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Message from GMS: Rich Rewards in Europe |
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Service Fees Increased, Reports ASTA Survey |
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What the Pros Love About the Portal! |
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Key Destination City: Barcelona |
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Portal Training: How to Enable TRAMS |
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Value is What Matters |
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Einstein on Customer Service: E2=MC2 |
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by Patti Free, Vice President of Global Membership Services Keep in mind, there is more to consider than just comparing rates. Many individual properties offer the added value of breakfast included, a welcome cocktail, or so on for your clients. In European cities, daily breakfast is a nice convenience and a good savings. Plus, consider that your travelers are hoping to discover local ambience in their European vacation, which a family-owned hotel can deliver. One tip to share for your overseas hotel selection is that a four-star rating in the European market is often equivalent to a three-star rating by U.S. standards. Look over the amenities and the rates closely to ensure your clients’ satisfaction. Presenting your clients with the option of a unique unbranded hotel rather than a larger chain offering, you’ll very likely find that is exactly the type of special recommendation they desire from a travel agent. Your clients will enjoy a rich, rewarding experience at a great rate while you also benefit from the advantage of setting your own Net Rate commission and receiving your commission within two weeks. Read on for details of month’s best Net Rates in European cities, plus more sales and booking tips. |
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Of the 94.3 percent of responding agencies that charge a service fee, the vast majority charge a service fee for booking air travel. In addition, most report that they are likely to charge fees for rail travel, trip planning, and car rental of the non-air travel segments. Trip planning, on average, has the largest service fee of all non-air travel segments. Almost one-quarter of respondents increased service fees for air travel bookings in 2006 primarily due to the "increased costs" or "combination increased costs and reduced GDS incentives." A majority of the agencies that charge a consultation fee do not refund the initial consultation fee even if the trip is successfully booked. There was a wide range of responses from participants when asked to report the total annual revenue the agency derived from service fees. ASTA's annual service fee survey was conducted by the organization's Research Family to better understand changes in service fees. The report includes data on: average service fees by travel type, agency business mix, agent compensation methods, service fee policies, service fee collections and service fee revenue. ASTA President and CEO, Cheryl Hudak, CTC, noted, "The survey shows that in 2007 tour package and cruise bookings will represent a larger share of agents' business than total air bookings." |
According to an annual service fee survey conducted by ASTA, agencies have expanded their service fees over time in terms of the amounts charged and the number of services for which they charge professional fees. Another interesting discovery is that smaller agencies now benefit from a "consulting" business model for leisure travel that many larger, business-oriented agencies have used for decades. 
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The Internet is the best tool agents have, and the CCRA Booking Portal now enables travel professionals to sort through a myriad of hotel content and bring the client just what they want. For fast, comprehensive research, the all-in-one CCRA Booking Portal makes agents more efficient every day. Joanie Ogg, CTC, MCC |
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With CCRA's booking portal, I can pull up four different types of rates for a particular property and select between the Internet discount, promotional GDS rate, CCRA preferred rate, or the Net Rate. That's a timesaver. I also like to search for hotels by a certain amenity, a great feature. Sherrie Funk |
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Your net rates have worked very well for my Agency! I have been able to build some very nice packages by using your low Net Rates, generating some nice profits for my company while keeping my customers happy with some fantastic deals. I find your list of properties to include something for almost everybody and the portal is a breeze to use! Thanks for all the help. John Cox |
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The hotel choices are numerous, and the site is very user-friendly, especially for a first-timer like me. I really like the calculator option wherein you can set a dollar or percentage value for your commission. |
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Condes de Barcelona (4 star) The hotel's Catalan restaurant, Thalassa, has blue walls and seascape murals. The relaxed restaurant serves Mediterranean dishes, specializing in seafood, with quality ingredients carefully chosen by chef Antonio Martinez. Café Condal is a piano bar with forest green armchairs, stools, scented candles and panelled walls. A live pianist entertains every evening, and cocktails can be enjoyed on the roof terrace. The hotel has six meeting rooms for up to 350 people. There is complimentary wireless Internet access in public areas. A rooftop terrace is furnished with chrome tables and chairs, parasols and potted plants, and provides city views. The hotel has its own solarium and spa tub. The 183 soundproofed guestrooms have modern furnishings and oak parquet floors, with framed prints by Spanish masters on the walls. All rooms have air conditioning, high-speed Internet connections (surcharge), satellite television, minibars and safes.
