Travel Weekly's Leisure World / Home Based Agent Show

Great news! Travel Weekly has offered VTCs a special discount when they register for Leisure World / Home Based Agent Show in Atlantic City from October 27-29!

When you register, simply enter the code VTC1 and you'll get a surprise discount!

We hope to see you at the show!

Chris

New Website is Here!

Check it out

Let us know what you think or stuff you think we should add!

Misinformation is misleading the Industry

Did you know that you can only book cruises if you're a CLIA member? You have no use for ARC because you don't issue airline tickets, right? Did you know that IATAN is THE accrediting body for the travel agent? Did you know that you needed an ID Card in order to take a FAM trip? I sure didn't.

Believe it or not, these are a few things I've heard over the past few years. Clearly there's a lot of misinformation floating around the Industry and none of it really benefits the travel professional, if you ask me. If anything, it adds to the idea that our Industry is becoming more and more fragmented - "I'm better than you".

I typically remove myself and ultimately the VTC Program from any sort of "talk" or "shots", but as I continue to jot down the latest line of misleading words in my "Do You Believe This?" notebook, I felt compelled to write a little in response to a growing list of misinformation, especially when this misinformation can very possibly sway current and/or interested travel professionals away from the VTC Program.

In a recent newsletter from a homebased agent association newsletter, which was passed along, the association head makes a great effort to market the benefit of an entity managed by this association. Within the effort the head of the association asks "Why pay more for less?" and he is referring to "booking ID codes." I read that line 3 times. Not because I couldn't answer it, but because I was really surprised that this was the angle taken to compete with the VTC Program and one the of the VTC Program's components. Yes, other programs were mentioned, as well, so I didn't feel isolated, but again, I was surprised because one bit of information that was not shared with the reader - the fact that before you can have access to this "booking ID code" you must first be a member of that association. Furthermore, there is no mention of what that cost is to join the association. Why is cost important? For the sake of this blog it is important because the head of this association references the cost of 3 programs, including the VTC Program (application fee + annual fee). I make no secret or shy away from the $300 initial fee ($300 if you join in January; we prorate the annual fee based on the acceptance month), and I'm not suggesting this gentleman does either, but he failed to compare apples-to-apples. Let's break-it-down for a moment, just on "cost" alone (I hate that word - "cost")...

NEW PARTICIPANTS ONLY

VTC Program - $300

Said Association - $99

Actuality...

VTC Program - $300 ($105 app fee + $195 annual fee, prorated by month of acceptance)

Said Association - $304 ($99 for the "booking ID code" + $205 1 year travel agency membership)

Wow! The association is actually $4 more than the VTC Program, assuming the VTC joins in January (the association could be a lot more depending on when the VTC is approved in the year). Truth is, it's difficult to compare apples-to-apples. And here's why...

• There are varying levels and "costs" of membership for the association. I used the travel agency membership category because that is what the VTC Program vets - travel agency entities. There is a single IC membership with this association at a cost of $155, which would make the total cost, "booking ID code" included, $254 - a whopping $46 less than the VTC Program.

• The VTC Program is an investment, not a "cost" (told you I didn't like that word). There is more to the VTC Program than just a number, we have and will continue to build products and services for our VTCs, but for other organizations, the number (and in some cases, an ID card) is really all they have to offer.

• The VTC Program is what I like to call "all-inclusive." You don't have to join the VTC Program and then apply for the well-respected and well-known ARC #, it comes with your participation - why make it complicated?

• The association managing the entity that distributes "booking ID codes" is an association and the VTC Program is not an association.

• Cheaper isn't always better. Ask me about my debacle that was my home deck contractor last year. Cheap doesn't translate into quality 100% of the time. In the newsletter the association head paints a cheaper picture for a component of a Program, but when was the last time you saw Mercedes state that their GPS system is cheaper than Infiniti's? Get my point?

So let's bring it full-circle...

• Did you know that you can only book cruises if you're a CLIA member? NOT TRUE.

• Did you know that IATAN is THE accrediting body for the travel agent? NOT TRUE. They are an accrediting body, but "THE" is a marketing tactic, in my opinion.

• Did you know that you needed an ID Card in order to take a FAM trip? NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. Read my past post about ID cards.

• You have no use for ARC because you don't issue airline tickets, right? WRONG.

