Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 - (Page 35)

ADVERTISEMENT Signature Spotlight Becoming a Condé Nast Traveler Hawaii Specialist ignature travel specialist Betty Cox did not Bett begin her career in the travel industry. She e t ind spent 15 years in sales for an aircraft company, ar sal mastering the art of service, and quickly becoming the top sales person. It was lucrative, tt I r e but Betty’s heart wasn’t in it. More than 25 years ago, Betty joined a travel agency in Huntington j tingt Beach and discovered her passion…selling travel c di r and, speciﬁcally, creating vacations to Hawaii. iﬁ al in t To what do you attribute your continued success in this very tough industry? Ty Today, business is challenging, but you y ha have to stay positive and focused. I’m creating lifetime experiences and I honestly lif take an interest in each and every client. My secret weapon is ClientBase. I’m diligent about maintaining detailed notes about every client and use Res Cards to record speciﬁcs about each trip. I always have ‘history’ ha and tidbits about each client at my ﬁngertips, even when I’m working from home. People simply wish to be taken care of by someone they trust. Signature’s 2008 Hotel Program Through its extensive Hotels and Resorts program, Signature agents can offer their clients exclusive value-added privileges and special rates at ideally located hotels across the globe. Program Includes: • Over 500 hotels and resorts in more than 275 destinations • More than 10,000 pages of proprietary intranet content • 336-page printed directory • Complimentary amenities such as breakfast for two daily, resort and spa credits, and airport transfers S S T QCondé Nast Trravveleritsmagazine has appointed you Hawaii Specialist for the past four years. y How do you earn and maintain o y that position? I fell in love with Hawaii 30 years f Ha ago. I know every nook and cranny of each island and visit the islands two to three times each year. e Condé Nast d Traveler endorsement is evaluated every r year, and I am proud to be recognized by this publication. It means a lot to our clients to know they are dealing with a true specialist. Q A A QLet’s talk about client do you do? communications.What My rule is: there are no rules. I simply A communicate with my clients in the f form that best suits them. Some of my clients wish to strictly correspond via email, some in person, and others want a combination. All of their communication preferences are in ClientBase. Signature f provides an extraordinary array of marketing tools. e Experts2Hawaii website (produced by Signature) is on my personal website; it gives my clients extensive destination content, including suggestions f for sightseeing, the best beaches and so much more. I always add my personal comments. is is invaluable, without ha having to spend the time or money to update my own website. Signature also provides weekly land/cruise specials. I can k take any speciﬁc product and fully customize it based on my client’s personal needs. When you put everything together into an integrated approach, you get y professional results. f Betty Cox, CTIE President/Owner, nt r Travel Concepts, r ce t F Fountain Valley, CA y Car and Driver Named #1 Luxur y Cruise Amenity u WHAT do discerning cruise HA clients appreciate? e ability to do what they want, when they want…the true luxury of lu ﬂexibility. W World Cruise clients on Regent, Crystal, Silversea and Cunard share a common desire to explore remote corners of the globe while traveling in comfort a and style. To answer the T needs of their luxury lu clientele, Signature Travel Network has extended its Car and Driver amenity. Clients are able to explore their favorite cities with fa the convenience of a private car and chauﬀeur. ere is no charge to the client, and no work for the travel consultant, to a arrange the Car and Driver excursion. Agents complete an online form, Signature makes all of the arrangements, and clients receive a portfolio with all conﬁrmation details. Clients have high praise for this program and the credit always goes to their valued travel professional. a In addition to the Car and Driver amenity, Signature’s cruise program features all f leading cruise companies, with thousands of departures and all of the standard amenities: upgrades, shipboard credits, special savings, a complimentary shore excursions, prepaid gratuities, and more. For more information on Signature’s programs, visit www.signaturetravelnetwork.com or call 310.574.0883. ww a Interested? Request #011. http://www.signaturetravelnetwork.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor From the Publisher Europe: Bruges Might be One of Belgium’s Best-Kept Secrets Hawaii: Condo Resorts Provide a Plethora of Vacation Choices Pacific/Asia: Manila has Plenty to Offer Visitors of Every Taste Alaska: Icy Strait Point Offers Authentic Alaskan Adventure Pacific Northwest: Airplane Buffs and Wine Aficionados Enjoy Washington Las Vegas: Let Your Hair Down at Some of these Casual Bars Central & South America: History and Culture Beckon in Guatemala Caribbean & The Bahamas: Recent Renovations Have Made the Westin Aruba Resort a Jewel of the Island Cruises: A New Musical is Making Waves on Disney Wonder San Diego Becomes a Major Cruise Port Cover Story: Top Tips for Selling in a Down Economy Rail Travel: Sightseeing and a Gourmet Meal on the Royal Livingstone Express Hotels: There is Plenty to Do at Ski Resorts in the Summer Tours: Photos from the 33rd Annual Mountain Travel Symposium Agent: Eric Ardolino has Won the Technology War Customer Relations: Ensemble Agents use CRM tools Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Luxury Travel Expo Jamaica Will License Casinos Enormous Cruise Ships are Planned ResortQuest Hawaii Continues to Grow 2008 TMU Conference Recap In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - May 12, 2008

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