Instructions

1. You do not need to go to a specialized travel school. Many travel companies will train you. American Express has a program called TEP
   Travel Education Program and they will train you to be a corporate travel agency. You get paid for training and get benefits from day one.
2. What are they looking for? Clear, pleasant speaking voice. Does your smile shine through? Are you easy to understand?
3. Basic keyboard skills – typing of about 30 wpm would help you
4. Use the STAR technique – that is how Amex interviews. If you know how to respond to their questions you are one step ahead of the game.
5. Learn airport and city codes. They will teach them to you but knowing them in advance will help you with your interview and with the training
6. Check all the employment websites – Indeed.com is a good one. Go directly to the travel companies websites and fill out applications even if there is not a current opening.
7. Network – join plaxo and linkdin and find out if any of your friends and family know anyone they can introduce you to.

Instructions

1. Make a list of the cities in which your firm typically does business. Determine which airlines go to all needed destinations. Contact each chosen airline, and ask a representative about a corporate contract. Using your firm’s previous travel budget, estimate how many trips your company makes per year. Tell the sales representative how much money your company spends on travel. Let him know the number of estimated trips for the coming year. Ask what the airline can do for you if you fly solely on their carrier. The airlines can offer a couple of savings options. Contact several airlines and compare. Do the math, and decide which option would give you the greatest discount. Get your deal in writing.

   

2. Repeat the negotiation process with car and hotel vendors. Keep at least two each of car and hotel vendors, however. You never know when these things can get over-booked.

   

3. Write it up. Assign a staffer or your corporate travel agent to write up all the details of your new travel policies and procedures. Make sure all employees know they are expected to honor your negotiated deals. Make it a company policy that trips are booked only from your preferred suppliers. Find a way to enforce this by checking on trips, and have a system of approval in place. You don’t want to overwhelm your employees by being too strict, but explain the reason why this should all be followed for the benefit of all.
4. Keep track.Ask the various travel vendors to supply you with a quarterly report to track usage. Have your accounting department to starts a database logging all travel related expenditures. Meet with any employees who are not following the policy, and stress the importance of the cost savings. Your firm stands to save thousands of dollars per year by adhering to a negotiated travel policy.

   

5. Make use of a travel agent. If you do not have a travel agent on-site, seek out an agency that specializes in corporate travel. Alert your agent of your preferred carriers and contracts. Your travel agent can then help all your employees when they book corporate travel. This will be appreciate by your employees since it takes a load of work off of their backs, and it will give you peace of mind in knowing that your corporate travel policy is being enforced.

   

Start-up Costs to Consider

• You can either start a travel agency as a home-based business or choose to establish an office in a building or shopping center. Where you choose to open your travel agency office will have an effect on how much money you need to start the business. In order to keep costs to a minimum, a home-based travel agency only requires you to have a phone and a computer in order to start booking travel and making money. If you choose to establish an office, you’ll have additional costs such as rent, furniture and electricity.

  For example, if you choose to rent a small retail spot, it can cost you a couple thousand dollars in rent, and then there are the added costs of furnishing the office–hundreds if not thousands of additional dollars. With a home office, you can use what you have as far as furniture and a computer is concerned, so your cost for a phone line and Internet access will run you far less than renting an office.

Responsibilties

• Travel agency owners do more than book airline tickets, hotel rooms and cruises. Additional services that travel agencies provide include helping travelers obtain travel visas and passports, arranging transportation from the airport to the hotel, conducting research for group and company retreats, business meetings, conferences and trade shows. Some travel agencies even partake in event planning services for special events such as weddings and corporate events and provide total travel budget management for companies to keep their costs to a minimum.

Clients

• There are two main target markets for a travel agency. One market is consumers that travel, which can be virtually any individual. Since travel agents can work with anyone in the world to book travel, it’s not necessary to limit your sights on your local market. With access to the Internet, your services can be helpful across the globe.

  The second main market that travel agencies provide services to is the business or corporate market. Larger companies can be lucrative because they tend to have more travel needs. This, however, does not eliminate the need for your services in small companies that may not have the staff necessary to handle booking business travel and accommodations.

Independent Contractors

• Other travel agents start out with an already established agency to learn the ropes and build a book of clients. Once they get the hang of the business and have a decent amount of repeat customers, they can then branch out on their own and open their own travel agency.

Earning Potential

• Travel agent commissions are derived from two sources. One source is from the fees charged to clients that are booking travel. The larger the volume of business, the better your commission, and by focusing on higher-end products, you can also increase your income potential. Most travel agents earn anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of the net cost of the services sold. Cruise businesses pay anywhere from 18 to 20 percent to travel agents for bookings.

  The average earnings for a travel agent really runs the full spectrum. Since it is a job based on performance, you really have control over the amount of money you can earn, but agents report earnings anywhere from $17,180 to more than $44,090 per year. This doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t agents earning six figures. “Travel Weekly” magazine reported that home-based travel agents earn more than $100,000 a year.

