Just Picture It Now

There is no question that there has been a lot of fighting, (like cats and dogs?) and finger pointing going on the last month and a half in our industry. I want us as a individuals in YTB to take some time this weekend to point inward for a change. We as RTA's are the face of YTB, and I want you to take some time to seriously think about what you are doing in regards to helping or hurting the image of a company I know we all love.

I'm sure it's no secret at this point that many of our Professionals feel that we embarrass them. We are unprofessional, we are untrained, we are uncertified, we are unqualified to enter into an industry they have loved and respected for years. I've stated many times here that they are sadly mistaken if they want to lump me personally into any of these stereotypes when it concerns our business model and company. I am not only very competent, but confident in what I do.

It's been commented to me from several sources that I'm actually spoken of in high regard from some of our Professionals. Many of our Professionals do understand that I am not the typical "Yahoo", and for that I am truly thankful. That doesn't change the fact that I happen to be the exception, not the rule when it comes to YTB and the overall perception of our company.

I got to ask...why?

It's my belief that part of the respect I've managed to gain from the Professional side of this industry is because I am one of a growing number who not only acknowledges, but calls attention to some of the problems and issues are regarding some of our RTA's who are the main cause of our problems. I'm starting to see more of us actually acknowledging what's going on and for that I am also thankful. We can't just stick out heads in the sand and hope it all just goes away. We need to call a spade a spade, and we need to let others know that some RTA's are certainly not helping our cause or our case.

There always seems to be a jerk, a fool, a person who lacks professionalism, and lacks just plain good manners and common sense. All of which gives a bad name and taste and a target for any business out there. i.e. the expression "One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel."

I've been to dozens of Trainings and Seminars in my years with YTB. I've also been with Team Members at these functions, and have never personally seen any of what's being told to me, but with so much of this being expressed, I can only assume that it is going on. In addition with some of the garbage I've seen on the internet, if it's going on in here, it's certainly going on out there.

Here are some of the things I'm hearing and want all of us need to be aware of:

It is not appropriate to attempt to recruit at Travel Seminars where other Brick and Mortar stores paid for themselves and their employees a lot of money receive the trainings. Nor is it appropriate to attempt to recruit while walking the floor at Travel Shows or Vendor Fairs where vendors have paid a lot of money for booths in order to inform Brick & Mortar stores and other internet stores and others in the travel business about what's new in their business.

Nor is it appropriate to go walking around like fools as a group wearing green tee shirts with sayings like "ask me how you can get your travel for 50% off."

Or crashing parties of other travel agencies.

Or running around ships spouting off to the travelers that you are with YTB and you can show them how they can travel at 50% off when they paid full fare.

Or slipping hand made flyers under all the doors of the ship's passengers that say about the same thing.

Is it any wonder that we look unprofessional? (Actually, I think the word "turkey" would be appropriate this weekend.) It's unfathomable to me that anyone would even consider doing any of this, but I also have something called integrity and ethics that simply won't allow me to even consider something so rude or down right stupid.

"If it aint right, don't do it.
If it anit true don't say it." ~ Coach

While it's my understanding that action is being taken with an RTA or REP from a Corporate standpoint. We have made agreements with vendors who we want to do business with to behave in a professional manor. An RTA might stand the possibility of losing their YTB business. We also need YOU as a YTB professional to take a stand with anyone you may see doing this out in the field. If I personally ever see anyone defacing that good name of YTB like this, you will certainly know before it's all said and done that not only is this inappropriate, but will not be tolerated.

Period.

YTB has a name, a great name, to protect as do all of us as RTAs. We are a company to be proud of. Help us to keep that way. Before you act, ask yourself, "If this was my company, my show, my business, how would I want someone else to act at it and what would I want them to say or better yet not say at my function?"

It's like owning a store and having stranger come up to your long standing customers and say, "Don't buy this here. You should go to a store I know where you can get the same thing for 50% off." How would you feel as that owner? I've seen some other Travel MLM's try to recruit me and others in YTB using these lame tactics and I got to tell you, not only am I not going to join an organization like that, I too want to expose them for what their doing as well.

Got it?

Good.

I want you to not only be thankful this weekend that YTB has a "Travel University" (E-Campus), I want you to read about it and take this training this weekend. It's in your travel portal, it's up and running. It's an awesome program and it's specifically designed for us by one of the most respected names in the industry, Dr. Marc Mancini.

I want you to not only be thankful for vendors this weekend but review the tons of vendors who have put their training up in our back office in order to help us to do great things with them as well. Pages and pages of information direct from the vendors themselves. These companies know that we have over 135,000 agents and growing rapidly every day, who are bringing them lots and lots of business and they want to do what ever it takes to help us bring that business their way.

I want you to also be thankful for the Travel Professionals in our industry. There is so much we can learn from them to help build a profitable Travel Business. They have years of knowledge and experience that is absolutely priceless.

YTB is a force to be reckoned with and we are only getting better. We can and will be as well trained as every other travel agent, if not better. We can and will be the best trained, most professional Agents in the industry. It is up to us, and if we want to be #1 we need to learn and know all we can about our business so we can take it there.

This is the best company in the best industry with the best people I've ever had the honor of working with and I feel blessed and Thankful everyday that I am a part of YTB.

PS - Eating a little Turkey and watching a Football game in your spare time this weekend is also acceptable.

Gobble Gobble!

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Doug & Ronda Bauknight
AKA: TravelPro
Travel Agent / Networker
Phone: 678.458.5812

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Labels: Travel Agent Training, Travel MLM, YTB E-Campus, YTB Travel

Posted by TravelPro on Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 10:13 AM | Permalink