• Did you know that cheaper is better? :)

If your agency is a VTC, terrific. I hope our products and services are helping your business - look out for future offerings. If you're not a VTC, I urge you to consider. The Program is not for everyone or may not serve the needs of some. The important thing is to do your homework. Find out what your business objectives are and align them with what a program (or association) is offering. And remember, cheaper isn't always better.

Chris Flores

VTC Program Manager

Mark Your Calendars!

We've got several webinars coming up that you guys should definitely check out - we'll walk through the program and answer any questions you may have about ARC MarketPlace, Agent's Choice, using your own ARC Number, and more. Or, you can post your questions here!

Register for our next webinar on May 27th here.

Chris

VTC VIP Cocktail Party

Hey VTCs!

For all of you attending CruiseWorld / Home Based Agent Show in Fort Lauderdale next week, ARC is hosting an exclusive VIP party on the 15th at the Renaissance. Come by for a great night. Of course, the drinks are on us. Register here so we can keep an eye out for you!

Chris

CruiseWorld / Home Based Agent Show

It's me again.

Who's going to the Travel Weekly CruiseWorld / Home Based Agent Show in Fort Lauderdale?

I'm going to have a pretty big booth there on the trade show floor, and VTC is sponsoring some pretty key speaking engagements... mostly centered around streamlining your business, making your website work for you, protecting your business... really good stuff from very well known industry leaders like Peter E. Pincus of Marriott and Tom Ogg of HBTACommunity.com!

Stay tuned for more details!

Oh, and we're having a special for all VTCs who want to go - if you enter VTC1 during registration, you save 25%.

Hope I see you there!

Chris

I'll Be Speaking at Travel Weekly's Virtual Trade Show on Wednesday!

Hey VTCs!

Come and check out my presentation on the VTC Program on Wednesday, at 2:30 pm EST at Travel Weekly's Virtual Trade Show! It's my first time presenting VTC at a virtual event, so I'm really excited. If you guys have any suggestions on topics I should cover, or if you want to share your experiences with the program, let me know!

You can register here: http://tinyurl.com/y92gjl3

I'll post my presentation if you guys want to see it.

Chris

How was business in Q1?

We posed the question in March's VTC enewsletter: How was business in the first three months of 2010?

Also, what made business boom or bust for you in the past couple of months? The goal of this post is to get a different reading on how business is going for VTCs, rather than polls that may not reflect as accurately the markets VTCs are targeting, and the various factors that contribute to a VTC's success. Sometimes word-of-mouth reporting is a lot easier to draw solutions from than statistics.

2009 Successful, Marriott Now Recognizing VTCs

Happy New Year! Hopefully everyone has had the opportunity to see this press release in one of the trades. If you have not, simply click the link at the bottom of this post.

2009 was a great year for the VTC Program, in terms of new participants. We have lots planned for the year and we hope you stay tuned. The first exciting bit of news for the New Year is Marriott's agreement to recognize VTCs and the VTC's ARC Number. In 2009 Marriott conducted a review of a number of travel intermediary channel partners, which included the VTC Program. We are very pleased they concluded that the VTC Program is one of the strongest in the industry and are encouraged to partner with us going forward. VTCs join a short list of accredited entities able to do business with Marriott and can now book and receive commissions, take advantage of Marriott’s industry-leading Hotel Excellence Program, and will have access to Marriott’s Fam-Tastic Rates and Certificates.

So, I strongly suggest that VTCs visit https://www.cprpt.com/ARC/10000/redirect.asp?sid=10474&vid=0&lid=1022878&o=1&rt=1&mk=47602&eid=cflores@arccorp.com today and begin learning how you can take advantage of all of the great opportunities Marriott has to offer. Also, be on the lookout for future Marriott messages and special offers on ARC MarketPlace like this one, which ends on January 22nd - http://www.arcmarketplace.com/marriott_grb.pdf.

PRESS RELEASE - http://www.arccorp.com/news/pr20100105.pdf

What do you want to see from ARC & The VTC Program in 2010?

Tell us what you'd like to see from the VTC program in 2010. We want to know what you like about the program, and areas you’d like to see changed.

Agent’s Choice to Move Behind MyARC Portal

MyARC is the centralized access point for a growing list of ARC tools and resources for our customers. For the VTCs, this list will soon include Agent’s Choice, in addition to IAR which is already behind MyARC. Soon you’ll be able to access Agent’s Choice through MyARC without the requirement of an additional login.

