SFH8 nov14 11/11/08 16:33 Page 1
ttglive.com
selling from home knowledge
Q&A home-based agent
Fighting off recession
Travel counsellor Carolyn Stanley, based in
Berkshire, tells us how her business is defying
the credit crunch, and advises how other
homeworkers might do the same
Are you feeling the effects of the and why my business is still growing.
credit crunch? Business is still coming in from all areas
No, not really, although holiday booking and market types. These days a holiday
patterns have changed slightly, with more or weekend city break is a necessity, not
interest in last-minute holidays. But it is clear a luxury. People still want to get away but
that people are still booking and looking at want to book through someone they can
their travel plans for next year. In fact, trust and who can offer a certain level
October was my best ever sales month! of expertise. Carolyn is glad that she can leave the admin to head office
So people are more cautious? 24-hour service. Plus I have fewer overheads,
Yes, financial protection is now a key and our head office takes away the worry of
consideration when booking travel. I can all the admin.
offer my customers complete financial
protection through the company’s own Do you have any tips for homeworkers/
trust. It means my customers can be sure agents who are feeling the pinch?
when they hear news about a travel failure, It’s all about customer service. If you don’t
such as that of the recent XL Leisure Group deliver you won’t be a success. Also if you
collapse, that they will not have lost their believe all the hype about the recession
money, which is proving reassuring. you will allow yourself to be in that frame
of mind and this will affect your motivation
How do you measure performance? and ultimately your business. People
I can measure my business performance still want to book their holidays. So
through my own intranet page, which be pro-active – network, market
There are many good cruise deals out there, says Caroyln shows me my sales figures compared with yourself and keep busy. Tidy
previous months, my average margin, my your office and get ready
Have client requests changed since repeat business and also my own personal for the Christmas rush.
the credit crunch began? customer satisfaction score, in which my
People tend to be looking at more last-minute customers have given feedback about the
deals with less forward planning. I have lots level of service they have received from
more customers taking long-haul winter me. It’s a useful tool that enables me to
breaks and there are some excellent deals on assess how I am doing, which at the
cruises around. Customers want to get value moment is great!
for money.
Is easier or harder to weather
What is enabling your business to the storm as a homeworker
thrive in tough times? compared with a
As a travel counsellor, I’m given the support high-street agency?
and tools that enable me to focus on deliver- Choice is a key factor for
ing great customer service and building people. I don’t have to
relationships with each and every client. directionally sell like many
I keep in touch with them using marketing agents on the high street so
tools such as newsletters and customer I can offer the choice of
e-shots. Even a simple phonecall to ask if product and price that’s best
they had a nice holiday goes a long way. for my customer. I can also Carolyn’s intranet page has
That’s why my customers come back to me offer my clients a personal, graphs of her sales figures
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