleasure by including both types of activities in the
itineraries.
The opportunity to visit glamorous, exciting destinations and
sail on luxurious cruise ships is a prime motivator for many
agents. To many, these trips compensate for their relatively low
salaries. Thus, a fam trip can be an important perk.
Agents, however, must understand that the trip was offered for a
serious business purpose. It is the responsibility of agency
management to ensure that participants understand the business to
be accomplished.
If there were no business, there would be no trip.
Selection process
If the right agent travels on the right fam trip, real learning
will take place, the agent will be motivated and additional sales
will be the result. With the wrong agent on a trip, the supplier
will notget a return on its investment and the agency will not
benefit either.
Therefore, the selection process -- how the supplier determines
who is eligible and how the agency manager determines which
employee is offered the trip -- is most critical.
Most fam trips are set up by travel suppliers. The initiation
process, however, varies considerably. Some announce a trip to all
agencies, while others target an invitation list, attempting to
concentrate on those agencies which are producing or have the
greatest potential to produce for the supplier.
The targeted approach usually produces the best results.
Supplier-agency relationships are best served when fam trip
invitations are personally transmitted by supplier sales
representatives to agency management.
Advise the agency manager of the specific content of the trip
and what type of agent the program is designed for (for example,
new sales personnel, group specialists, managers).
Determining who participates in a fam trip is a management
prerogative. Fam trip invitations should never be offered by a
sales representative directly to front-line agents.
Preparation
Pretrip preparation is helpful if an agency is to maximize the
benefit of sending an agent on a trip for the entire office.
Check with the sales staff and advise the participating agent if
anyone needs specific information about a hotel or other facilities
in the area to be visited. Are there any problems which could be
solved with a brief, personal visit? Does anyone need group
rates?
After receiving a fam trip invitation, there are several factors
to consider before offering the trip. The first question is: Should
the trip be offered to anyone? Is the sponsoring supplier one of
your preferred suppliers? If it is not and you offer it to an
agent, remember that the returning agent will treat the firm as a
preferred supplier after the trip.
If you want to accept the invitation, the next step is choosing
your representative well. A novice agent will be out of place on a
trip designed for experienced agents or managers. On the other
hand, no one benefits when a manager participates in a trip
designed for a novice.
Ask yourself which agents are currently selling, or will soon be
expected to sell, the area, cruise or type of program to be
experienced during the trip. Also, consider who has traveled
recently and who has not traveled for a long time.
Company policies
Cover your fam trip policies in detail in your agency policies
and procedures manual. The more thorough the coverage, the less
chance of problems -- as long as you follow stated policies.
Who will pay for what? Practices vary greatly among agencies.
Setting payment policies is a management decision, and application
of the policies must be consistent for all agents whose experience,
seniority and area of assignment are comparable.
Many agencies set up a "bank" of dollars and work days to which
agents are entitled. Others operate successfully with a
case-by-case approach.
Ensure all staffers understand, before they embark, which
expenses will be paid by the agency and which are personal. Include
guidelines on agent conduct during a fam trip as part of your
written policies.
Be certain agents know they are representing the agency at all
times during the trip -- both to the sponsoring suppliers and among
other participants. Agents need to understand they are expected to
participate in all scheduled activities.
Appropriate dress, as determined by the sponsors, must be worn,
and appropriate behavior is required, even during "free" time. A
fam is a business trip.
Office fams
Some agencies run periodic office fams, taking the entire staff
on a long weekend to a relatively easy-to-reach destination. Agency
management controls the programming to ensure that agency needs are
met. Thus, the trip provides needed education, boosts individual
morale and also helps build team spirit within the agency.
A few agencies close their offices on the Friday of the trip,
advising clients of the "staff sales meeting." It is more typical,
however, to have half the staff traveling Friday to Sunday, and the
other half traveling Saturday to Monday.
If there is an area that you want one or two agents to visit and
inspect, set up an independent fam trip. Ask an appropriate
supplier for assistance. Given a business reason with potential
payoff for the supplier, there is a good chance of securing
substantially reduced-rate space.
Fam trips can be both educational and motivational. A properly
planned trip is an investment that should result in additional
income that exceeds the cost of the trip itself.
With consistently applied policies, proper selection of
personnel and well-organized fam trips, both suppliers and agencies
will be winners.