Benefits of MyARC:
• Self-service password resets
• Single sign-on to IAR and Agent’s Choice
• Delegated administrative capabilities such as granting or revoking Agent’s Choice access via simple administrative interface

To take advantage of all the features and benefits MyARC has to offer, we encourage you to have your Agent’s Choice account in active status.

We will send VTCs an e-mail when Agent’s Choice integration behind MyARC is complete.

Please contact ARC’s Customer Care Center at +1 703.816.8003 if you have any other questions about MyARC or Agent’s Choice.

Travel Trade's Cruise-A-Thon

I arrived in NYC yesterday (June 4) morning; just in time to hear Peter Yesawich speak and just in time for the cruise panel afterwards. Both sessions were great and everyone is extremely optimistic given the current economic conditions. Attendance at the show is on the low side, but the agents are extremely engaged.

Travel Trade invited me to speak during this morning's (June 5) general session. I was prepared to speak before Dan Hanrahan, President & CEO of Celebrity/Azamara Cruises and before Andy Stuart, EVP, Global Sales & Passenger Services. But last night I was informed that I would follow these fine gentlemen. What a hard act! Dan is a great speaker, if you haven't heard him before. And Andy is clearly a crowd pleaser. He had stolen a few laughs from the audience, which I had hoped to get from my time. We were running a little over schedule so I had accommodate the fine people in attendance and cut a few minutes short. All-in-all I think everyone appreciated the speakers this morning. I look forward to fielding questions from eager attendees tomorrow afternoon, during the trade show.

Continuing on my welcomed responsibility of creating VTC impressions...

Chris Flores
Product Manager, VTC Program

Do you know more "sellers of travel" or "traveling sellers"?

I know FAM trips are important. Your knowledge of product is key to you selling a dream vacation to your clients. But sometimes the over interest in FAM trips concerns me. From time to time I encounter folks who seem more interested in taking FAM trips than they are about selling an unbelievable experience. Again, I totally understand the importance of FAMs and there's a "chicken before the egg" approach to the business, but when the first question to me, while I'm in a trade show booth, is "Can we go on FAM trips with the VTC #?", I worry and wonder.

So, do you know more sellers of travel or traveling sellers?

Chris Flores
VTC Program

Why should I join the VTC Program?

I get that question a lot. I could dedicate several paragraphs to this topic, but will leave my thoughts in a few short sentences...

There are obviously options out there for the travel professional. Can you join/participate in other programs out there today? Sure! It's your business and your decision to make. That's the key sentence..."It's your business and your decision to make." I oftentimes tell my travel professional friends this...perform due diligence on your options and determine if you can actually measure an ROI.

I won't enter into a public battle of "my program is better than this other program" because I believe that hurts the industry, not helps it. BUT, I do not have a problem with highlighting the VTC Program's benefits, products, and services because they are second to none and they can yield an ROI.

-Your ARC VTC #
-ARC MarketPlace = commissions on products and services
-ARC MasterCard Travel Card = commissions
-ARC Agent's Choice = collect revenue thru service fees
-Agency List File = suppliers identify and market

Feel free to ping me with questions at cflores@arccorp.com. AND, if you have an idea...I welcome it.

Chris Flores
Product Manager, VTC Program

Twitter

So everyone's doing it... Does that mean I'm falling victim to peer pressure? Check us out at www.Twitter.com/ARCVTC.

Follow topics on this blog. Follow my thoughts on Twitter.

Chris Flores

My thoughts on Cruise3Sixty...

What a great show. It's my first time at this event and it's what I expected. Quality production and great agent and supplier support. We had our first day of the trade show yesterday (Friday) and our booth was very busy with travel professionals interested in find out what the Program can do for them. I expect us (ARC) to welcome several new members in the coming month.

We were also visited by current VTCs and that's always a treat. Thumbs-up and praise. We're definitely moving in the right direction.

I had some good meetings with industry folks and a lot of ideas were thrown around. Although I can't announce anything solid just yet, if things go as planned...wow, I think you guys will be pleased.

My highlight of the day (Saturday) so far was this morning's general session. Amex sponsored the keynote speaker, Barbara Corcoran. She's not industry (she was in real estate), but she did not disappoint. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about her candid, and often times questionable comments, but I praise her because she spoke with conviction, from experience, and really put a lot of things in perspective...and she brought relevance to her speech. Just because she isn't industry doesn't mean she didn't have anything offer - that was my take away. Heck, I'll listen to anyone who can turn a $1,000 investment into a $66 million return, AND befriend Donald Trump in the process.

