Travel Agency Manager - March/April 2013

PROFITING FROM WORK-LIFE BALANCE

DOING IT ALL AND MANAGING TOO

MARCH – APRIL 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS – MARCH / APRIL 2013

Editorial
3 Work Life Balance = Profit Retention
Work‐Life Balance
4 Work Life Balance for Travel Agency Managers
Time Management
7 Where Does My Time Go? How Much More Do I Need?
8 Managing Monkeys
10 The Profitable Staff Meeting
Profit Improvement
13 Taking The Curve
14 Are The Ideas Of Your Team Being Heard?

15 Everybody Sells – Add It To The Job Description
16 Staff Incentives, Carrots & More
17 Creating a Great Place to Work
Internal Communication
18 The Johari Window
Managing News and Information
22 Coffee and a Trip Around The World
24 Reading Material
Social Media Management
25 Stop the LinkedIn Endorsement Madness!
26 The Staff Social Media Usage Plan
Stress Management
28 Your Energy and Stress Patterns
29 The Holmes‐Rahe Life Stress Inventory
30 The Policy and Procedures / Operations Manual
Health Issues
31 How To Identify and Respond To 5 Emergency Scenarios
Team Building
36 Learn A Little More About Your Team and Yourself
Strategic Planning
39 Planning For More Than An Asteroid!
Training & Development
41 Report on Top Management Training Needs
42 FLIP 3 Training

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EDITORIAL WORK LIFE BALANCE = PROFIT RETENTION

WOW! What a wonderful reception to the first
Steve Crowhurst, CTC TAM Publisher
issue of TAM. Over 830 readers to date.
Hopefully we’ve touched a nerve. An unserved
area of the trade. Thanks also for your kind
emails and responses to the content.

One of the main features for this issue focuses on Work –
Life Balance and as women make up 80% or more of the
travel trade workforce we’ll need to factor that
demographic into the articles. Which we do.

Managers, if they are not healthy, happy Too many “buddies” have died too early
and relaxed doing their job, can, will and do through stress and trying to do it all. The
cause more than a loss of profit. A manager pendulum has swung the other way my
worth their credentials will strive to keep doctor told me as more women have
themselves healthy and lead a balanced entered management and believe it or not,
lifestyle. Then as one workshop participant those heart attacks and stress related
said: “Sure that’s okay for you to say… illnesses are now seeking out women and
you’re a man. You don’t have to go home, younger women at that. So you need a
after a ten‐hour day and cook for the family plan. A work‐life balance plan.
and prepare the kids meals for the next
school day and then do laundry!” In this issue you will find a checklist that will
help you plot and plan where your time
I hear you. I know the situation and this is goes. It’s worthwhile printing off and
why “we” need to address the issue of completing the form. It will wake you up.
management work‐life balance from the
male and female point of view – plus split it Delegation is also a skill that can be learned
right down the line to look for generic ‘how‐ – as long as you have someone to delegate
to’ ideas, tips and tools to prevent health to but not so much that you cause that
and revenue loss. person an early demise! Outsourcing could
work though.
My wife, who started her travel career as
ground crew for Northwest Orient in Osaka, Then comes the thought: what are we doing
Japan and managed a travel agency would that doesn’t actually need to be done,
let me know the trials and tribulations of period. There are some things we just need
being a woman in management. I have to stop doing. Change the tape. Rewind the
worked with and consulted to many female video. Rewrite the script. You hear your
managers over the years whose titles range inner voice saying “I can’t…” and so we
from office supervisor to director of sales, change that to “How can I?” – there is
vice presidents and presidents of retail always a way to balance your life and keep
agencies to departments of tourism to the profit balanced in your favour.
suppliers. I know their challenges.
Overall agency work‐life balance for the
Men in management have been on a entire team is important, too. Hope you
learning curve for many years now. They enjoy this issue of TAM. Live long and
have learned not to attract heart attacks. prosper!

WORK – LIFE BALANCE

WORK – LIFE BALANCE FOR TRAVEL AGENCY MANAGERS

Some might suggest it’s all in the mind. Your mind, my mind – THE mind. But to tell you the
truth, work‐life balance is a matter of how you think about time, time usage and knowing
what’s important and what isn’t.  Misjudging the importance of an action or the time it takes to
achieve it can in some cases, be catastrophic to your agency’s profit. When upper management
asks you to put your heart and soul into your job, they don’t mean dying at your desk mid
booking! Although that has happened. Balance can be attained once you focus on what you
should be doing versus what you could be doing. The 3Ds: Do it, Delegate it or Dump it.

In Japan they call it Karoshi – death through work. In 2005’ish a total of 9,000+/‐ men, known as
salary‐men, had died from work related stress. Some men were not discovered for days as
departmental chiefs often had a snooze in the afternoon. Luckily in the so called ‘west’ we have
no interest in Karoshi. We do however get wrapped up in being busy and that can cause poor
judgement. It doesn’t matter how old you are when it comes to work‐life balance. What’s
important is to find that balance for you and your agency team so that when you produce for
the company you are truly firing on all cylinders and still healthy at 5pm.

