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