Every once in a while I do “The Dance”. My kids think its funny (just wait til they get older) and yesterday we had a lot of fun. I had a couple of reasons for doing the “The Dance”, and the kids pulled out “Evan Almighty” yesterday afternoon while I was busy on the phone and outlining the post for today.

Do you remember back in January when Carnival made the announcement concerning minimum booking requirements? It was speculated back in October that suppliers would follow Royal Caribbean’s lead and pull the plug on Travel MLM’s. Now almost a year later, it looks as if throwing “the problem” overboard proved to be costly. While another Cruise line solved “the problem” on January 9th when new CEO Gerry Cahill eliminated the abuse yet saved the account for future growth and profits.

Now it’s important to keep the supplier problem verses solution in mind as we move on to today’s topic. (Success leaves clues.)

Yesterday afternoon, CLIA stepped up to the plate and offered a very solid solution which I believe will have long lasting and very beneficial effects for everyone in the industry. (Well, almost everyone, but more on that in a minute.)

I first caught the story in Travel Weekly, and after doing a little research I found the new policy directly off CLIA’s web site. I’ll let you read both stories on your own, but I want to get to the meat of what this is all about.

“2009 ID Card applicants are required to be enrolled in, or to have achieved a designation (ACC, MCC, ECC, ECCS) in CLIA’s Cruise Counsellor Certification Program. Attainment of an ACC designation requires a program of mandatory and elective training options as well personal cruise experience, shipboard inspections and 25 cabin sales within the two year enrollment period.”

How do you like them apples? Just think. Nobody has to double dog dare anyone any longer about whether or not they actually know what their doing, if they are taking unfair advantage of the industry without giving back, or pretend that we’re only referring people to a simple web site to book a cruise without any support.

This solution clearly separates the pretenders from the players in the Travel Industry, and with the new Certification requirements that everyone will be able to follow and understand, suppliers will be able to tell exactly who is serious and who is not.

We’ve gotten to know CLIA or rather The Academy quite well since October of last year when YTB launched E-Campus with Dr. Marc Mancini, one of the most respected and admired trainers in the Travel Industry. I’d also like to point out that the minimum booking requirements in California in 2007 worked so well, that YTB Travel Network rolled these same requirements out for the entire company earlier this year.

The emphasis on actually training the RTA field is apparently working, and to see an association such as CLIA roll out a solution like the one yesterday should put an end to this illusion that someone like me or you embarrass and anger those that admittedly earned their rights and privileges in this industry.

These new requirements do raise a couple of rhetorical questions for me however. (Remember, comments here are now cut off to those who couldn’t communicate in a civil and respectable manor concerning their views and opinions.)

What will the few Traditional Travel Agents do when these requirements have been met? They can no longer claim that we are untrained and uneducated. They can no longer claim that we don’t support the industry. With all the time and energy now wasted in posting day after day, to have the major beef pulled right out from under them, what will they do with all the extra time on their hands?

Second, now that there will be whole new crop of trained agents in the field, how will that affect their bottom line? MLM’ers will have the same knowledge and Certifications most of them boast about. There will be far more of these new, hungry, and educated Certified Agents in the field who can now compete at the same level. Will this take away even more market share for them?

Third, how will this be viewed by suppliers? Can you think of any suppliers who are in a bind right now that need some extra revenue coming their way? If just 20% of YTB’s RTA’s go after this Certification requirement it will produce close to $100 Million in revenue and that’s just to qualify for the Certification. What happens when a company the size of YTB is moving that type of revenue to only 21 of the 24 Cruise Line Members?

This is a HUGE step forward in eliminating the illusions and myths out there concerning “Card Mills” and “MLM’s”, and I’m thrilled the CLIA came up with a solution to clean up it’s good name, much like Carnival did. From what I could tell, the Carnival move back in January certainly curbed the accusations against them for supporting a company like YTB.

From what I can read at this early stage, it looks as if the few boisterous Traditionalists who are bitter, angry and shamed right now also think this is a good move. (They are however having a difficult time in expressing their view without belittling those who will be helped most in this move.) It may not keep both sides happy, since one side never appears happy, but it does take away at least one of the excuses they use to attack an industry and people they clearly know nothing about.