There was a time when being labelled as to literally find out where your time goes
Type A was the route to the executive floor. and why. To help you track your time I’ve
Anyone who worked for that Type A had to included a one page checklist that you can
measure up. There are still a few belligerent use as‐is or re‐design to suit your own
Type A managers hanging on, all puffed up needs. Completing this form will establish
with their own steam – but mostly gone whether you are over or under in the
from the management scene. Today the number of days required to do your job.
preferred personality is a collaborative Type
A. No more top down bullies, more bottom You know the industry as well as I do and it
up Type A motivation and inspiration. has it’s own inherent and fundamental
issues in terms of work load and when that
If you sense you’re a caring Type A profile work can get done. Ask a travel agent about
that’s good and it’s welcomed as long as it’s hours worked and you’ll get a number
the real you and not some role you flex into ranging from 8 to 12 hours a day. I can also
at the office. For a business to function report a couple of travel agents who work
properly it requires different personalities only 4 days a week, open at 10am and close
to do what they do well. The business needs at 5pm. They have chosen to sell upscale
an assertive‐aggressive leader to manage and bookings range from $5,000 and up.
with balance in mind. If everyone in the They don’t work 12, 10 or 8 hour days. They
agency is customer service oriented with no make their time work for them.
talent for sales, then profits will fall. A
manager must become a sales manager to Now if you work for a large chain agency
push the sales team but with balance. then you must adhere to the rules and
hours of operation. If you manage an
If we all agree that work‐life balance is very agency within a department store or
much a part of managing a travel agency shopping centre as I have done, then you’ll
then one of the first things you should do to be working subject to the mall hours with
find your balance as the agency manager is little to no input.

Where Does Your Time Go?
When it comes to managing your time , the your days have moved ahead and your
first thing you need to know is where your other projects now require time, so what
time goes. That’s been stated and you have was a 2‐day event has become 8‐days.
a mission to complete the one page form. Worse case. That is the truth of time usage.
So learn it now. You must be a quick study
Next you must be aware of how long things re good case and bad/worst case timing
take to do, accomplish, start and finish.   scenarios.
Only when you know how long things take
to do, can you plan and budget your time The question: ”Hey Steve, how long will it
like a professional. take you to interview and hire for that
senior consultant’s position?” Good case
Time Trap Words (with all planets aligned and a Double Shot
One thing I’ve learned along the way is to Grande Gently Whipped coffee in front of
refrain from using time‐trap words. You’ll you) 2‐days. Worst case: six months.
recognise them as “just a minute…”, “be
there in a sec’…”, “sure, I’ve got time…” Project Management Is Your Friend
These are all time killers. Once said, you In the time management programs I deliver,
have set yourself and the other person up we review Project Management. Not going
to fail. Nothing happens in the travel trade too deep. Just enough tips and tools so you
or in the role of manager in ‘a sec…’ – it’s a know the fundamentals and how to use
nice thought, but it’s not the truth. The them.
professional way to respond to someone
requesting your presence would be: “I’m Managing is project based. Purchasing a
on a call that will take me 30 minutes and new printer. Collect information. Sift and
then I have a meeting to attend… I can see sort. Study features. Match features to
you in one hour from now / at 2pm this future agency needs and so on. Team
afternoon  / tomorrow at 9am.”    huddle – which one? Decision made.
Purchase. Project timing: one week.
The reason this manager can make that
statement is this: they know where they are Here’s something no‐one will like but it
on their schedule and they know how long works. A client of mine did this. He ran a
things take, or the time they have allotted very large firm with say 15 managers. There
to their current task. This is a skill worth seemed to be too much duplication. For
learning.   one full month he asked each manager to
record in their daily planners where their
Good Case – Bad Case time went. He meant every minute. So if
When you study how long things take, you’ll you stopped by my office to say hello and
be amazed at how much you under budget ask how things were – I made a note.
your time. Hence you might always be Nothing to do with you – all about my time
playing catch up and stressed to the max. and where it went. Long story short. He
There are two elements to timing – good analyzed the reports, found the duplication
case and bad case. If you had all the and wasted effort. He had found the
decision making information for instance argument to hire a trainee to take on some
you could produce this year’s sales budget of the non management tasks his managers
in two‐days. Good case. If someone is sick where involved in. End result which was his
and they hold the key to the information goal – was to have his managers out the
you need, or they are just slow, not helpful, office door by 5pm. Which is what
then your bad case timing is looming – PLUS   happened. This might work for you too.


A Fable: The Rat Race   will bring, you can buy a second one and a
A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. A third one and so on until you have an entire
high profile travel executive on a 3‐day visit fleet of trawlers. Instead of  selling your fish
complimented the Mexican fisherman on to a middleman, you can negotiate directly
the quality of his fish and asked how long it with the processing plants and maybe even
took him to catch them. open your own plant. You can then leave
this little village and move to Mexico City,
"Not very long," answered the Mexican. Los Angeles, Toronto or even New York
City! From there you can direct your huge
"But then, why didn't you stay out longer enterprise."
and catch more?"   asked the travel
executive checking his iPhone. "How long would that take?"   Asked the
Mexican.
The Mexican explained that his small catch
was sufficient to meet his needs and those "Twenty, perhaps twenty‐five years,"
of his family. replied the executive.

The travel executive looked up and asked, "And after that?"
"But what do you do with the rest of your
time?" "Afterwards? That's when it gets really
interesting," answered the travel executive
"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my laughing. "When your business gets really
children, and take a siesta with my wife. In big, you can start selling stocks and make
the evenings, I go into the village to see my millions!"
friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar,
and sing a few songs... I have a full life." "Millions? Really? And after that?"

The travel executive interrupted, "I have an "After that you'll be able to retire, live in a
MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play
should start by fishing longer every day. You with your children, catch a few fish, take a
can then sell the extra fish you catch. With siesta, and spend your evenings drinking,
the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger playing guitar and enjoying your friends!"
boat. With the  extra money the larger boat   

Hey boss… that’s some

serious work‐life balance

you’ve got there!

You know it! Keep a cold one for me.
Just off to the board meeting… get it!?
Now where’s my beach boy… err towel?

TIME MANAGEMENT

WHERE DOES MY TIME GO? HOW MUCH MORE DO I NEED?
Based on a 365‐day year work by yourself and calculate the amount of time you need to do your job.
What you do with it, how you manage it, invest it and whether or not, from the agency point of view,
you do this wisely, is most important.  It’s how you spend your time that counts. Generate your chart
below by writing in your own data. Add up your hours and days, deduct from the available work days
of 238 (change to your own total). If you need more time in your year then you are probably spending
your weekends at the office, or taking time away from your family life or social activities. Can you do
your job in the days left after deducting weekends, vacation and fam time? Change the form and
format to suit your needs.

