The primary function of professional booking agents and outfitters is
to match the needs, schedules, budgets and skill levels of adventure travelers
with the most appropriate adventure vacation. We're in a customer centered and
service oriented business. Agent and outfitter must strive for effective and
efficient communication between themselves and their clients.
A friendly relationship based on integrity and trust serves you and
your clients' highest needs. I recently had an experience with two different
booking agents for Baja AirVentures; one of the outfitters I consult. In
February, Annie with River Travel Center responded to an inquiry by qualifying
the client, checking trip availability, documenting her call and sending trip
information. Within a week, Cari at NATUREQUEST, called the office to make an
inquiry for what appeared as the same group and date. The prospect saw the
wilderness resort promotion in NATUREQUESTS' catalog that had been mailed in
early January. Both agents acted in integrity and professionally. Who gets the
commission? What is the responsibility of the outfitter?
Clients unfortunately don't always act with integrity or may have
better rapport with one agent over the other. Although the clients never
booked, both agents and I agreed the best answer is the one that serves the
client best needs and allows them to have the adventure they are seeking. There
are no perfect solutions. As outfitters and booking agents, we should commit to
support, assist and educate each other for the long run. Outfitters who
begrudge booking agents commission or withhold trip availability during high
season cut their own throats. A good agent earns their commission. Outfitters
who continually cultivate a friendly and informed relationship with their
booking agents can count on long term sales and greater profits. Business is a
contact sport. It isn't who you know, but the quality of your business
personality reflected through your business interactions that counts.
How do professional agents and outfitters know if their relationship
will work? How do they find each other? Research, a shared philosophy and
goals, clear communication and a willingness to support each others business'
success are key. Travel agents and outfitters who invest their time in
understanding each others products before starting a relationship will be
happier and more profitable. Dave Wiggins, president of American Wilderness
Experience, Inc. examines many issues before deciding to represent an
outfitter. What are his clients looking for in a trip? Does the outfitters'
trips compliment his existing portfolio? How long have they been in business?
Who are their references. What is their reputation? How comprehensive and
professional is the outfitters confirmation packet and collateral material?
Does the outfitter provide the trip information and availability on a timely
basis? Do they offer consistently scheduled departures and destinations or is
the outfitter changing their schedule weekly? Is the outfitter open to site
inspections and FAM trips. Are they willing to create mutually acceptable
policy and procedure? And most of all, are they fun to work with?
Those are some of the questions that both outfitters and booking
agents need to answer about their own business before you try to sell it to a
client. We often don't' have time for first hand inspections and may need to
rely on secondary information that we can confirm. You will find this
information in adventure travel publications, trade shows and associations,
company brochures and catalogs, references and from suppliers.
So you've done your research and found great outfitters or booking
agents to do business with that fits the highest need of your clients,
prospects and yourselves. How do you distinguish between travel agent and
wholesaler's? What are fair commission rates? Wholesalers regularly produce and
distribute at their expense a catalog of adventure travel trips and actively
sell outfitters products to retail travel agents. Outfitters need to examine
the level of service performed. Is the wholesaler featuring the outfitters
trips as a primary product in their catalog? Is the wholesaler promoting your
trips through advertising and trade shows at their expense? If so, they have
earned the 15% - 22% commission. Retail travel agents industry standards
dictate a minimum of 10%. Dick Wright at CBOC Whitewater pays 10% if the agent
didn't collect the money and 15% if they do. Everything is negotiable and there
is no one standard of commission for service.
Key Elements for a Successful Relationship Between
Outfitters and Agents
1) Outfitters must provide comprehensive
information to agents
Supply the agent with pertinent written
data. Include current pricing, length of trips, extra day costs, children's
policy, trip minimums and maximums, sample itinerary, accommodations, activity
or difficulty rating, bathroom facilities, dining style and food options,
special features that make your product unique, activity options, what's
included and not included, departure and return dates and times, departure and
return location, frequently ask questions and answers, a map of area, pre and
post lodging suggestions, extra services, fees or special considerations the
agent and client should know. Agents should make sure that the outfitters they
represent or are considering have complete information.
2) Update trip availability
regularly
Communicating regularly on tentative and confirmed
bookings makes a trip easier to sell. Many outfitters have staff working
exclusively on trip inventory and can answer availability by phone immediately.
John Wood of Holiday River & Bike Expeditions faxes or E-mails trip
inventory weekly during booking season and their agents confirm the bookings by
phone.
3) Review and update trip
information
If there has been a change in a trip itinerary or an
outfitter has enhanced or diminished their product, the agent must know
immediately. A lot of booking agents create information sheets to send to
prospects and clients based on their interpretation of information the
outfitter provided. Review it and make sure it is accurate and up to date. If
it is misleading, incomplete or wrong, be assured a client will call you on it
and everyone is likely to wind up unhappy.
4) Get your terms, conditions and agreements
in writing
Have a written service agreement that specifies what
the outfitter is supplying, amount of the deposit, cancellation and refund
policy, current fees, commission schedule, liability insurance requirements,
and any federal tax withholding or collecting data. Nobody likes
surprises.
5) Provide adequate supplies to booking
agent
Plan your brochure layout. Provide a conspicuous location
for your agents name, phone number and address. An outfitters phone number
placed in the brochure makes it hard for the agent to feel confident when they
send your brochure to a prospect, the prospect will call the agent and not the
outfitter. Your printer can do a blind run on your brochure (where the
outfitters contact information is omitted).
Finally nothing can give an agent better ability to sell a trip for
an outfitter than a familiarization (FAM) trip. Numerous outfitters and myself
recommend a standard first time discount of 25% - 40% for ASTA (American
Society of Travel Agents) or IATAN (International Airline Travel Agents
Network) card holders. FAM trip may be limited on when or where an agent can
use them. Karen Smallbach, a former travel agent and now the travel
agent/wholesaler coordinator for Backroads has helped create a substantial
increase in travel agent sales through FAM trips, enhanced communication and
education with their outside sales agents. At Backroads, once an agent takes a
FAM trip, they must sell at least five trips per year in order to qualify
again. As an outfitter, use your own judgement on who and what will give you
and the agent the greatest results. If a agent, wholesale or retail has made a
commitment to your trips and is selling them, get them on your
trips.
If you follow these easy rules I guarantee you will sell more trips,
have more repeat clients and increased profit. If you need assistance in
creating profitable relationships with booking agents, call or E-mail for a
free consultation.
Tim Warren and Adventure Business Consultants, has helped dozen's of
adventure travel business just like you create win/win relationship that make
lots of $$$$.