Another person who had the floor this morning was Charlotte Haymore, President of Travel Professionals of Color or TPOC as they're known in the industry. We (ARC) support TPOC and their annual show and it's great to see her succeed with her group. What a charming woman.

Okay, that's it for now. I'll post more later...

Chris Flores

Off to Cruise3Sixty...

Come visit the ARC booth # 706 at Cruise3Sixty next week. I'll be ready to answer any questions you have for me regarding the VTC Program. If you don't have questions, but have suggestions, comments, or even concerns...throw them at me. The Program will only become stronger with your feedback. And if you're interested in setting-up some time to chat, ping me at cflores@arccorp.com and we can arrange something.

I'll blog from the hotel next week and give you my thoughts (this will be my first Cruise3Sixty). Hope to see you in FLL!

Chris Flores

March Madness!

It's that time of the year when sports junkies go nuts for college basketball. I admit, I'm one of those sports junkies but I'm not one of those who pumps-out $10 a bracket for an office pool. My historical return on investment...not so good.

But a deal that I think will yield a positive return on investment is The Travel Insititute's special offer for VTCs. We have partnered with The Travel Institute to extend the popular Education Stimulus Program, exclusively to ARC VTCs between March 15 and April 15. Purchase the test only and receive the supporting material FREE. Have you been thinking about finding a niche destination? Thinking about taking that step to become a CTA or a CTC? Here's a great opportunity to do so at a discounted rate. Visit www.arccorp.com/vtc to view the flyer.

Chris

Your Biggest Fear...

So what is it? I'm not talking Boogey Man or Death...I'm talking business. And no, "Going out of business" is not a legitimate fear for this post. There are several things that lead-up to one going out of business; some are controllable while other are not. Anyway, for example, do you fear of letting down your clients? Do you fear exuding too much energy for a prospect that will go down the street? Do you fear "down the street"? Do you fear not being able to use your IATAN Card because you have to hold the fort down and sell? You get my drift.

Let us know. Really, this is your opportunity to tell us what you think.

Chris

Travel Agent Service Fees - Money on the Table?

I travel to as many shows as my budget will allow. While at these shows I love chatting with travel professionals. I love to hear about the great ideas you guys come-up with, like stuffing invoices with information about products/services they can use while on their trip or sending a newsletter that includes information on the most popular and affordable places local clients go to vacation. But you know what idea I like best? Presenting the travel agent service fee. I'm very surpised that very few travel agents collect in this area. By no means is this statistical, but I would say only 2 out of every 10 travel agents I speak to at a show actually assess a fee of any sort. And what are the main reasons why my friends do not collect? They're afraid they will lose the business; they've never done it in the past, so there's no need to do it now; and they do not know what the fair market value is.

This is money on the table; money to your bottom line. Your business provides such great service to clients that they come back to you each and every time they want to travel (at least I hope they d0). What does your service include? Surely more than just finding the best possible price for their trip. If you operate on a price-based model...ehhh, that's a whole different post. Anyway, that service, which is unique and different than the agency down the street, is your justification for assessing a travel agent service fee. So assess it!!!! You're worth it and you're efforts are worth it. Now it's up to you to show your clients that is the case.

I'll give an example of something I expect each an every time...good service at a restaurant. A waiter or waitress greets my wife and I, takes our drink order, takes our food order, serves our meal, inquires about dessert, makes one last call, and then hands me the check (I'm a gentleman, I always pay). Nothing out of the ordinary, right? But what if that waiter or waitress constantly refills my drink before I ask or even when I don't need it to be refilled or if they make a recommendation on a particular dish based on personal experience or if he/she asks us how their service was or finally...asking if we would visit his/her section next time we visited...I wouldn't think twice about giving a little extra tip. Why? Because that waiter/waitress left such a good impression, it separated her/him from others. Not exactly apples to apples, I know, but the point being, remind people why you're service is valuable and unique and they will be happy to pay that fee...myself included. You just have to sell you. You're the product in this instance and that fee is your commission to yourself.

I'm sure it's a lot more complex than that so I welcome feedback, thoughts, and opinions.