ACTIVITY Days Used Days Available 365
Weekends   104 261
Statutory Holidays 8 253
Vacation 14 239
Other
Other
Average Number of Job Days   239

Social Media:
Drive Time to / from office:
Lunch / Coffee: 1.5 hours/day:
Daily Chit Chat:
Daily interruptions / spontaneous meetings:
Staff Meetings:
Divisional Meetings:
Meetings Other:
Serving Clients:
Follow‐up reports:
Paperwork:
Email:
Voice Mail:
Planning / Scheduling:
Reading Time:
Business Travel Time:
Business Events / conferences / trade shows:
Sports / working out:
Family (other than weekends):
Sleep: 8 hours / night?

TOTAL HOURS / DAYS USED DEDUCTED FROM 239
DAYS IN‐HAND / NEEDED

This manager is suffering from severe
monkey‐on‐your‐back pain!

Hey don’t blame the monkey or shoot the we have a problem on the file and I’d like you to
messenger. If you identify with this poor have a look…”
monkey driven manager than you too
must learn the answer to this ailment and You didn’t hear it, but Steve said “we” have a
problem. That’s a monkey getting ready to leap.
here it is:
You are so focused on your day, and drinking

that coffee that you respond this way, “Okay
DON’T FEED THE MONKEYS! Steve, put the file on my desk and I’ll take a
look… gotta go.” The monkey has landed. You
There you have it. The answer to winning back have it on your back. Steve is now chillin’ – no
your time. Yes that’s right, your management worries. He’s waiting for you.
time goes to feeding all those monkeys on your
back. I bet you could stop right now and count Time goes by. You were very busy. In meetings
them. How many? Two, three… five, ten? Well, too. Your partner called and hey, we’re going
it’s about time you got rid of those critters or at out tonight for dinner. Steve emails you, “Have
least reduced the feeding time. you worked on the Carlton file yet?” You reply,
“Sorry Steve, no time and I’m out tonight… will
Managing The Monkey get to it in the morning.”
Many years ago, back in 1974, there was a time
management program called Managing That monkey is now turning into a gorilla. You
Management Time followed by the question, can feel it. You know it. You are thinking about
“Who’s got the monkey?” The article written by it all through dinner and you know your
William Oncken Jr., and Donald L. Wass Tuesday is jammed.
appeared in Harvard Business Review and
proved to be one of HBR’s best selling reprints.    Here’s How You Do NOT Feed Monkeys

The article shared that there are three kinds of 1. Ask Steve to meet you at a set time and he
time management: Boss Imposed Time, System is to be ready to explain the problem in
Imposed Time and Self‐Imposed Time. Then and detail.

as much now, many managers work under the
Boss Imposed and System Imposed challenge. 2. You counsel Steve and advise him what to
Leaving the manager with precious little Self do and how to solve it.

Imposed time. 3. You advise Steve you can see him at a set
time and date when he should come to you
On the other hand if you are a liberated and report in with his progress.
manager and your company works in
accordance with collaborative and bottom up 4. You repeat 1,2 and 3 until Steve has
management versus top down, then chances handled the file to your satisfaction.
are you are in full control of your time. Still,
even if you are, you are sure to be losing some
time when those monkeys need feeding. You never accept the monkey. You always push
it back to the rightful owner. You always set a
The monkey is usually sitting on someone else’s time and date for Steve to come to you, you
back. Perched right there, although as the never got to him. Your job here is to transfer
manager you don’t actually see it, yet. When initiative back to Steve, your subordinate, and
you walk into the agency let’s say Monday to claim back your Self Imposed Time.
morning with a full calendar of meetings and
reports and even files that need to be closed Here’s a monkey for you: sit down with your
‘today’ there is a monkey just about to leap. fellow managers to discuss how they handle the
Let’s move you to the kitchen area where you monkeys that come flying in their direction.  Jot
are about to pour yourself a much needed down a company wide method for transferring
coffee… as you do, Steve saunters up and says, initiative and win back your time. Add a sign
“Hi Lisa, hey you know the Carlton couple, well that says: feeding time is over! 

TIME MANAGEMENT

THE PROFITABLE STAFF MEETING

Everyone loves a staff meeting. You know that to be true. Where else can you meet your
buddies, have a chat, drink coffee and perhaps nibble on some oh so good donuts? After the
chit chat “we” get down to business, the manager talks for an hour or so but the context of
what’s being said is obviously not for us, so we hold side discussions and look up once in
awhile to make sure we’re counted as listening, on the team and participating and then we
get back to planning our after 5pm activities. Staff meetings are fantastic and it beats working
all day, too.

So there it is. One point of view as to how decide as a group, what it is we want to
well the staff meetings go. There’s more to achieve in the next hour. What do we want
running an effective and profitable meeting to leave with? Would it be a list of
and this is something not taught in travel candidates for the cruise counsellor
schools or generally offered in travel trade position? A list of skills? Or…?
training. If it was a mandated management
skill and treated as such then chances are The topic should be: Hiring a Qualified
corporate profit would be up a few more Cruise Counsellor to Increase Our Cruise
notches then they are about now. Sales. Now you have a definitive topic to
discuss. What do we want to leave with?
The Topic We want to leave with a list of
There are a couple of reasons why meetings qualifications that will ultimately be used in
do not work and one very important thing a recruitment ad. Plus, we need to know
to mention is the topic. The reason for the before we leave how much in sales or
meeting. Get the topic wrong, and that’s it. revenue this new hire is required to close.
Might as well go home. Wrong topic, wrong We also need to know the salary and bonus
discussion, wrong outcomes. Very simple. program and what else in terms of benefits
Except 9 out of 10 meetings are meeting for the new hire will receive.
the wrong reason. The topic is wrong.
Timing and Responsibility
Let’s meet and discuss hiring a new We now know what has to be done. We
counsellor. What’s the topic. What are we need to set a time to start – always the start
going to meet about? Is it how we hire that time BEFORE the deadline. Let’s give Steve
new counsellor or when, or is it about the the job to hire this counsellor – and now we
skills we need in that new role which is to ask, “Steve, when is the first date you can
focus on selling cruises. When you spell it attend to this…?” Next question: “… and
out, the focus of the meeting changes. when do you feel we can close on the new
We’re no longer discussing hiring, we’re hire?”
discussing increasing our cruise sales and
the skills we need to hire to get the job If Steve is smart, he’ll park his answer and
done. respond once he’s checked his schedule and
planned his actions.
The Outcome ‐ The Take Away
Prior to the meeting getting underway, Review: So we met for the right reason, we
although this rarely happens, we need to   decided what we needed to achieve, leave

