I have often wondered about the level of support offered by HQ to the "agents" in an MLM environment. I know that with the large franchises and host agencies, the support departments are fantastic. But what is it like with MLM? Any different?
I was able to locate a former traditional travel agent who had joined YTB. I think the joining was more about seeing the program from a different point of view. When I asked about the support, here is the response I received:
There is no support at YTB or for that matter anyone who truly knows this business. I have called just to make inquiries about groups and other questions and most times the answers are incorrect, they have to get back to you, or one person told me to just focus on getting people to my website and getting new people to sign up. I have not found anyone there with any travel background at all. The people in my group are no help whatsoever. They know nothing about travel and most cold care less, they are pursuing the big money MLM part. One is a travel agent that worked for AX for 25 years. She is the defacto travel group in our group. Not sure how she managed to stay for so long, as she is not very knowledgeable about travel. She says she makes more money now than she did at AX. Find that hard to believe at a 60% split and she has very few downline. Asked her why not just go with a real host agency and she said the opportunity was better through YTB. It has been interesting to say the least. A very unique culture.
I cannot say I am surprised. YTB has (depending on who tells you) between 175 and 300 employees at the home office. Certainly to adequately support 140,000 people certainly there ought to be more than a few hundred. And again to go back to the cruise sale, the level of experience at HQ is questionable.
So what happens when a customer has an issue that is unable to be answered by the RTA? What level of service is provided? Is it the same with Coastal, Traverus, GTI?
This is not at all suprising, as YTB is not a travel agency. They want all the benefits but none of the work.
ReplyDeleteNOT TRUE. I get help when I call,and they do have certain departments. Also as a Director or if you are in Coach's Corner you have a totally different person to call.
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeletewrong again!!!
First off, no one at YTB HQ would tell someone just to "get people to the site or have them sign up"
I am sure it is possible that that person that you spoke to was referring to someone in their upline who was suggesting that to that person you spoke to.
Also, the staff at HQ is now in excess of 400. I have been there.
It has been suggested to you to go to a red carpet day ...you will see.
No one at YTB is trying to hide anything you have been invited many times right here on your own damn blog.
Also, after being proven wrong about your insurance post, now you blog for today is based on what ONE disgruntled, disingenuous person said???
Way to share the facts, dude.
Who said the person was disgruntled? Just because he doesn't work there anymore? Come on. I've left a few jobs that doesnt make me disgruntled against them. Why is it everytime a RTA or former RTA has something negative to say about YTB, they must have spoken to the "wrong person" or went to the "wrong meeting" or dealt with the one "rogue agent" out there? The sad fact maybe is that most RTA's do not know anything about travel, so when you call the HQ for help and they give you an answer you take it for fact..when in fact its probably the wrong answer. The person above was A TRAVEL AGENT before joining YTB and knows the rules..and was getting the wrong answers. Again, does this not concern anyone?
ReplyDeleteJohn said, "I was able to locate a former traditional travel agent who had joined YTB."
ReplyDeleteTurns out John didn't have to look too far. It's one of his buddies over at the Travel Weekly forum. This guy goes by the moniker of Maynard999. He is a run of the mill, disgruntled blow-hard poster-boy for the TTA's loosing their sanity over YTB. What would you expect from someone like this?
Here's what Maynard999 had to say at the TW forum.
"I have been working with a reporter at the OC Register on this and he hopes to have a piece out on it this Spring."
Notice the response given by ytb travelingman
"Maynard, I am not surprised YTB booted you. By your own admission, you only joined to be a mole. How dare you say you are considering a lawsuit against them because they don't have a policy on booting moles?"
Regarding Maynard's claim that, "one person (YTB HQ) told me to just focus on getting people to my website and getting new people to sign up." As someone else here mentioned, the support reps at HQ would not say or encourage that. More bogus BS.
So, another feeble attempt by J.F. trying to convince the gullible, half-brained sheep (followers), by using the words of a former YTB "mole" who falsely claims that support for RTA's doesn't exist at HQ.
Crackerjack reporting? I'd say it's more like crackpot reporting.
olescorekeeper
Hi it's me again. I'm starting to get a little nervious. OMG, YTB stock just hit $1.05!!!! and my meds are not kicking in. And to think I predicted a crash comming this week. What should I do? Is there still hope?
