Why travel agents must change

THROUGHOUT this entire nightmare that has been COVID, the one thought that keeps pervading my mind is...if not now, when?

If we don’t change now, if this isn’t bad enough to make us want to change how we do business, when will we ever change? Because I can’t imagine a situation much worse than the one we’re currently facing.

Our long term viability as a profession is dependent on us having the fortitude to say it’s time for change and be willing to do so. It’s time we let go of business as usual and instead opt for business as unusual.

It’s time to stop wishing things were different and start doing things different.

It’s time to re-educate clients on our business, to show more value than we’ve ever shown but to also be willing to stand up with our heads held high and say we are professionals and we will charge you accordingly for our time, even if you don’t go ahead or cancel... even when it’s outside of your control.

There is no professional on earth who would waive their fees simply because you didn’t follow through with what they assisted you with (whether by choice or circumstance) and the fact the public expects us to waive ours isn’t their fault, it’s ours.

We haven’t taken the time to educate them or have what many find an uncomfortable or scary conversation up front, but it’s something we’re going to have to do if we want to avoid a repeat of the past few months next time the world finds itself facing a crisis.

If you aren’t willing to change, then next time a situation like this happens, don’t cry foul and don’t expect sympathy because you were given this as a wake up call and an opportunity and it’s no one’s fault but your own if you choose not to take it.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.

It’s time we let go of business as usual and instead opt for business as unusual