TIME MANAGEMENT

with and we did that. Then we appointed What is the protocol to attend one of your
someone to make this happen and he will meetings then? Tell me now. Write it down.
get back to us with the next steps and the Let everyone know that from here on the
timing for advertising, interviewing, expectation is:
assessing, second interviews, reviewing,
selection, on‐boarding and training. q In the meeting room 5 minutes before
start time.
Did someone think this could happen within

the week? Well perhaps that part of the q To have read the required documents
conversation didn’t happen.   and to have formed responses,
comments and ideas in advance.

There’s much more to running an effective q To be prepared to offer their thoughts
meeting as you can tell. Starting with the as we go round the table – and no one is
topic as mentioned is at least one way to allowed to hitch hike on the previous
reduce the time wasted in meetings. persons input such as “I support Steve
in what he said… that’s exactly how I
Change The Name of the Meeting saw it.” LIAR! They didn’t think diddly
This can be a quick win and reduce the time about anything. That’s when you ask
spent waffling about in the boardroom. A this hitch hiker to truly explain their
staff meeting ‐ what is that anyway? A ideas.
group of 10 staff sitting round the table all
with nothing to say.   Who Should Be In The Room?
Do you really need to pull everyone away
Should this be a Sales Meeting? I would say from the front line / selling line to sit in this
yes. That’s precisely why everyone works at meeting? Chances are the answer is no. To
the agency – to generate sales.   do so would be a total waste of time and a
very expensive meeting when you total up
You get the message. Tell it like it is. the cost of everyone’s non‐productive time.
Remove the waffle and reduce the time.

Ramp up the definitions of why we are The Key Players
meeting and then set the protocol. You’ll need a meeting facilitator, a scribe
and a time keeper. Sounds old fashioned
Setting The Protocol but it’s not. Each one is charged with doing
This refers to what we need to do PRIOR to their duty and doing it well regardless of the
attending the meeting. No one from here personalities in the room. The bullies and
on is allowed to rush in three minutes after the talkers etc. The facilitator must keep the
start time and plop down in a seat and stop meeting on track and be skilled at closing
the meeting with a “Where are we?” down the president when he or she goes off
question, or worse. “Hi everyone, sorry I’m on a tangent. The scribe must make sure he
late, the traffic was terrible… was it for you or she is recording the correct words,
too? Oh and what were we supposed to meaning and intent. The time keeper must
read… I left mine at the office last night…”   keep the meeting on schedule.

I don’t think so!  That’s an instant boot out Meetings MUST happen, however they
the door. Come back when you’re serious should be adding to the profit picture, not
about working here. reducing it. 

PROFIT IMPROVEMENT

TAKING THE CURVE

As a manager one of your roles is to watch the curve and know when to take it without
crashing into the barrier. That curve is the Bell Curve and every agency or department will
reach it at some point in time. The ‘curve’, that bend in your business road comes at a time
when your business has peaked and you stand at the crossroads wondering what to do next.
Here’s the graph:

You will be very familiar with the start up and growth phase if you were the original manager
who launched the agency for yourself, or the company that you work for. Somewhere along the
way your agency will max out, the sales flatten. At this point in the life of your agency you have
one or two options. At #1 you could re‐think your business and decide to change, add, subtract
or merge what could keep you profitable, or what could make you more profitable.

Once you initiate a ‘more profitable’ plan you will endure the start up and growth phrase once
again PLUS somewhere along that new line, you will flatten out and at #2, you will need to once
again, rethink your business model and what you are selling and to whom. Both 1 and 2
moments in time, require new ideas. A new plan must be written.

That new plan may not be too ambitious other than “to train all staff in how to sell more
cruises…” and that could be the turning point. You might decide to sell luxury travel, however if
you do not have a luxury client base established, then your business will curve towards #3.

To stay ahead of the curve you should meet often with your team to discuss the ‘where are we
going next’ topic and how you could all get there. Keeping the curve going in the right direction
does not have to be expensive either. A little training, a decision to charge fees, a move to a
social media platform, writing a blog or hosting consumer events – all of these are ideas that
can keep you profitable and on the right side of that upward trend. Study now when that curve
will swerve for your agency and plan ahead. 

PROFIT IMPROVEMENT

ARE THE IDEAS OF YOUR TEAM BEING HEARD?

The information I’m about to describe here is old news, however if you do not have such a plan
in your agency, old news could be good news. It’s a matter of farming the business ideas that
your team have in their heads.  Depending upon how well ideas from the floor are treated and
respected will determine whether or not you’ll hear of them. Head office will sometimes put
the feelers out re any new ideas from the front end. The ideas are collected and that’s it. No
one ever hears back about what happened to their idea. Not good for agency morale. It’s here
that I’ll mention the company Jumeirah and their program called VOICES.

