HAR's Travel Agent Chatter | Friday 15 cover art

HAR's Travel Agent Chatter | Friday 15

Written by: Steph Lee | Travel Industry Veteran Founder Host Agency Reviews
Listen for free

  • Summary

  • We’ve got two listening delights for you on this channel, folks! 😲 The first is Travel Agent Chatter (TAC), a spotlight interview of a wide variety of travel advisors that we publish every quarter. The second is our shorter, but more frequent Friday 15 series, where every Friday we answer your travel industry questions for — you guessed it — 15 minutes! Travel Agent Chatter -- a Host Agency Reviews audio series -- talks about all things travel. We specialize in-depth interviews with travel agents from all walks of life. Whether you’re a new or experienced travel advisor, we help you up your game by sharing where other travel agencies have found success and offering inspiring stories from the front lines! Transcripts, videos and show notes of the TAC episodes can be found at https://hostagencyreviews.com/TAC And every Friday at 12pm CT we publish the Friday 15 to our TAC feed. It’s 15 minutes over the lunch hour, where we answer your travel industry questions. Submit your questions and watch videos of the Friday 15 at https://hostagencyreviews.com/friday15. Travel Agent Chatter and the Friday 15 are hosted by Steph Lee, the founder of the website Host Agency Reviews and travel industry veteran. She's insatiably curious. A lover of travel, writing, gardening & the stars. Most importantly, she ♥'s her dogs, Fennec and Orion!
    All rights reserved
    Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • [Ep. 156] Friday 15 (GTN Co-Host)

    [Ep. 156] Friday 15 (GTN Co-Host)
    May 17 2024
    In episode 156 Steph is so excited to co-host with Meredith Calloway of GTN! You’ve sent along some fabulous questions this week, so please join us for some great Friday afternoon conversation! Here's Today's Questions! 1. Hi! I’d like to charge a fee for my business. I plan to specialize in luxury, which I think will make it easier to charge a fee, like Courtnie in your last podcast said. What is the best rate to charge? Any other fee-charging tips? —Anonymous 2. I'm currently with a Virtuoso host agency but thinking of making a change. Is there a way to filter your hosts to select for Virtuoso? I'm not sure I want to give that up. —C. 3. Hi there. I have a couple questions about becoming a travel agent and thought maybe you could send me more information. I would like to understand the difference between being a host agency and a franchise. There is so much information online that is untrue and it's hard to decipher between what's real and what people just put out there to take your money. Any information you could send me I would appreciate! Thanks, –Andrea C. TODAY’S RESOURCES: https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/tr... (Annual hosted travel advisor report gives idea of earnings over time for both FT and PT advisors to help with your planning.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/tr... (Travel agent guide to charging fees.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/travela... (Luxury travel advisor Courtnie Nichols, who charges a $5k group planning fee and only takes on destination wedding a month.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/travela... (Italy Beyond the Obvious charges per person per day fees. They account for 80% of her income.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/ho... (The different routes to become a travel agent.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/tr... (Differences between travel franchise and a host agency.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/tr... (Learn more about travel MLMs, why HAR recommends staying away from them if you want to be a travel advisor, and what to look out for.)
    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
  • Importance of HA with leads? Providing private info to an HA? Write-offs for cruises?