A B Skipper (5 star)
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The Hotel Condes de Barcelona is located within one block of Gaudi's Casa Mila and two blocks from the Antoni Tapies Gallery. The nearest metro stations are Passeig de Gracia and Diagonal. Barcelona Airport (BCN) is 13 kilometres from the hotel. Hotel Condes de Barcelona is a six-story property housed in two former manor houses, Casa J Dauradella and Casa E Batllo. They were renovated in 1997 to enhance their original 'moderniste' architecture, including a fairytale-like stone staircase with intricate arches and columns. The modern reception is furnished with contemporary sofas in neutral tones, corridors are panelled in fine sycamore and public areas have marble floors. 
Opened in 2006, this hotel is spread over 8 floors, with 235 rooms in the categories of executive, deluxe, privilege, junior suite and also 6 suites. This air-conditioned building comprises a 24-hour reception, hotel safe, cloakroom, lift and a café. There is also the Bar Blend, an à la carte restaurant Syrah and the buffet restaurant Malbec. In addition, the hotel offers 10 conference rooms and public Internet access. Room service and laundry services as well as babysitting services round off the facilities. 
Agents can now get connected to CCRAtravel.com through TRAMS ClientBase. Travel agencies using TRAMS ClientBase software can manage their CCRAtravel.com bookings more easily than ever. All of your portal booking data will be integrated directly with your TRAMS ClientBase system. * Saved client profile data, including credit card information, is passed directly to CCRAtravel.com
1. An agency administrator can update your CCRA Booking Portal agency profile. Click on Account Information, and Click YES to “Enable TRAMS” |
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by Diane Helbig Henry Ford said, "Wealth, like happiness, is never attained when sought after directly. It comes as a by-product of providing a useful service." In other words, when you focus on providing value, people respond.
Where do you think the phrase, 'buyer's remorse' came from? It came from people who were pressured into buying something they really didn't want or need. No wonder small business owners feel trepidation! Well, fear not. The key is in your focus. When you focus on adding value, on providing a useful service, people will perceive you as someone who cares. Wouldn't you rather do business with someone who was focused on making your life or business better? So, how to make that happen. Consider this: 1. You started your business because you thought you had a product or service that would benefit other people, or other businesses. 2. You need to get that message out. 3. You have to find those people/businesses who can benefit from your product/service. 4. You don't like dealing with pushy, aggressive salespeople, so you don't want to be that kind of salesperson. Now that we've laid the foundation, there are three simple principles to follow: 1. Put yourself in front of people. This includes the people in your circles of influence. Your first circle includes: friends, family, parents of your children's schoolmates and teammates, and fellow church/synagogue members. Your next circle includes: people you grew up with, went to college with, lived near if you've moved during your adult years, previous clients, and old co-workers. As you can see, this circle is removed a bit. That's okay. Remember, even if they can't use your product or service, they may know someone who can. Create circles: attend local networking events, join a business referral group, join local associations relevant to your business, join some sort of social action group like Kiwanis or Rotary, join internet communities. 2. Show genuine interest in people. In the circles you've created, set your goals on learning as much as you can about as many people as you can. When you are interested in others, they'll be interested in you. If you can help them solve a problem, do it; even if it means pointing them toward someone else's product or service. You'll be seen as someone who adds value. 3. Educate - don't sell. Assume that the person you are talking to doesn't have a need for what you have to offer. They simply want to get to know you better. When people ask you about your business, explain it, don't try to sell them on your product or service. Emphasize the benefits, not the features - what is the VALUE of your product/service. Speak about your business with the passion you truly feel for it. Passion is contagious! If you follow these three principles, your focus will be on adding value. This will resonate with people. Even if they have no need for your product or service, chances are they know someone who does. You'll find business you weren't even expecting! Copyright© 2007 Seize This Day Coaching About the Author
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Many new, small business owners wear many hats. While they understand their product or service completely, they struggle with the sales process. It seems they may have preconceived ideas of salespeople. You know the ones - they're dressed to the nines, have nice (probably large) jewelry, are aggressive, pushy, and loud. They're intimidating, almost larger than life. .jpg)
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by Craig Harrison
You don't have to be Einstein to realize that, relatively speaking, you must manage your customer expectations for optimal success. |
www.ccrainternational.com | www.ccratravel.com | www.reservationcenter.net
Suite 100, Agoura Hills California 91301 |
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