Agent Diary: I often ask myself, ‘how did we cope when we first started in the industry?’

Looking back at when we started as agents, it’s amazing to realise just how much we’ve learnt about the job, says The Travel Snob’s David Walker, a Not Just Travel homeworker.

How did we cope when we first started in the industry? This is a question I’ve found myself asking recently.

Like many homeworkers, I started out with zero travel agency experience, although gazillions of experiences from travelling all over the world and an intensive week long residential training course to learn the basics helped me out of the blocks. But even after nine years (which I know isn’t long in comparison to many) in the job, I still learn new things almost every day.

Clients will often ask me during a conversation, “How do you know things like that?” and my answer is usually, “I really have no idea!”

As a homeworker, you’re pretty much on your own after a week of training. While there is support at head office, those who work in it are not there to answer every single question you might have, check every proposal you send to clients or listen to every word you say to a supplier or client – you just have to get on with it. Clients will often ask me during a conversation, “How do you know things like that?” and my answer is usually, “I really have no idea!”

Jargon is far from ABC

We are all expected to pick up airport and airline codes as we go. There can’t be many people outside the industry who would guess that AY flying to ARN is Finnair flying to Stockholm – but we know it off by heart. There’s an endless list of other abbreviations we learn over time: PNR, CAA, DP, EJH, AI, AITO, WGAF, ABTA . . . and so on.

Those of us slightly longer in the tooth know that we should not be arriving in the Maldives after 3.15pm; that a late-night departure is a nightmare; and that international transit in the US means getting an Esta, collecting your bags and going back through security again for your next flight.

There can’t be many people outside the industry who would guess that AY flying to ARN is Finnair flying to Stockholm

We try to avoid travelling to Asia during Chinese New Year and avoid going to the Middle East during Ramadan (although it’s getting better). But at the beginning of our travel agent careers, particularly for us homeworkers, how did we not royally mess up by putting something together for our customers with the above faux pas?

Starting out

My fellow diary contributor Helen Parry wrote recently about the poor attitude shown towards junior members of staff from suppliers. She’s right in saying we do all have to start somewhere. But, suppliers, please also have a heart and show some respect to us homeworkers, as we are flying solo most of the time.

To be fair, it can work the other way. When calling suppliers, I have often been met with newbies at the other end who don’t seem to grasp what it is I’m asking for. After going into specific detail about what I want and being presented with something completely different, I have to spend time explaining that I need an alternative. I can do this because I have experience, but what happens when newbie meets newbie?

Suppliers, please also have a heart and show some respect to us homeworkers, as we are flying solo most of the time

It’s incredible what we learn over the years. It’s this knowledge that turns us into the travel agents we are, and the reason we have clients who keep coming back to us.

On a separate note, I’m thrilled to be a finalist for Leisure Agent of the Year at this year’s AAAs on July 13, just nine years on from starting without any travel agency experience. It’s fair to say I have I learnt a lot in that time, but I know I have plenty more to learn.

Fam trips are a privilege

In my latest article, I mentioned I was off on an amazing Pure Luxury fam trip to Malaysia and Singapore. Ben Bouldin from Royal Caribbean, who recently said it’s vital that suppliers see a return from agents going on these educationals, will be pleased to hear I sold the exact trip I’d been on when I got back: a stay at One&Only Desaru Coast followed by four nights at Raffles in a two-bed suite at a lovely cost of £67,900. This shows just how valuable fam trips can be, and also how privileged we are considering we do it all for free (including business-class travel – thank you, Qatar Airways). I’m off with Virgin Voyages this weekend, so watch this space.