The acronym VOICES stands for Very wide variety of departments: finance,
Original Ideas Can Enhance Success. There housekeeping, food and beverage management,
is a plan to review each idea as they come sports and leisure and human resources.
in and take them through a full and
Of the 210 ideas in the innovation pipeline, a
complete business plan process. Here’s the
tangible value to the company of over
article:
US$500,000 has been calculated, resulting in
improvements to processes relating to customer
WE LOVE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE service, operational excellence, colleague
Jumeirah Group, the dynamic and rapidly satisfaction and morale, communication, health
growing luxury hospitality management and safety, the environment and new business
company and member of Dubai Holding, has opportunities.
launched VOICES, a colleague innovation
programme where colleagues can VOICE their VOICES is one component of the wider approach
ideas, see them implemented and converted to innovation that Jumeirah is committed to, the
into cash rewards of up to US$8,000.   ideas generated challenge conventional
thinking, improve our processes and innovative
Following an extensive, fun and engaging business practices to help build on our success
internal launch campaign, VOICES has now been and core essence to Stay Different from our
implemented in all of Jumeirah's Dubai‐based competitors.
hotels and resorts.

The company‐wide initiative is intrinsically
Over to you. It doesn’t matter how small
linked with the core guiding principles of the
Jumeirah brand and provides a focus for your agency is. Make sure you tap into the
colleagues' creative and innovative ideas by ideas of the people who work for you and
fostering a culture of continuous growth, reward the ideas that work. You will need a
effective communication and teamwork within process that allows the idea to be
the company. developed into a business plan format,
costed, budgeted and reviewed. If it works
Ultimately, VOICES is a tool to ensure each on paper, then try it. As you know, you
colleague's ideas and their successes are being should also have a Plan B if Plan A misses
supported, recognized and rewarded.   the mark.

In it’s first year VOICES has generated over
Let your team help you grow the agency
2,000 ideas, 210 of which have been identified
for implementation and 40 already business, reward them and your profits will
implemented. Ideas are evaluated by peers and improve as will agency morale. A win‐win.
colleagues across all business units working in a 

PROFIT IMPROVEMENT

EVERYBODY SELLS – ADD IT TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION

Here’s one way to boost your sales and who knows you might find your accountant to be a
rain maker, a super sales person hiding in the back office. The title is a truth. Every person in
the company is in sales. That doesn’t translate as responding to the “What do you do?”
questions with a faint, “Oh, I work for a travel agency as their accountant.” Nope. That’s got
to change. How would you want your employees to answer that question?

down so that everyone
Well that response understands how the
should go something new idea that everyone
like this: sells is supposed to
work.
“I’m an accountant for
a travel agency here in Another level of staff
town…” now here who should be trained
comes the transition, to utter sales type
“… and let me tell you, verbiage are those who
we do have some work on the upper floors
wonderful trips to or who happen to be on
anywhere in the world the board. I have
you’d want to visit…” personally witnessed a
and now the sales senior executive unable
question, “… so tell me to articulate what it is
as I’m always interested to know, where “we” actually do, what we sell and so on. A
would you want to go, money no object, situation you would not want to witness.
what would be your dream trip?”
You must make sure everyone from the CEO
That was easy! down can actually talk about the business
of travel, what we do and where we go and
What do you think? Could you turn all your sell the talents of the front line sales and
non sales people into sales people, or if management team.
that’s too drastic to a “travel mentioneer” –
a new word for you… mentioneer, someone Your supplier BDMs should also know how
who mentions travel to others when they to talk about your agency when they are
get the chance. Surely your non sales discussing you in their sales meeting. You
people could mention what your agency don’t want to be “Oh they’re great…” you
does, sells, where they go and what they want to be, “Wow, they are on the ball, do
do. Answer: yes. you know they have the most fantastic
approach to selling, let me tell you…” Next,
Here’s the challenge: some people will feel your top clients ‐ they also need to know
they are now in sales and if that’s the what you do, where you go, so that they
accountant, don’t bet on the books being too can truly be an ambassador for your
up to date ‐ that accountant is out there agency. How about you? Can you articulate
mentioning travel to everyone. The rules of a 2 minute spiel that would WOW me?
the game need to be tight and written

PROFIT IMPROVEMENT

STAFF INCENTIVES, CARROTS & MORE

There’s plenty of advice ‘out there’ about how you
can use incentives to boost sales, service and
internal happiness. The Carrot Principle is just one
book worth reading or a nibble, whichever takes
your fancy!

I hear it often said that although an incentive has
been put in place by HQ, the team are not
responding to it.

The main reason for this complacency is simply the
fact that the HQ incentive does not address what
will actually cause the team, that would be each
individual, to perform better than they are or to get
behind a sales push. If you want your incentive to
work you’ll have to ask each member of your team,
what it is that they want as an incentive.

Just like developing a custom tour or an FIT the
same approach applies here. Having done this for
past clients and for myself here’s what happens –
your team will be very quick to advise what they
need in order to crack their own whip. Some of the
responses might be:

1. Pay for my baby‐sitter this week. When a member of
2. Rent a car for me on this date. your team set their
3. Add an extra day to this long weekend. own goals they are
4. Buy me a new suit & tie.
5. Send me here on the next fam. usually harder on
6. Allow my partner on this special fare. themselves then
7. All I need is an iPod. you would be.
8. If I deliver double can I have an iPad?
9. How about movie passes and a $50 Starbucks card?
10. An iTunes gift card.

Are you getting the message? Incentives are a personal thing. I want what drives ME, not you.
It’s a What’s In It For Me situation. Mind you that doesn’t always pan out when HQ and a
preferred supplier have contracted for sales of X amount at a higher commission. When that
hits it’s a matter of head down and sell like you mean it. If possible allow your team to take
their incentive into their own hands. Typically when a member of your team is in charge of their
own incentive they are usually harder on themselves and try to prove their worth and value to
the agency by stating a higher goal – and most times they achieve it, too. 

PROFIT IMPROVEMENT

CREATING A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

A new coat of paint on the walls, a little interior design work and your agency could look
brand spanking new. Why would you do this? Well the outcome of an agency makeover could
be business building. For a start, when you brighten up the agency with pleasing colours your
staff will in fact brighten up their sales and sell more plus the new look and “feel” of the
agency will attract more customers. It’s just the way it works. The Law of Attraction at work.

