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Travel advisors are busy and seem to work around the clock for clients all over the world at any given time. There comes a time when it is essential to hire support staff for the benefit of your company – to have someone else effectively help manage your workload and, most importantly, serve your clients in the best possible way. Whether you have one support staff member or many, it is crucial to invest in comprehensive training to ensure they hit the ground running, have the knowledge needed to contribute meaningfully, and set them up to continue their education in the industry. Yet the benefits of training your support staff go beyond run-of-the-mill business development; they should know the specific resources your host agency uses to support you every day. Working in tandem with your host agency is essential to ensuring your staff are specifically trained to excel and support your business goals.
Just how you attend conferences and research the latest trends to stay up to date on the industry, your support staff needs to do the same through ongoing training and development opportunities for them to operate at the highest level. Without proper training in the travel industry and specifically your host agency’s systems, staff members are less effective, which can result in high turnover. Ask yourself: Does your host agency provide the necessary resources to equip your team with the skills they need to support your business? Your support staff should be, if not geared up to be, well versed in areas such as your host agency resources and systems, research and booking platforms, itinerary building, task management and trip quality control, CRM management, and marketing – to name a few. Ensuring your staff is sufficient in your host agency’s platforms empowers them to work more effectively and independently, ultimately enhancing your overall operations and client satisfaction.
Brownell recently launched an exclusive Support Staff Training program for our advisor’s support staff as an answer to many advisors’ desires to equip their team members with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed. This quarterly, personalized 3-day training will be held at Brownell’s HQ and with a mere 10 participants each session to ensure attendees receive personalized training in multiple areas like building trip itineraries and deep diving into our systems like AXUS while having plenty of time for networking and collaboration. Additionally, this program is aimed to create camaraderie among various advisor’s support staff while supporting them in their careers as well as instill passion, excellence, and innovation for both our advisors and their support teams.
If your host agency offers training for your support staff across their platforms and resources, now is a good time to sit down and think about how it would benefit you and your company. If not, investigate ways to provide continuing education for your support staff, whether it’s online training, demos with new technology, or get-togethers with other support staff in your city. Taking proactive steps to invest in your staff’s professional development will pay dividends in the long run, positioning you as a leader in the travel industry and ensuring the continued success of your business.