Use you imagination..

WILL you lose your job
to technology? Is there a
future for travel agents in
the aftermath of the digital
and social revolution?
These were some of the
critical questions posed by
Travel Counsellors group
chairman, David Speakman.
David said travel
professionals could not
only beat the curve but
reach new levels of success
when they embarked on a
shift from “information” to
“imagination” in order to
transform their businesses.
He quoted Rolf Jansen
from the Copenhagen
Institute for Future Studies:
“Companies will need
to understand that their
products are less important
than their stories.”
At a time when everyone
could access product,
travel agents must ask
themselves what they could
add to the product, he said.
“Why do customers remain
loyal? Because of trust
and relationships. The final
purchase of a product is
not about the ‘what’ but the
‘how’ it is delivered.”
Travel Counsellors was
driving the development
of a “new breed of travel
agent”, David said, who
knew how to develop
intense relationships with
their clients.
In the midst of mounting
challenges, professionals
in the travel space must
foresee the needs of their
clients before they ask for
anything; and provide them
with relevant cautionary
advice before it is needed.
David added that it was
vital for agents to establish
points of difference – their
unique selling point – that
distinguished them from
competitors. The level of
relationship TCs formed
with their clients served as
their primary USP, he said.
Another major challenge
for travel professionals
are wholesalers that sell
straight to the client.
David said agents needed
to take back power in this
regard and develop systems
that allowed them to
compete.
In essence, this was
why Travel Counsellors
developed Phenix, so that
TCs could go direct to the
client in much the same
way as tour operators.