ReplyDeleteGO YTB! GO YTB! GO YTB!
ReplyDeleteLast Trade: 1.07
Trade Time: 1:07PM ET
Change: 0.06 (5.94%
NOW HEAR THIS!
ReplyDelete1.08
Ole, how the heck do you know what anyone at YTB HQ tells another person? Does HQ report to you?
ReplyDeleteYou are as bad as Fake/Real Sue Walsh! It's losing, not loosing. You are the one losing your sanity over YTB.
When YTB stops using travel as a carrot for website sales this blog will go away. Do your part to legitimize!! Sell travel, not websites!
Maybe Olescorekeeper is Sue Walsh they spell the same word wrong the same way?
ReplyDeleteJohn, this is no secret. YTB is new, growing, and much is being learned on the fly (as they go).
ReplyDeleteJust like the Christian life.
YTB does not have the experience of CW, AmEX, and
I can believe most of the people manning the phones have under 5 years experience in the travel business and can't answer some of the travel inquiries. However, their job is to get the answers and point us in the right the direction if they don't have the answers.
YTB is a very young company, but is going to get better and better with experience.
I'm not getting excited over the stock. I bought several hundred at $3.40 last year.
ReplyDeleteOnce agan, I'm still in the hole.
olescorekeeper said: Notice the response given by ytb travelingman
ReplyDelete"Maynard, I am not surprised YTB booted you. By your own admission, you only joined to be a mole. How dare you say you are considering a lawsuit against them because they don't have a policy on booting moles?"
AND Travelingman ROD said: I don't like my sponsor. I cancelled my YTB RTA and REPs accounts Monday of this week.
In the words of Tom Coleman and Ole Scorekeeper, LOL...too funny!
Eddie said...
ReplyDelete"Ole, how the heck do you know what anyone at YTB HQ tells another person? Does HQ report to you?"
No Eddie, but I have visited HQ and talked with the reps. It's highly unlikely they would say what Maynard claimed. Remember Eddie, this guy didn't join YTB to build a business. We can see from his post that he was an admitted "mole". I would not believe him even if his tongue came notarized.
"You are as bad as Fake/Real Sue Walsh! It's losing, not loosing."
Ah common Eddie, you know the Ole Scorekeeper is only correct 98% of the time. I need a brake now and then. :>)
"You are the one losing your sanity over YTB."
Thanks for letting me know. I've heard is OK as long as you don't go nuts. lol!
"When YTB stops using travel as a carrot for website sales this blog will go away."
Gee Eddie, maybe you should check with John about that.
"Do your part to legitimize!! Sell travel, not websites!"
YTB is about choices. Kind of a freedom thing Eddie.
Choose one of the following below:
1 - Sell travel
2 - Sell travel sites
3 - Sell travel and travel sites
Everyone has freedom of choice when partnering with YTB. Of course Eddie, you TTA's only like the, one mold fits all, traditional way of doing business. To bad, so sad.
olescorekeeper
Traveling? Why pay a travel agent $30 to $100 more in fees for that airline ticket when you can go on-line and book it yourself and help fight cancer too! Click on this link...
National Foundation for Cancer Research
I don't care how many times you have visited HQ. You have no way of knowing what one person said to another. I can believe what John wrote as told to him is true. I also believe that anyone and everyone at YTB will say whatever they can to sell more websites. Look at your pal Doug.
ReplyDeleteChoices? You choose to work a system where you KNOW the failure rate is high, but as long as you benefit it's all good. That's the real mantra of YTB as taught by he who benefits most of all.
Third quarter YTB reported to SEC that it had fewer that 180 employees..... so they've more than doubled that?
ReplyDeleteOle is not Sue Walsh - notice that Sue has totally disappeared - I do believe she is the "paraeducator" in Maryland. A liar from the second she appeared. I think she got scared at being outed.
The person quoted is a FORMER TTA and a CURRENT YTB RTA. They are still involved in it. They are seeing it from both sides.
ReplyDeleteNice speculation Olescorekeeper---incorrect but a good guess.
ANd folks, I did not "report" on this. There was no "journalism" here. I said I have wondered about the support. I asked someone in YTB about it and I got an answer and I said it did not surprise me. Even the title is a question--does MLM support their agents?