Travel Agent

• A travel agent helps you to plan your trip from start to finish. The agent listens to your ideas about what you would like your trip to be like and how much money you would like to spend. He then presents you with some ideas. When you make up your mind as to where you would like to go, a travel agent can help you plan the airline tickets, car rentals, hotels and anything else you may need. A travel agent does not have to go to college and may instead be trained in the office or in courses at a trade school.

Corporate Travel Consultant

• A corporate travel consultant works in a travel agency and deals with the needs of medium to large companies. This may include booking the business travel for employees, planning travel for company meetings and conventions, or both. A corporate travel consultant is more knowledgeable of meeting spaces and banquet halls, as well as locations that are suitable both for business events. It is the job of the corporate travel consultant to book the travel and find ways to keep attendees entertained between meetings by planning things such as golf outings or sightseeing expeditions.

Office Manager

• Every office needs a manager and a travel agency is no different. An office manager is responsible for taking care of what is necessary to keep the business running on the inside. This may include hiring and firing; purchasing supplies and equipment; and even making sure there are enough brochures in the office. The office manager at a travel agency is usually knowledgeable when it comes to the travel industry and is sometimes used to help out travel agents and corporate travel consultants. He may also be involved in payroll or collecting money from clients.

Considerations

• The variety of jobs in a travel agency will really depend on the size of the company. In a large travel agency, there may also be a person who handles social media such as Twitter and Facebook. You might have someone who handles all the computer programs and software or an employee in charge of accounting. On the other hand, a small agency may consist of an owner who operates as a travel agent and uses independent contractors for additional agents, marketing personnel and booking.

Business Travel

• Business travel extends the job duties beyond the normal workload and commute. The business pays the tab or reimburses the employee. Business travel agencies help by selling a complete travel package that would account for accommodations on the trip, transportation to get to business meetings, group packages and vacation incentives for employees. While on a business trip, you are expected to conduct yourself as if you were in the office. On trips, you represent the company.

Commissions

• Operating on behalf of airlines, hotel and rental car companies, commercial travel agencies sell packages as a third-party provider. For every booking, the airline or hotel will pay the agency a commission percentage. Commissions can range from 10 percent to 15 percent, depending on the agreement with the service providers.

Certification

• Business travel agencies must be certified, receive formal approval from legislating agencies and prove financial stability. For example, before agencies can work with airlines they must be approved by the International Airline Travel Agency Network. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports in the Occupational Outlook Handbook that at least one of the managers must have experience and certification as a Certified Corporate Travel Executive, which can be obtained through the the National Business Travel Association.

Incentive Travel

• Business travel isn’t always used for meeting clients. It is also used as a method to reward employees for going the extra mile. Corporations hire commercial travel agents to create travel gift programs. In the book “The Tourism System,” Robert Christie Mill states, “Corporations pay for the incentive travel service either through a mark-up on the incentive package or on a fixed-fee basis.”

From the Corporation’s Perspective

• Travel agents have working relationships with travel service providers that can translate into financial savings. Businesses save time by leaving the calling, negotiating and coordinating to an agent. Agents have the knowledge about the destination, when the business traveler often doesn’t. One disadvantage is that some agents work under exclusivity contracts and don’t shop around for better deals.

Stress and Changes

• Corporate travel managers typically work in a corporation’s headquarters. They spend the majority of their day working at a computer and on the telephone making any necessary travel arrangements. They can often work under stress, especially in a large corporation with many travelers, or in situations where travel plans suddenly change or a trip must be planned at the last minute. Any type of industry might employ a corporate travel manager.

It’s a Negotiator’s World

• Corporate travel managers should possess strong negotiating skills since a large part of their job includes obtaining the best possible rates for travel and accommodations. This involves building relationships with vendors who will offer discounts for repeated use of their services. They also need to be able to work well with all departments within the company. Globalization of the economy requires knowledge of other countries’ customs, monetary system and other issues.

Get That Sheepskin

• Most corporate travel managers will need at least a bachelor’s degree, preferably in a business related field. In some situations, an MBA will be required. It is also helpful to have previous travel industry experience, such as working in a travel agency. Certifications from organizations such as the Institute of Certified Travel Agents can also help the travel manager attain career advancement.

It’s A Living

• According to Indeed.com, the average corporate travel manager earned $66,000 per year in 2014. Salaries could vary according to organization, experience and location.

Globalization Means Travel

• With the continued expansion of a global economy, the demand for the corporate travel manager positions is expected to increase in the coming years. As such, travel managers will need to have a growing awareness of travel procedures, regulations and cultural differences in an increasing number of foreign countries, especially in companies that conduct a large amount of business overseas. Economic downturns increase the need to spend wisely for corporate travel, and the travel manager plays a key role in this area.