I’m quite certain more about these new requirements will be discussed during some of the YTBU courses, (my first course is with Ann Sedgwick first thing next Wednesday morning) and also during Friday and Saturdays National Convention when new features and announcements will be made.

Which reminds me; my second reason for doing “The Dance” yesterday afternoon happened when UPS came to the door with my documents for the National Convention. It’s almost like
doing “The Doc Dance” when boarding docs arrive for a cruise!

Care to join me?

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Be very careful. You could blow me over with a feather right now.

I heard rumor that the words “I apologize” actually appeared on a blog, by the blogger himself. I’m very glad that the person who forwarded me this information told me to sit down, because I think I might have hurt myself if I wasn’t sitting.

Don’t get too excited about this miracle however. The author is still waiting on some sort of company press release concerning YTB acquiring American Destinations, Inc. in order to make all this believable. I don’t know if a Press Release will be released but once the DVD that was shown at the Regional Travel Training in Richmond and the 16 page catalogs are available from our back office, I’ll post John’s PO Box for any of you who care to send him a copies.

I don’t know how much time it will take for any type of press release or documentation to materialize to settle this acquisition for him, but I wouldn’t worry about it. If I were him, I’d talk to YTB or ADI Executives directly, but apparently that is not an option he chooses to accept. It could resolve the issue, and what fun would it be not being able say, “here’s mud in your eye” in attempts to slow us down and keep people from finding out the truth?

The truth always materializes, always. So I wouldn’t get too worked up about the naysayers not coming to grips with YTB is doing or not doing.

From what I understand, John is busy trying to verify my post about Candi May on Tuesday. I wanted to call Candi yesterday, but she was spending time with her Grandkids, and didn’t want to bother her. I’ll catch up with her later today.

By the way, I’ve decided to delete the comments attached with Candi’s post. The purpose of the post was to show that there are traditionalist’s in the industry who find YTB not only viable, but attractive. Instead, the comments turned into a shouting match from one side of the fence to the other.

My bad, and I apologize if it offended anyone. I’ve been growing tired of all the justification, accusations and speculation being thrown around all over the internet. With the Annual Report, investor interest, the upgrade to the OTC, and our new Board of Directors being named, the rhetoric and mud slinging seems to have just gotten worse, not better.

Not surprising. All the news last month moves YTB in a positive direction, and it’s showing our critics signs that YTB is planning on sticking around.

Just keep the main thing the main thing and don’t worry about helping those who don’t appreciate what YTB is doing. The numbers are very few and with all the documentation from last month alone is enough to focus on.

Make it a great day!

Thanks for the post John.

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Part of my New Years Resolution is offering better support to my growing customer base and team. I’ve recently retained a service that will help me communicate with both customers and team members. While I’ve always used a service like this, when I found AWeber it offered a 30 day free trial, and it took about a day to figure out it had all the features I wanted, and then some. So out with the old and in with the new! I’ve really enjoyed “playing” with how this works and what it can do.

- Give Each Customer a Personal Response
When a customer sits down to e-mail your company, it’s because he needs help. He chooses e-mail because it’s quick, but his request still warrants a satisfying and personal response! Companies eager to save time and money often take automation too far in their customer support. Each customer has a unique question, and deserves a unique answer. Even if you save time by copying and pasting stock replies, change the opening and closing to make the message sound less robotic.

- Be Clear, But Sincere
When responding to customers’ e-mail, be sincere and to the point. Before sending a message, try turning the tables. Ask yourself, “Would this answer satisfy me if I were the customer?” Take that extra moment to give your customer the help he deserves. It might mean the difference between a satisfied customer and a credit card chargeback!

- Offer Live Customer Support
E-mail has become an acceptable form of communication. But, live customer support is still necessary. The plethora of information available online can be overwhelming to customers, especially those new to the Internet! Single your company out from the crowd by providing customers with a real person to talk to. Live phone support is an invaluable way to foster trust. When your customer has reached the end of his Internet rope, and just needs help, your toll free number is the answer he’s looking for.

- Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All The Answers
The presence of phone support will do no good if your staff doesn’t know your product! Customer support reps should be warm and friendly, and willing to help with any aspect of your product. What a good feeling it is to talk to someone who feels confident in his product. It’s even better if he’s knowledgeable enough to solve your problem without transferring you all around the company!

- Provide Stand-Out Service; Gain Lifelong Customers
Too many e-businesses skimp on customer service, hiding behind web sites and message boards. Customer support is an integral part of every company, even those operating solely online. Be one of the few to offer stellar service, and gain customers for life!

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Before I head out today for an extended weekend with family, I wanted to do one last post. I can’t tell you how thankful for I am for YTB and what’s it’s done for myself and my family. I’ve been talking to team members, both above, below, and cross line to me for months about what’s been going on in our industry and our company right now. While some have expressed concerns, we also know that YTB has made some major advancements and headway into the travel industry this year. There appears to me, an underlining confidence with everyone I talk to and an understanding that even in the face of all that’s being pointed at us from outside sources, we will continue to grow and prosper.

There is no question that there has been a lot of fighting, (like cats and dogs?) and finger pointing going on the last month and a half in our industry. I want us as a individuals in YTB to take some time this weekend to point inward for a change. We as RTA’s are the face of YTB, and I want you to take some time to seriously think about what you are doing in regards to helping or hurting the image of a company I know we all love.

I’m sure it’s no secret at this point that many of our Professionals feel that we embarrass them. We are unprofessional, we are untrained, we are uncertified, we are unqualified to enter into an industry they have loved and respected for years. I’ve stated many times here that they are sadly mistaken if they want to lump me personally into any of these stereotypes when it concerns our business model and company. I am not only very competent, but confident in what I do.

It’s been commented to me from several sources that I’m actually spoken of in high regard from some of our Professionals. Many of our Professionals do understand that I am not the typical “Yahoo”, and for that I am truly thankful. That doesn’t change the fact that I happen to be the exception, not the rule when it comes to YTB and the overall perception of our company.

I got to ask…why?

It’s my belief that part of the respect I’ve managed to gain from the Professional side of this industry is because I am one of a growing number who not only acknowledges, but calls attention to some of the problems and issues are regarding some of our RTA’s who are the main cause of our problems. I’m starting to see more of us actually acknowledging what’s going on and for that I am also thankful. We can’t just stick out heads in the sand and hope it all just goes away. We need to call a spade a spade, and we need to let others know that some RTA’s are certainly not helping our cause or our case.

There always seems to be a jerk, a fool, a person who lacks professionalism, and lacks just plain good manners and common sense. All of which gives a bad name and taste and a target for any business out there. i.e. the expression “One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel.”

I’ve been to dozens of Trainings and Seminars in my years with YTB. I’ve also been with Team Members at these functions, and have never personally seen any of what’s being told to me, but with so much of this being expressed, I can only assume that it is going on. In addition with some of the garbage I’ve seen on the internet, if it’s going on in here, it’s certainly going on out there.

Here are some of the things I’m hearing and want all of us need to be aware of:

It is not appropriate to attempt to recruit at Travel Seminars where other Brick and Mortar stores paid for themselves and their employees a lot of money receive the trainings. Nor is it appropriate to attempt to recruit while walking the floor at Travel Shows or Vendor Fairs where vendors have paid a lot of money for booths in order to inform Brick & Mortar stores and other internet stores and others in the travel business about what’s new in their business.

Nor is it appropriate to go walking around like fools as a group wearing green tee shirts with sayings like “ask me how you can get your travel for 50% off.”

Or crashing parties of other travel agencies.

Or running around ships spouting off to the travelers that you are with YTB and you can show them how they can travel at 50% off when they paid full fare.

Or slipping hand made flyers under all the doors of the ship’s passengers that say about the same thing.