Doris and Philip Davidoff, both CTCs and MCCs, own and
operate an agency, Belair/Empress Travel & Cruises, and
Davidoff Associates, a travel industry education and consulting
organization, both in Bowie, Md. They have taught at universities
and trade events and are the authors of several books on the agency
business. Philip is a former president of ASTA, and Doris is a
former trustee of ICTA.
Tips for taking fams
By Caroline Scutt
The following pointers for agents taking fam trips, based on
input from several travel agents, first appeared in the Agent Life
sections of the Dec. 15, 22 and 29, 1997, issues of Travel
Weekly.
Dressing the part
Dress codes vary depending on the type of trip and the
itinerary, but, as a rule, professional, neat attire should be worn
at all times unless otherwise noted in sponsor literature.
Professional does not have to mean a business suit, especially in
the Caribbean or on a cruise, where casual, neat dress is
acceptable, especially during the day.Be prepared. For example, bring hiking boots if necessary to a
particular adventure travel trip or a raincoat to Britain.When on a fam trip, you are representing your company, and what
you wear reflects on the agency. Never wear jeans or revealing
clothing. Lean toward conservative dress rather than flashy -- the
goal is not to stand out.Be sensitive to the culture of a country, especially where it
is seen as disrespectful for women to reveal too much skin.Many trip sponsors send out guidelines on dress. If the
information isn't provided by your sponsor prior to departure, ask
for it.Being your best
Courteous, professional behavior is necessary at all times.
Obnoxious behavior could burn bridges for other agents.
Unprofessional actions include chatting during site inspections;
loud, obnoxious behavior anytime, and failure to participate in the
entire program.Accept upgrades gracefully but do not count on them and do not
whine for them.Have a good time but show up and be on time for all meetings
and events.A positive attitude goes a long way.Respect local customs and traditions. Don't criticize things
that are different in a culture.Outside sales agents should not discuss their other job, if
any, in front of hosts. Doing so can suggest that the outside sales
agent will not deliver any business.Be flexible. Keep in mind that you are an ambassador for the
travel industry, and you are paving the way for your clients.
Establishing a good rapport will help guarantee that clients are
well taken care of in the future.Refrain from complaining. If there are glitches, don't complain
to anyone who will listen; instead, approach the group leader
immediately. If the problem is not taken care of to your
satisfaction, follow up upon your return with a polite written
complaint to the head of the company that organized the trip.Gathering information
You will be gathering intelligence to assist you in selling and
to share with colleagues who have not made a similar trip.
Therefore, take notes on fam trips. Some notes can be written right
on a hotel brochure or tour catalog in order to keep things
together and cut down on paper.Keep a journal and jot down details that won't be found in a
brochure. This could include something particularly interesting
about a property, such as its beautiful garden, sunny bedrooms or
an extra-helpful concierge.Bring a tape recorder or camcorder. Many destinations and
attractions also offer videotapes for sale. Videos are useful to
show in the office and lend out to clients.Design a worksheet listing all the trip elements that are
important to your clients and check them out. For example, a hotel
worksheet can list handicapped accessibility; location; number and
types of restaurants, and facilities in the business center or
spa.The same type of form can be created for destinations, escorted
tours and cruises. Once the information is gathered, it should be
updated at least once per year. To get customer feedback, these
same forms can be given to clients when they return from a
trip.
Scoop up and schlepp home brochures, business cards, restaurant
menus and any other material that might be useful to you and your
colleagues.Post fam tips
By Caroline Scutt
These pointers on possible post-fam trip follow-up appeared in
Agent Life on Jan. 5, 1998, based on interviews with a
cross-section of agents:
After a fam, file a written report or completed worksheets, and
give an oral presentation, complete with pictures and souvenirs, to
coworkers. Notes for the oral presentation can be written on index
cards for easy filing and retrieval.Write thank-you notes to all the trip's hosts. These notes can
be critical or include suggestions for improving a product but
should always begin with a positive thought.Immediately upon return, send postcards from the destination to
clients who might be interested. Include a few lines about the trip
and invite them to call and discuss the destination in more detail
if they are interested.Include an article on the trip in the agency's newsletter.Put together a photo album for viewing by the staff and
clients.Finally, some words of caution: Although presenting clients
with first-hand knowledge is helpful when making a sale, there is
such a thing as being over-enthusiastic -- especially on the heels
of a successful trip.Also, don't try to sell the destination you just visited to
every client who walks in.