KHM Travel Group's investment in automating processes related to commission payments is literally paying off: This year, the host agency has had 17 weeks with more than $1 million in commission payouts to its advisors, compared to 14 weeks last year.
The Brunswick, Ohio-based agency attributed that, at least in part, to new commission automation technology it has invested in recently.
In January, KHM launched biweekly automation for unclaimed commission notifications. Every other Sunday, a program alerts agents who have not yet submitted bookings for payment. KHM said the email alert nudges them to take action to receive their commissions.
It has helped link 10,000 bookings so far this year, an increase of 1,800.
Additionally, KHM partnered with third-party confirmation automation system. Every 15 minutes, the system sends supplier confirmation emails to agents.
"This has been especially beneficial for increasing efficiency in getting important cruise supplier confirmations into the hands of agents," KHM said in a release. "Faster service for advisors enables them to provide better customer service to their clients."
A banner year for KHM Travel Group
KHM said this year is poised to be its best yet, with a projected $430 million in sales.
"We understand being a travel advisor involves many moving parts, and we're dedicated to making sure our agents are paid promptly and accurately for their hard work," said Hannah Butler, KHM's director of finance and technology operations.