The exterior should also be updated with a gorgeous blue.  You can Google all sorts of
coat of paint, and you should conduct an websites related to colour and what they
exterior review each year as many times invoke in human response.
we’re so busy, wrapped up with what’s
happening inside the agency, we forget the Fragrances are now off limits in the work
outside, which is what a walk‐in prospect is place, given the variety of allergies and I see
going to see first.   more signs asking to: ‘keep our store free of
fragrances” – mind you, a nice clean smell
Check the signage and make sure there are should be okay.
no cracks or holes, that all light bulbs work
and that the imagery is current in terms of If you run a niche based agency that deals in
what you are selling.   let’s say India, then chances are you and
your team and your client base actually
Think about today’s technology, too. Be enjoy the smell of incense. In this case that
sure to list your email address on the fragrance actually stimulates the clients
window, your website, mobile numbers, need for travel. They want to experience
Facebook URL… even a QR Code so that that aroma ‘for real’.
those with smart phones can shoot and surf
to your website. The idea behind an agency makeover is to
increase your profit potential by making
Check what’s “playing” in the window of your agency a terrific place to do business,
the agency and then check what you are taste the exotic, see wondrous images of
promoting online, on your website. They destinations that a person can travel to and
should match.   feel relaxed as they purchase their travel
from you. An old tattered poster from 1972
Feng Shui – I know you’ve heard of it, and won’t invoke too much enthusiasm, it does
you might know something about it, too. however tell a story about your agency.
The concept is simply all about placement
as in the correct place, design, angle, There was one cruise agency that actually
colour, position and so on, that will, once all had the agency built out as a cruise ship,
things are in order, create harmony, portholes and all.  It might work for you.
balance and for what we target here in
TAM, profit improvement.   Invest $200 in paint and start there. It might
increase your profit potential – but best to
Energy flows from all things, yes even that check if anyone on the team is queasy
dark gray wall! Don’t laugh, I’ve seen it – a about a certain colour. If so, white is good –
dark gray interior. What a feeling that will add colour through imagery on the wall. 
invoke as opposed to white, off white and a

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

THE JOHARI WINDOW

The Johari Window is a technique created by Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham in 1955 in the
United States, used to help people better understand their relationship with self and others.
Using the Johari Window as a discussion point in your agency will disclose how well the team is
aware of each other, you as the manager, the company, the corporate plan and direction and
then, as a group you will also discover what you NEED to know in order to keep the business
edge you have developed and keep it sharp.

In the first graph 1 KNOWN TO ME UNKNOWN TO ME
all elements are
even. There are
1. 2.
things we all In this box we all know In this box everyone else
know and things what’s going on. knows what going on,
we don’t know KNOWN but I / we don’t.
and things we TO OTHERS
should know and
have yet to find
out what they 3. 4.
are. In this box I/we hold the   In this box there are things
UNKNOWN trump card. I know we should all know,
TO OTHERS something that no   but we don’t.
In the second
one else does.
graph you can
see that Box 1
has shrunk in
terms of what
2 KNOWN TO ME UNKNOWN TO ME
we all know and
Box 4 is now 1. 2.
suggesting as a In this box we all In this box everyone else
team we have a know what’s going on. knows what going on,
lot to learn IF we KNOWN but I / we don’t.
knew what it TO OTHERS
was. Box 3 is the 3. 4.
danger zone as it
In this box I/we hold In this box there are things
is here that
information is
the trump card. I we should all know,
withheld and not UNKNOWN know something that but we don’t.
always for the TO OTHERS no one else does.
good of the
agency.

The best of all worlds would be to have Box 1 large, indicating we, as a
team are operating openly and with all or most of the information we
need, known to all. Box 2 should be reduced, Box 3 should be reduced
and Box 4 should also be reduced. Check the next page for how this
desired graphic would look.


Graph 3: Here’s the Johari Window layout you are trying to reach. Most of the time we know as
a team what’s going on. As an individual on the team, there are still a few things I don’t know
about and that could be solved by someone showing me how, where to access information or
perhaps I just need a kick in the rear end to focus my attention and commitment to maintaining
my knowledge. The danger area Box 3 has been reduced, and in Box 4 we will always need to
find out what we need to know and appoint someone to gather that research and advise
everyone on the key findings.

3 KNOWN   UNKNOWN
TO ME TO ME
1. OPEN 2. BLIND

In this box
KNOWN everyone
TO OTHERS else knows
In this box we all   what going
know what’s going on. on, but I /
we don’t.

3. HIDDEN 4. UNKOWN
In this box I/we hold In this box there are things we
UNKNOWN the trump card. I know should all know, but we don’t.
TO OTHERS something that no one
else does.

As you will appreciate I have delivered just the surface of how you can use the Johari Window.
It can also be used to determine how I “see” you and how you “see” you. This is done by listing
the following 56 adjectives as described on the next page.

1. able 15. extroverted 29. mature 43. self‐assertive
2. accepting 16. friendly 30. modest 44. self‐conscious
3. adaptable 17. giving 31. nervous 45. sensible
4. bold 18. happy 32. observant 46. sentimental
5. brave 19. helpful 33. organized 47. shy
6. calm 20. idealistic 34. patient 48. silly
7. caring 21. independent 35. powerful 49. smart
8. cheerful 22. ingenious 36. proud 50. spontaneous
9. clever 23. intelligent 37. quiet 51. sympathetic
10. complex 24. introverted 38. reflective 52. tense
11. confident 25. kind 39. relaxed 53. trustworthy
12. dependable 26. knowledgeable 40. religious 54. warm
13. dignified 27. logical 41. responsive 55. wise
14. energetic 28. loving 42. searching 56. witty


When performing this exercise, subjects are given a list of 56 adjectives and pick five or six that
they feel describe their own personality. Peers of the subject are then given the same list, and
each pick five or six adjectives that describe the subject. These adjectives are then mapped
onto the Johari  grid.

