旅行“学位”和教育名称的投资回报率
byDori Saltzman/There's no question education is a vital piece of an advisor's success. Without it advisors can't, well, advise. The more you know about suppliers, destinations, ancillary travel products, and business best practices, the more successful you can be and the better off your clients will be.
但是,旅行顾问自己选择的教育是否必须导致您的名字之后的信件 - 例如旅行学院的CTA或CLIA的ACC?顾问不能仅坚持供应商的免费培训吗?
In part one of a two-part series, Travel Market Report breaks down why such "degree" programs should in fact, be an integral piece of the education puzzle, providing real value, including a tangible return on investment.
什么是教育名称?
Before we can dive into the ROI of getting a degree/educational designation, we must first define what we mean.
旅游顾问可以通过多种方式进行教育,从他们的主人或财团提供的培训到提供者提供的培训到基于信用的计划,从而获得“学位”。其中最著名的是旅行社(CTA,CTC,CTIE),Cruise Lines International Association(CCC,ACC,MCC,ECC)和美国旅行顾问协会(VTA)。
完成这些课程使毕业生在其名称之后使用其教育名称。(就像使用DDS或使用CPA的会计师的牙医一样。)
学位课程与其他培训有何不同?
与供应商提供的培训不同,这些学位课程需要货币投资,通常需要更长的时间才能完成。他们对旅游业,旅行顾问在该行业中的地位进行了广泛的了解,并提供有关客户服务,营销等主题的商业培训。
在考虑您想做的培训时,旅行顾问TMR与完成的培训进行了交谈,他说每个人都有自己的好处。
"They're focused on two very different things," said Dusty Davidson, CTA, owner of a Dallas-based Dream Vacations franchise.
“做克里亚和旅行学院之类的事情,这是一个更广泛的知识基础,”《天赋旅行网络》首席会员官员桑迪·萨布尔(Sandy Saburn)说。“它更多地集中在帮助您做好工作,而不仅仅是与特定伴侣一起工作。”
Supplier-driven training, on the other hand delivers concrete, detailed information about the suppliers advisors sell, said Florence Brethome, CTIE, general manager, leisure talent development for the Travelstore, a Signature-member agency.
"CLIA teaches me about the industry but not where to find Carnival's deck plans or when a ship was last updated," elaborated Charlotte Pointer, MCC, owner of Luv2Cruise Travel, a NEST member agency.
名称重要吗?
旅行顾问TMR与完成旅行学院,CLIA或ASTA计划有关的实际教育名称不同意。
“我不知道我的医生名字意味着什么,但是如果我看不到墙上的东西,他们不会拿起刀,”签名旅行开发顾问诺兰·伯里斯(Nolan Burris)说。“我认为这很微妙,甚至可能是潜意识,但我确实相信获得认证会对您的整体形象产生影响。”
"Is it the deciding factor for a client or not" he added. "Yes and no. If I'm a potential client and I'm looking at a couple of advisors who I've asked for recommendations or quotes and one has got letters after the name and one doesn't, I’m not saying they stop and think, 'I'm going for the one with letter after the name.' I don't think they do that. But it does convey something."
Kellie Greaux, member services director for OASIS Travel Network agreed. "Many of our advisors have earned their CTC, CTIE, and CTA certifications, which provides them with an industry deep dive. These professional designations are definitely noteworthy among clients. As with any profession, you want to give your business to someone that you trust, and clients feel the same way when looking for a travel advisor to plan their dream vacations."
And Davidson told TMR, "I completed my CTA in March of 2021 and did see an increase in more serious questions for me and interest in my business."
Others said the designations don't matter at all, only the learning and the confidence that comes with them.
“导致专业指定的培训比名称本身要重要得多,”签名会员代理商传统旅行总裁菲利普·班克斯(Philip Banks)说。“我们的客户不知道ASTA,CLIA甚至签名。因此,ASTA经过验证的顾问,Clia的主要邮轮顾问和Signature的旅行专家名称不在客户的范围内。但是客户确实受益于导致指定的培训。”
奥利·麦德森(Amy Madson)是奥兰多的梦幻假期的所有者。“我发现,在我的名字之后获得信件ECC并不一定会推动业务,但我从完成这项工作中获得的知识和信心帮助我关闭了销售。您必须参加几门课程并进行多次船舶检查以实现ECC。投入的时间和金钱非常值得我的业务整体成功。”
甚至旅行学院的高管也同意,成功的大部分来自通过该计划的过程。
"We are teaching very specific skills that build confidence," said Diane Petras, CTIE, president of The Travel Institute. "They're raising their head if they're in an office or they're not afraid of the phone ringing, and they're better at qualifying and listening and better at marketing."
大多数人说这是两者的结合。
“作为一名30年的资深旅行专业人士,我对自己的营销和出售自己的能力,为我们的代理团队和客户倡导自己的能力更有信心,并因完成旅行行业培训而穿过粗大的水域,” CTIE,CTIE,VTA,VTA,Accent On Travel的所有者,签名会员机构。
她说:“拥有CTIE的名称无疑为您的头衔增添了专业精神,我实际上有客户说他们正在寻找接受专业培训的人来处理旅行组合。”“但是,我相信最大的资产是通过参加指定所需的课程来学到的教育。我每天都使用。”
硬ROI数字
不管为什么这些学位课程有益,证明都在硬数字中。
According to a late 2017 study conducted by The Travel Institute, 22% of Travel Institute-certified graduates and 16% of CLIA-certified advisors earned more than $60,000 that year. Compare that to just 7% of non-certified advisors (based on a survey of 2,000 U.S.-based travel advisors).
同一项调查发现,2017年提供旅行学院认证(CTA,CTC,CTA)的顾问平均销售额为554,880美元。拥有旅行社目的地和利基专业的顾问平均销售额为488,336美元,而具有CLIA认证的销售额为446,512美元。通过供应商专家课程(邮轮,酒店,目的地等)的顾问平均销售额为403,775美元。
那些从未进行过任何认证或专业培训的顾问平均销售量仅为215,114美元。
最近,旅行社将ROI的案例研究汇总在一起,专门针对CTA(经过认证的旅行助理),该案例的费用为550美元。在CTA培训期间,旅行顾问将学习客户服务技能(包括如何要求推荐),为什么他们应该向所有客户出售旅行保险,如何出售全包式度假胜地以及如何为服务收取服务的感觉。
获得CTA之后,这位旅行顾问使用他们的新客户服务技能为全包预订提供推荐客户。总预订为6,500美元(顾问委员会为8%)。旅行顾问还出售375美元的保险计划,佣金率为15%),此外,顾问收取50美元的服务费。
Eight percent of $6,500 is $520; 15% of $375 is 56.25. Added together, plus the service fee, and the advisor has earned $626.25, recouping their investment in their CTA in a single booking, plus making a profit for a total ROI of 13.8%. Even selling an all-inclusive valued at half that would require only two bookings to make back the cost of the CTA.