Corporate integration

• Travel management companies often partner with a company’s finance or administrative department to provide in-house services covering all aspects of the company’s business travel including the development of corporate policy and its implementation. Services can also include expense auditing, identifying tax issues, route planning and logistics. In addition, they can advise executives on updates and changes affecting the travel industry.

Strategic Partnerships

• Through strategic partnerships with preferred vendors and the use of state of the art software and technology, travel managers manage vendor negotiations for the purpose of identifying discounts and acquiring the best rates on travel, including hotel packages, meals, taxis and car services for business travelers.

Global Connections

• Travel management companies often have branch offices in other countries or partner with other international companies to provide important information for international business travelers. This information can include passport requirements, cultural customs, language translation, currency exchange, international laws, and traveler safety warnings.

All Inclusive Services

• As a functioning department within a corporation, a travel management company maintains travel profiles and coordinates information on conferences, itineraries, travel authorizations, and allowable business expenses and can deliver data directly to employees using Web-based portals and integrating with popular software like Microsoft Outlook and Excel. The company can also manage business expense processes and forms upon the employees’ return.

Financial Planning and Management

• In addition to providing travel services, a corporate travel management company provides comprehensive data and ongoing reporting on business travel expenses to assist companies with reviewing and budgeting corporate travel costs. They also advise executives on best practices and help to develop future initiatives and travel policies.

Identification

• Travel agency accounting software is a set of programs that corporations use to record operating activities and prepare accurate reports at the end of each month and quarter. The software plays a key role in the travel industry because it enables agencies to monitor important operating data, such as travel traffic, reservations and business cycles. Tracking the cyclicality of business helps department heads understand performance trends and what seasons of the year generate higher sales.

Significance

• Accounting and financial reporting applications are important parameters to which travel agency department heads and segment chiefs pay attention when drawing up long-term financial plan. The applications help travel agents monitor clients’ expense trends, indicating customer preferences and popular destinations, based on the season. With accounting software, travel companies can prepare accurate financial reports and assess the economic soundness of their businesses. Financial reports include balance sheets, statements of profit and loss, statements of cash flows and statements of retained earnings. A statement of profit and loss, or P&L, is also referred to as a statement of income. “Balance sheet,” “statement of financial position” and “statement of financial condition” are identical terms.

Features

• Travel agency accounting programs have various features, depending on the company size and the scope of operating activities. These features include an interface between the software and travel providers (airliners and cruise operators, for example), ledger accounting options and escort agency management tools. Other program features are earnings-tracker options, multi-currency distribution channels and scheduling tools. Earnings-tracker options help agencies monitor profit levels. Multi-currency distribution tools enable travel firms to run their businesses globally.

Types

• Accounting software comes in different “shapes and sizes.” For example, a large U.S.-based travel agency catering to airline clients may possess software options integrating multi-currency channels and Department of Homeland Security compliance tools. In contrast, a small Bahamas-based cruise agency may need only a limited number of application options to run its accounting operations effectively.

Time Frame

• Travel agencies use accounting software throughout the year, but they can customize the application to suit their business needs at specific periods. For example, a travel agency that generates more revenues in the summer may customize the software to track financial trends during the months of June, July and August.

Get Relevant Training

• The first step to enter this career is to pursue a travel agent program, such as the one offered at Penn Foster Career School in Pennsylvania. The five-month program provides training in travel scheduling, hotel booking, travel accounting and marketing principles. Pursuing at least an associate degree in travel and tourism can also give you a solid foundation. You can then supplement your training with business travel courses offered by professional organizations, such as the Global Business Travel Association’s, or GBTA’s, fundamentals of business travel management course.

Learn the Skills

• You need to be a competent planner with a keen eye for detail to thrive in this profession. When dealing with a company that wants to send its top executives to a seminar in a foreign country, for example, you must make arrangements for their air travel and accommodation, taking note of client-specific preferences such as preferred seats on planes. If the company makes last-minute changes, such as adding more employees to the trip, you need customer-service skills to respond to the change with tact and professionalism. Many companies aim at minimizing corporate travel costs, so you need good research skills to, for instance, find providers with the best rates for business class air tickets and executive accommodations.

Enter the Industry

• Early in your career, you will likely start by working for an established corporate travel agency as a general travel agent. Your roles may include answering telephones, calculating travel costs and collecting payments from clients. After gaining at least three years of business travel experience, obtain the GBTA’s Global Travel Professional certification to demonstrate your competence and increase your ability to attract corporate clients. With this credential, you can also qualify for employment in companies that hire in-house travel consultants. Alternatively, with sufficient capital, industry know-how and strong business skills, you can establish your own corporate travel agency.

Register Your Agency

• Although in most states you normally need a general business license to operate a travel agency, in others — such as Florida, California and Washington — you need to meet additional registration requirements. In California, for example, you must obtain registration from the Attorney General’s Seller of Travel Registration Unit. Requirements for registration vary among these states, but generally include submitting your business’s physical address and contact information, and paying a registration fee and a surety bond.