    Importance of HA with leads? Providing private info to an HA? Write-offs for cruises?
    May 10 2024
    In episode 155 Steph co-hosts with Jenn Lee of TPI and their new franchise Vacation Planners! We’ve got some great, in-depth questions from you this week, so let’s get down to business. Join us! 1. Hello Stephanie, I am new to the industry and I am trying to find a travel host. If I am geared towards making money and want to make this a full-time job, would it be better to choose a host agency that offers leads? Would that make a difference? —Nina C. 2. If I am signing a contract with a host agency, am I required to provide my SSN along with my driver's license? I am not very comfortable providing that information but would like to know if the host agency needs that information prior to the training and hiring? ---Hemangi S. 3. Hi! I was reading your article on travel expenses travel agents can write off. What about writing off a cruise where you are escorting a group and while onboard you meet with them daily to answer questions, "herd cats" and also to organize and host group events both on the ship and at the ports? Sometimes a spouse goes along, sometimes just the TA. Typical Caribbean cruise, so not American-flagged (that pretty much limits it to Pride of America and American Cruise Line river cruises). –Mary S. TODAY’S RESOURCES: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-leads (More about travel leads and what to consider with a leads program.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/travel-advisor-research-reports/ (Annual hosted travel advisor report gives idea of earnings over time for both FT and PT advisors to help with your planning.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/role-reversal-thinking-like-travel-agency-fraudster-2017 (Learn more about travel agency fraud and the social engineering tactics fraudsters use.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/independent-travel-agent-contracts (Things to look for in your contract with your host agency) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-expenses (What travel expenses travel agents can, and can’t, write off.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/5-steps-to-finding-groups (5 steps to finding groups – it’s not as hard as you think!) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/group-booking-tips-travel-advisors-agents (10 Insider Group Booking Tips From Travel Advisors) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/supplier-want-you-know-booking-groups (Here’s What Suppliers Want You to Know About Booking Groups)
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • (154) Contract obligations after leaving a HA? Switch to Travefy? Balancing FT job with TA work?

    (154) Contract obligations after leaving a HA? Switch to Travefy? Balancing FT job with TA work?
    May 3 2024
    In episode 154 Steph co-hosts Stephanie Gries of Travefy. (It’s a special Stephanie and Stephanie episode!) They’ve got some big questions to cover, so grab your note-taking materials and get ready to study up! 1. Hello HAR, I have learned so much from your site and have found it to be an invaluable resource, I only wish I had found it sooner! I been a travel advisor for about 3 years. I recently left my host. There were some areas of the business that I did not feel the owners were keeping the same priorities as when the agency was first started and not providing support that had also been promised. On top of taking a 60%/40% commission split- which I now know is not industry standard! In the IC contract that I terminated with my previous agency, there is a paragraph that reads: "Directly or indirectly, continuing for one year after the termination of this Agreement, contractor shall not, hire, solicit,induce, or attempt to induce any independent contractor working with the Company to terminate his/her/their Commission Sales Agreement with the Company, or otherwise cease his/her/their relationship with the Company." Do you think this holds any weight? Can they really hold me to not hiring anyone else from their agency for one year? We are all ICs, so I just don't see how they could actually enforce that? I appreciate any insight or resource you may have on this matter. —Anonymous 2. Hi Stephanie. When does it make sense from a money standpoint for an advisor to join Travefy? With all the startup costs what would you say is the tipping point where it makes sense for an advisor to switch over? —A Fan Named Stephanie with the Last Name Lee 3. What are some tricks for balancing a full time job with starting an agency? —Melissa A. TODAY’S RESOURCES: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-industry-lawyer-list (List of travel industry attorneys) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/independent-travel-agent-contracts (Things to look for in your contract with your host agency) Jeff Ment’s website (the attorney we reached out to): Connecticut Law Enforcement Lawyer & Travel Lawyer | Ment Law Group https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/travel-advisor-research-reports/ (Annual hosted travel advisor report gives average commission split for new vs. experienced advisors.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/best-travel-itinerary-builders (HAR’s comparison chart of travel itinerary builders for agencies.) https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/free-travel-itinerary-template-for-advisors (HAR’s free travel itinerary building template.) https://travefy.com/ (Check out Travefy!) https://www.tiquehq.com/ (recommended Travefy resource) https://www.letslucia.com/ (recommended Travefy resource) https://travelindustrysolutions.com/ (recommended Travefy resource) https://www.facebook.com/groups/726852665417747 (Travefy user group)
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
Economics
Show More Show Less

What listeners say about HAR's Travel Agent Chatter | Friday 15

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.in reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available