Open: Adjectives that are selected by both the participant and his or her peers are placed into
this quadrant. This quadrant represents traits of the subjects that both they and their peers are
aware of.

Blind: Adjectives that are not selected by subjects but only by their peers are placed into the
Blind Spot quadrant. These represent information that the subject is not aware of but others
are who decide how to inform the individual about these "blind spots".

Hidden: Adjectives selected only by subjects but not by any of their peers, are placed into the
Hidden quadrant, representing information about themselves that their peers are unaware of.
It is then up to the subject to disclose this information or not.

Unknown: Adjectives that were not selected by either subjects or their peers remain in this
quadrant, representing the participant's behaviors or motives that were not recognized by
anyone participating. This may be because they do not apply or because there is collective
ignorance of the existence of these traits. One facet of interest in this area is our human
potential. Often our potential is unknown to us, and others.

For more information you can search online for Johari Window.

Another way to use the Johari Window is during a meeting to determine how much is known,
what we need to find out and so on. You would use the one page layout as an information
gathering tool and actually write down, let’s say in Box 4 Unknown – a list of what you now
know you need to know more about.

Everyone in the meeting should have a copy of the Johari layout and fill it in as you hold the
meeting, then you can compare notes. If you work with whiteboards, smart boards or flip
charts appoint a ‘scribe’ who will record everyone’s response.  Print off the finished document
and circulate it so that ‘we all know’ what’s going on. 

1. OPEN 2. BLIND
Find out what everyone knows Make sure everyone is brought up to speed

3. HIDDEN 4. UNKNOWN
Possible dangers: Possible Need To Know
Top agent – selfish with skills that could be Social media
taught to everyone New suppliers
Holding out as a negotiating edge Everyday news
Latest this and that

Bring all managers
together and take this
two-day program and
Find out what kind of
ship you’re running.

Are you on course or
have you lost the map,
need a new crew or
need time to plug the
leaks?

This is a fun-based learning experience
that uses the language of an old sailing
ship as we explore every nook and
cranny of your agency. We focus on the
good things and set our sights on
correcting what’s not working. No one
walks the plank! Did I mention we work
hard from 9 – 6 both days?!

After taking this program you and your shipmates will have a
better understanding of what it takes to run a smooth ship,
hire the right crew, carry only the best fare paying passengers
and deliver everyone at your planned for destination having
also learned how to survive squalls, storms, typhoons,
mutinies and more. What you write in your log books, you’ll
be able to apply the next day.

For more information email me here:
steve@smptraining.com
Your Captain for this
workshop…

MANAGING NEWS AND INFORMATION

COFFEE AND A TRIP AROUND THE WORLD

While you sip your morning coffee you could be taking a trip around the world via the many
news websites so that by the time you finish your coffee you are up to speed with world
events, weather, war zones, strikes and more. Your concern is anything and everything that
might affect your day‐to‐day corporate, leisure, group, niche business and the clients sitting
in front of your counsellors right now. It’s important that you know what’s going on in the
world each morning. This knowledge will help you be prepared for when splat hits the fan.
You’ll be able to Keep Calm and Carry On Managing!

As you know, anything and everything that
happens around the world has a cause and TNOOZ
effect on the travel and tourism industry.  A www.tnooz.com
bullet, a wave, a wind, a change in
government, a war, a strike, a crash, a Travel Mole
virus… (I’ll stop there!) – whenever one of www.travelmole.net
these or similar events hit the fan you’ll
need to know what actually happened. Now   Travel Industry Digest
you can become the official agency news www.e‐tid.com
channel for your clients. This is all about
“Whoever owns the news, wins!” It will pay Travel Industry Wire
dividends if your clients listen to you versus http://www.travelindustrywire.com
the mass media channels. Your team will
also look to you for answers to their “What Global Travel Industry News
shall we do?” questions. http://www.eturbonews.com

This daily knowledge should also extend  to Business Travel News
your preferred suppliers. Here’s a short list http://www.businesstravelnews.com
of generic trade papers and news links that
will keep you informed.    US Travel Association
http://www.ustravel.org/news/industry‐
news
World Newspapers
http://www.world‐newspapers.com/world‐ The Beat
news.html   http://www.thebeat.travel/Page/About‐
Us.aspx
Travel Daily News
http://www.traveldailynews.com Public Relations Society of America
http://www.prsa.org/Network/Communitie
Breaking Travel News s/Travel/Intelligence/Resources/index.html
www.breakingtravelnews.com
Eye For Travel
ASTA Smart Brief http://www.eyefortravel.com
http://www.smartbrief.com/index.jsp
Travel Research Online Global Business Travel Association
http://www.travelresearchonline.com   http://www.gbta.org

MANAGING NEWS AND INFORMATION

Travel Pulse Adventure Travel News
http://www.travelpulse.com   http://www.adventuretravelnews.com

Skift Travel IQ Northstar Travel Media sites
http://skift.com    World of Luxury
 Hotel & Travel Index
Travel and Tour World  Official Cruise Guide
http://www.travelandtourworld.com/    TravelAge West
 travel42
World Travel & Tourism Council  Business Travel News
http://www.wttc.org    Incentive Magazine
 Meetings & Conventions
E Global Travel Media  Meeting News
http://www.eglobaltravelmedia.com.au/    Successful Meetings
 Travel Management
Tourism Review  Travel Procurement
http://www.tourism‐review.com  The Transnational
 The Beat
 Star Service Online
That should be a good start. Explore each

news site and subscribe to the sites that

offer you the information you need.
Let each agent take 2 or 3 of the news

sites you would like to monitor and have
You’ll be selecting your new channels
them report internally by email or to the
based on destination information, current
company bulletin board on anything that
local news, supplier specials, how‐to tips
could impact your business.
and tools.