Is it any wonder that we look unprofessional? (Actually, I think the word “turkey” would be appropriate this weekend.) It’s unfathomable to me that anyone would even consider doing any of this, but I also have something called integrity and ethics that simply won’t allow me to even consider something so rude or down right stupid.

“If it aint right, don’t do it.
If it anit true don’t say it.” ~ Coach

While it’s my understanding that action is being taken with an RTA or REP from a Corporate standpoint. We have made agreements with vendors who we want to do business with to behave in a professional manor. An RTA might stand the possibility of losing their YTB business. We also need YOU as a YTB professional to take a stand with anyone you may see doing this out in the field. If I personally ever see anyone defacing that good name of YTB like this, you will certainly know before it’s all said and done that not only is this inappropriate, but will not be tolerated.

Period.

YTB has a name, a great name, to protect as do all of us as RTAs. We are a company to be proud of. Help us to keep that way. Before you act, ask yourself, “If this was my company, my show, my business, how would I want someone else to act at it and what would I want them to say or better yet not say at my function?”

It’s like owning a store and having stranger come up to your long standing customers and say, “Don’t buy this here. You should go to a store I know where you can get the same thing for 50% off.” How would you feel as that owner? I’ve seen some other Travel MLM’s try to recruit me and others in YTB using these lame tactics and I got to tell you, not only am I not going to join an organization like that, I too want to expose them for what their doing as well.

Got it?

Good.

I want you to not only be thankful this weekend that YTB has a “Travel University” (E-Campus), I want you to read about it and take this training this weekend. It’s in your travel portal, it’s up and running. It’s an awesome program and it’s specifically designed for us by one of the most respected names in the industry, Dr. Marc Mancini.

I want you to not only be thankful for vendors this weekend but review the tons of vendors who have put their training up in our back office in order to help us to do great things with them as well. Pages and pages of information direct from the vendors themselves. These companies know that we have over 135,000 agents and growing rapidly every day, who are bringing them lots and lots of business and they want to do what ever it takes to help us bring that business their way.

I want you to also be thankful for the Travel Professionals in our industry. There is so much we can learn from them to help build a profitable Travel Business. They have years of knowledge and experience that is absolutely priceless.

YTB is a force to be reckoned with and we are only getting better. We can and will be as well trained as every other travel agent, if not better. We can and will be the best trained, most professional Agents in the industry. It is up to us, and if we want to be #1 we need to learn and know all we can about our business so we can take it there.

This is the best company in the best industry with the best people I’ve ever had the honor of working with and I feel blessed and Thankful everyday that I am a part of YTB.

PS – Eating a little Turkey and watching a Football game in your spare time this weekend is also acceptable.

Gobble Gobble!

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A new instructional series designed to be one of the most ambitious and comprehensive-training programs ever offered by a host agency has been launched by YTB for its growing number of Referring Travel Agents. (RTA’s) The courses designed by TheAcademy.com will initially consist of 10 unique courses and will be rolled out by introducing a new course every six to eight weeks, until the 10 courses have been implemented.

What’s even more impressive is that the YTB E-Campus program is designed by Dr. Marc Mancini, one of the travel industry’s most highly respected speakers, educators and consultants and authors of such books as Conducting Tours: A Practical Guide, Cruising: A Guide to the Cruise Line Industry, and Selling Destinations: Geography for the Travel Professional. Dr Mancini and his firm are the creative force behind some of the best-known and most successful training programs in the business including training programs for CLIA, AAA, and NTA.

YTB’s first course “Overview of the Travel Industry”, is currently active, and will be followed by courses on lodging, tours/groups, cruising, air, rail/car rentals, sales/service/marketing, and three courses on destination geography.

J. Kim Sorensen, President and CEO of YTB Travel Network, said, “We are excited about the launch of the YTB E-Campus program, and our partnership with Dr. Mancini. YTB E-Campus was developed to enhance our existing RTA training program by offering comprehensive courses via the Internet. The launch of this program is not only an investment in our RTAs, but also a long-term investment in growing our business and increasing shareholder equity.”

Way to go YTB, and thank you for building the best travel business opportunity available!

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