There’s nothing new about travel agents working from home, but what about working from the comfort of customers’ living rooms?
It’s a concept more usually associated with Ann Summers and Tupperware parties, but with the launch in April of At Home with Kuoni the idea of literally getting your foot through prospective clients’ doors looks like one more agents should consider.
The Kuoni proposition offers an intimate evening of Champagne, canapés and expert travel advice delivered in customers’ own homes – an ideal solution for group travel and for customers who may have difficulty in getting to a high street agency during normal working hours.
The inspiration for the service came from the recognition that many of Kuoni’s customers value face to face consultations but simply do not have the time during a busy working week to visit a store, Kuoni distribution director Derek Jones explained.
“We looked at other businesses and identified the home consultation as a growing trend. Why not combine this with a relaxed evening at home with friends? We often end up talking about our holiday plans when we have friends over so why not invite an expert from Kuoni as well?,” said Jones.
The response so far has been positive, with five events confirmed. There’s no specific target audience for the service and the operator says it will consider any requests for an event, although the parties are really designed to appeal to small groups of couples planning to book individual holidays rather than travelling together.
Although At Home with Kuoni is direct sell, the operator is happy for agents to replicate the model and make bookings through their agency. “We will support and guide them through the process,” said Jones.
The potential of the at home concept has not been lost on travel agencies. A number of agents from The Co-operative’s homeworking arm, Future Travel, offer a similar service (see below) and Hays Travel personal travel consultant business development manager Alicia Redgrave said her consultants are positively encouraged to make home visits because it’s something not generally offered on the high street. “For us it’s all about standing out from the crowd,” she said.
“The service has worked for us in areas such as the Lake District and Harrogate in particular, where people have more disposable income and often see a service such as this as comparable to that of having a personal trainer or personal shopper.
“We also encourage the PTC’S to contact local wedding co-ordinators, both independent and those working for up-market hotels. This is a nice touch for couples getting married as the PTC would meet them at their chosen venue to discuss their honeymoon requirements. It makes them feel much more special than going into a travel agency,” said Redgrave.
Many of Hays Travel’s PTCs hold themed evenings such as Caribbean nights or cruise evenings – a particularly good idea in the summer months, said Redgrave.
“I think the idea of a more personal service allows us to offer the customer something extra and will help us to develop a reputation for a more bespoke service with no extra cost involved. I also think meeting your customers helps to build a much stronger bond.
“Overall this is something which I feel will become more popular in the years ahead,” said Redgrave.
The view from across the pond suggests she may be right. US travel guru Tom Ogg has published a number of books for travel professionals and hosts an international travel website for travel agents
Ogg said: “Agents have offered in-home presentations for years using notebook computers and technology to bring the travel agency into the clients’ homes.
“The use of technology has empowered agents to communicate with their client base through the use of social media, blogs, e-media and telecommunication to improve the relationships and convey specialized and targeted information.”
But just how viable is launching such a bespoke service in the middle of a recession? “There’s never a bad time to go with a good idea. The recession doesn’t mean people stop spending but they will think hard about what they spend their money on,” said Jones.
“At Home with Kuoni provides the opportunity for customers to ensure that they have great advice… as well as a great evening with friends.
“Of course there are some costs involved in offering this service but we build great relationships with our customers and more importantly help them to choose the holiday that’s exactly right for them. If this means they come back to us again then any investment is well spent.”
Case study
Future Travel Personal Travel Advisor Kristina Miles launched her own at home service six weeks ago. Here she talks about the pros and cons.
Pros
- Some high-spend customers may prefer the privacy of talking to someone away from a busy high street where other people can overhear what they are booking and spending, this can make some people feel uncomfortable.
- Customers get to deal with the same person who they feel is genuinely interested in their holiday, and has the knowledge and experience to successfully put together any complex or unusual itineraries.
- I am concentrating on forward bookings of luxury, tailormade itineraries, honeymoons and cruises – special trips where people want to feel they are being taken care of by a knowledgeable and friendly contact. To do this I believe I have to offer more personal service and attention.
Cons
- You could feel as though you are on call to customers.
- Time wasters could be a problem. To deter time them I am considering a £10 fee to do personal appointments, which will be deducted from the balance when a booking is made.
- You may get fewer bookings (though hopefully they will be of higher value).
Personal safety tips
Here we offer some top tips from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which works to raise awareness of the importance of personal safety wherever people may be at risk – in the home, at work, in public and in schools and colleges, on public transport and when travelling at home or abroad.
Suzy Lamplugh Trust, Campaigns & Communications Officer Jo Walker said:
“While the risk is extremely small, anybody entering a stranger’s home could potentially face an aggressive or violent incident.
If travel agencies are planning to send staff to visit people in their homes, they need to ensure that proper safety measures are put in place in order to protect their staff and that their staff know what to do in a difficult situation.”
Top Tips
Make sure your office keeps a record of all appointments. They should know where their staff are at all times.
When you arrive at your appointments, it would be a good idea ‘clock in’ with the office – in front of the client – by making a call saying eg. “I’ve just arrived at such and such an address and I’m with Mr X now. I should be finished in 20 minutes and will call you then.”
This lets the employer know you have reached the appointment safely and when you should be checking back in. They can then contact you if you do not call back when expected to see if there is a problem. It also lets the client know that other people are aware that you are with them and when you should be leaving the property.
Stay alert. Take note of your surroundings and the people present, and look out for changes of mood, movements or expressions.
Trust your intuition. If you feel scared or uneasy, don’t ignore the warning but act on it and leave immediately – have an excuse ready e.g. that you need to get a form from the car.
If someone does become aggressive stay calm, speak gently, slowly and clearly and refuse to be enticed into an argument. Avoid an aggressive stance. Crossed arms, Hands on hips, a wagging or pointing finger will only aggravate the situation.
Keep your distance and never turn your back or put a hand on someone who is behaving aggressively.
Consider training in personal safety – which could include learning about diffusion techniques and exit strategies, as well as body language and danger warning signals.
Consider carrying a personal safety alarm and know how to use it to shock and disorientate an attacker to give you time to get away.