When you delegate this activity you are
This daily intake of what’s going on around
demonstrating trust in members of your
the world will set the parameters for what
agency team who are accepting
you will be doing ‘today’. If the world is
responsibility, accountability and
quiet then you can do what you normally
participating in the survival and success
do. If the world is buzzing with something
of the agency.
important that will affect your business

then you go into damage control and take
Someone should be assigned to watching
care of the fallout before it falls out. If
television as those mass media news
that’s possible. Usually, if you stay on top
shows often bash the cruise industry and
of the breaking news you should be able
millions of people are hoodwinked into
to react within hours of the event.
believing what they watch on the box.  

If time is short for you, delegate the news

watch to members of your team.

“To know is to overt.”

Selling Travel supports all other travel trade magazines and encourages you to explore the
following publications that deliver news, destination information and more tips, tools and
techniques. Round out your daily intake of knowledge and this will help you sell more travel.
The following logos appear in alphabetical order – click the logo to visit the website.

Make sure you subscribe and read not only the publication but also each website as many
websites offer more than just news & views – there are also Guides and Supplements that
you can use for in‐house training and development. 

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

STOP THE LINKEDIN ENDORSEMENT MADNESS!

There seems to be a lot of this going around. People you know and also strangers endorsing
your skills and talents on your LinkedIn account. Call me crazy but someone I don’t know and
who has never attended one of my workshops or made contact until now is suddenly
endorsing me for something I’m not known for.  Now that’s a little scary isn’t it?  So word of
warning if you operate a LinkedIn account, be very careful of who you endorse and who
endorses you and be sure to manage those endorsements so that they are real time and not a
joke which is what this has become for many professionals being plagued by endorsements
related to skills they do not have or profess to have.

The word on the street about these take the time to write a true endorsement
endorsements being plied willy‐nilly is that and based on direct knowledge of that
they are “irritating and annoying” – person. Do not set them up to be laughed
especially when time after time the same at by their peers. That wouldn’t translate
person endorses you for skills you don’t into being professional at all.
rate as your best PLUS that same person
has, as mentioned above, never used your On the flip side it could be a great way to
services or purchased your products. boost your agency’s profile by asking your
clients, the one’s who have purchased
There’s a strange game going on in the travel from you and who are repeat
social media world and it’s one where customers to endorse your agency.
someone wants to endorse as many people
as they can in order to show they know By doing this you would control the skills
them ‐ as the assumption is that if you have that are listed. You don’t want to be
endorsed someone then you must endorsed for beer guzzling trips when you
obviously know them well enough to make actually sell spa tours.
such a statement.
Used and encouraged the right way, being
Manage your own social media activities endorsed through any and all social media
and also mention this to your agency team. will help boost your agency’s online
Advise them only to endorse suppliers that presence and go a long way to attracting
are preferred and of whom you have good referrals.
knowledge of and actually know them for
what they do well. This might spill over to Social media activity must
your preferred suppliers BDMs too.  Rather be kept real or you, we, me
then helping them with their career will be quickly found out
aspirations, the wrong endorsements would and there is no mercy for
prove to be embarrassing in certain circles the person that proves
as the BDMs immediate circle of trade false or seeking personal
contacts would know what they are good at gain from someone else’s talent.  If you sell
and would therefore be surprised at some a niche product for instance link only to
of the claims that are so easily made by those niche clients and suppliers. Then
others.  If you would like to endorse a BDM you’ll be linked to those who affect your
for instance or anyone else for that matter   bottom line.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT

THE STAFF SOCIAL MEDIA USAGE PLAN
The more we engage the customer through social media the more your agency team will be
using social media to stay connected with their clients. It’s part of the social media package isn’t
it. A social media strategy will have you riding two horses and chasing two rabbits. When riding
two horses you’ll be hard pressed to keep your balance and therefore your decisions need to be
well thought through. Chasing two rabbits usually ends up with neither being caught. In other
words you chase here and you chase there and the target objective is long gone. What you
need when it comes to managing your social media situation, is this:

1. A staff social media business usage plan when engaging with agency clients.
2. A staff social media personal usage strategy.

I have seen more than one agency It used to be that a member of staff would
Facebook page and a supplier’s Facebook take time out of their day to visit a shopping
page being used by staff to discuss a center to purchase perhaps clothing for
number of company and staff related their family. Traffic delays might caught that
issues. Not the best advertising you want member of staff to be away from the office
featuring for your agency/brand. This for 90 minutes or more.
element of social media usage must be
managed and it must be managed with a Allowing your staff to shop online during
well written strategy and policy that can be office hours would mean they are still on
enforced. Introduce your social media the premise to handle any emergencies.
policies for staff when you hire staff and ask They can purchase their needs in a matter
them to sign that they understand it. of minutes, have lunch and be back to work
on the hour.
Somewhere in your social media strategy
for your agency team you’ll want a One challenge might be the counsellor who
paragraph like this:   has a personal Facebook page and addicted
to updating it. Here lies a challenge and
Employees are responsible for making sure that’s why you need a social media personal
that neither their personal nor business usage strategy.
online activities will interfere with their
ability to fulfill their job requirements or Also, you do not want certain words or
their commitments to their managers, co‐ phrases used on the agency blog or
workers or customers. comments posted on your agency’s
Facebook page that do not conform to your
idea of what is acceptable.  Better to have a
Some companies deny their staff any type written guide to engaging customers via
of online activity during their working social media. For instance: if one of your
hours. The challenge with that approach in team wrote and posted that supplier X is
a travel agency is it’s too restrictive. What the best and they are not preferred or a
about shopping inline during office hours or client travels with that supplier and all hell
during the legally allowed lunch hour.   breaks loose, well guess what? You have a

Travel Agency Manager - March/April 2013

Travel Agency Manager - March/April 2013

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