Headquarter Happenings: Cruise Planners Celebrates 25 Years of Success
经过Jessica Montevago/
回顾过去的25年,Cruise Planners的首席执行官兼联合创始人Michelle Fee谈到了该品牌已经走了多远。
她于1994年创立的公司,马文·戴维斯(Marvin Davis)和林恩·科恩(Lynn Korn)was an early adopter of the home-based travel agency model, a foresight and vision that has paid off in spades.
“We saw that the industry was changing, and we knew if we didn’t change along with it, we were going to become dinosaurs – and become extinct,” Fee said at the Cruise Planners Convention last week, at the Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, Florida.
More than two decades later, the company that began with a $1,995 check, capped off its strongest sales year to date. Overall departures for the entire Cruise Planners franchise organization are up 20 percent this year over last; and for 2019, they're trending at 28 percent growth.
该公司的百万富翁俱乐部已增加,包括100多名顾问,几乎是该计划于2008年启动的17倍。
Cruise Planners的高管表示,为了保持领先地位,内政部一直在创新,为其代理商开发尖端的营销和技术平台。Fee and Vicky Garcia,COO兼共同所有人,为2019年提供了许多新的开发和增强。我们一直在进步和前进,”加西亚说。
Highly targeted marketing
Garcia announced the company’s first Millennials-targeted marketing campaign, which will launch next year. CP Insights, which debuted last year and collects client data to foretell their propensity for spending based on purchasing patterns, will help match and market the right products to the right clients.
触发邮件,其中一个最受欢迎的marketing tools, Fee said, will get refreshed. The automatic emails help agents stay connected with clients throughout the booking process, so they’re always top-of-mind. Cruise Planners has seen a spike in pre- and post-bookings, travel insurance and shore excursions sales. New elements include adding post-voyage trigger emails; a last chance email for “cancel anytime” travel insurance; and a special “Thank You for Booking” email.
热门清单也是该品牌营销产品的一部分。ECARD会自动发送给庆祝里程碑的客户,并且在过去一年中没有进行预订。
In addition, a variety of promotional videos will be available at no cost to agents, for use on their social media platforms. The video assets will focus on various travel segments, such as family travel or land, and all will include a strong call to action.
The CP Marketing Hub will also relaunch with more tools and features. It will now allow agents to track marketing that has gone out to clients; track the success rate of that marketing; and set goals, such as revenue growth or email opt-ins.
技术处于最前沿
The 600 agents in the audience erupted in applause when a new interactive supplier partner database was announced. The new Vacation Wizard will allow agents to easily find the right suppliers for their clients based on certain criteria. The tool narrows down the results based on preferred vendor, travel type, or style. They can even compare commission levels, provide special offers, and link to the agent portal.
Attendees were also excited about a new CP Mobile app for Cruise Planners’ customers, which is slated to be released in early 2019. Clients will be able to make payments; fill out credit card authorization forms; purchase travel insurance; and access destination guides. For clients who do not have an active trip, the app will have a robust search and booking engine. It will also host a new favorites feature, allowing clients to create lists of possible trips they are interested in. Each time a list is generated, agents will be notified so they can be proactive in helping their clients plan that vacation.
Agents will also get a new app to help them “run their businesses from the palm of their hands.” CP Maxx Mobile will be connected to the web, so all data is synced, and it even works offline.
此外,该公司宣布,面向消费者的网站将在2019年重新设计和重新启动。新的移动优先设计将具有新鲜,现代的外观和更好的展示视频。代理商最多可以拥有三种不同类型的站点:当代(涵盖所有旅行),土地(将更加注重目的地)和豪华。
Specialization is key
Cruise Planners报道说,在两年前,重点关注奢侈品旅行培训后,2018年该领域的销售额增长了19%。河流巡航销售也有所增长,今年的增长率为55%。
“We know that when we focus our training, like we did with luxury and river, we see tremendous growth, so we’re doing it again,” Garcia said, just prior to announcing a complete certification series offering a deeper dive into all-inclusive, luxury, travel insurance, escorted tours, group, and river. After completing these extensive programs, agents earn certifications.
在更多与教育有关的新闻中,去年加入Cruise Planners的Scott Kempf将主持“ Cruisitude Academy:Sales Skills”,这是一系列三到五分钟的视频,提供了有关如何增加销售的提示。
Cruise Planners宣布,明年,它将再次主持其旅行社新兵训练营,重点关注小组和技术。培训将在拉斯维加斯,达拉斯,大西洋城和奥兰多进行。
Next summer, the company will also combine its Luxury Symposium and Luxury Forum, which will be hosted at an all-inclusive resort that will be announced at a later time.
All in all, Cruise Planners left agents with this message: “Our home office team is all here for one purpose, and that is to help you make your clients happy.”