If it was reporting, it woudl hav said "YTB OFFERS NO SUPPORT OF 140,000 AGENTS"
See the difference guys?
Eddie, do you realize how ridiculous you sound?
ReplyDeleteYou said, "You have no way of knowing what one person said to another.
...and then you stated..
"I can believe what John wrote as told to him is true."
So I'm WRONG for what I believe and your RIGHT for what you believe and you know for a fact what was told to John is "true". I'm ROTFLMAO! Eddie, even the Beaver would never say that..and your much smarter then him.
And just as ridiculous as your statement above is...
"I also believe that anyone and everyone at YTB will say whatever they can to sell more websites. Look at your pal Doug.
Eddie, only a pinhead would make such a statement.
You choose to work a system where you KNOW the failure rate is high, but as long as you benefit it's all good.
You just described the US economic system. Take a look at this.
Assume there are 100 people who have $100 to split up. No one expects it to be divided perfectly evenly at $1 apiece, but everyone involved expects that some basic fairness will be used in the process that will split up the money.
Now let's say the $100 winds up being divided as follows:
1 person gets
$38.10
4 people get
$5.32 each
5 people get
$2.30 each
10 people get
$1.25 each
20 people get
.60 each
20 people get
.23 each
40 people get
1/2 cent each
The 40 people getting 1/2 cent each might be a bit annoyed at the person getting $38.10. The 20 people getting 23 cents each would probably not be happy with the 4 people receiving $5.32 each. And so on...
This is how our economic system has distributed the wealth of our country. Just a fact Eddie. Work hard in YTB and you CAN make it to the top. Most will not even try. And yes, for those who do it...It's All Good!
olescorekeeper
Traveling? Why pay a travel agent $30 to $100 more in fees for that airline ticket when you can go on-line and book it yourself and help fight cancer too! Click on this link...
National Foundation for Cancer Research
John said..."The person quoted is a FORMER TTA and a CURRENT YTB RTA. They are still involved in it. They are seeing it from both sides.
ReplyDeleteNice speculation Olescorekeeper---incorrect but a good guess."
Are you sure about that John? Appears you've been hoodwinked my friend. The following is the TW post by one Maynard999. The wording is identical to your "former traditional travel agent who had joined YTB." Why I even noted several of your postings communicating with Maynard. Hummm. Perhaps this will refresh your memory.
Maynard999 said, "There is no support at YTB or for that matter anyone who truly knows this business. I have called just to make inquries about groups and other questions and most times the answers are incorrect, they have to get back to you, or one person told me to just focus on getting people to my website and getting new people to sign up. I have not found anyone there with any travel background at all. The people in my group are no help whatsoever. They know nothing about travel and most cold care less, they are pursuing the big money MLM part. One is a travel agent that worked for AX for 25 years. She is the defacto travel group in our group. Not sure how she managed to stay for so long, as she is not very knowledgeable about travel. She says she makes more money now than she did at AX. Find that hard to believe at a 60% split and she has very few downline. ASked her why not just go with a real host agency and she said the opportunity was better through YTB. It has been interesting to say the least. A very unique culture."
olescorekeeper
I said I BELIEVE what John said is true. You said you KNOW that no one at HQ would say what they did.
ReplyDeleteDo you see the difference, pinhead?
I am right about YTB saying whatever they can to get someone to join. I have seen the craigslists et all, listened to the website come ons and the one who came into my office wanting me to be part of her downline.
Love the 'most will not even try'. Kind of proves my point that YTB is signing up failures and they know it.
If I become a rep, at no cost of course, will I be able to be an insider and get the straight info as one YTBer to another? If I am a rep can I call HQ and ask the questions? Hmmmm.
Eddie said..."I said I BELIEVE what John said is true. You said you KNOW that no one at HQ would say what they did. Do you see the difference, pinhead?"
ReplyDeleteIf your going to quote me, please be accurate. I said, "It's highly unlikely they (HQ Reps) would say what Maynard claimed."
olescorekeeper
You so correct. I take back the pinhead remark. But I believe that it is highly likely someone would be told that. This comes from my first hand experience with YTBers.
ReplyDeleteSo can I join as a rep and get the inside info for myself? Want to sponsor me?
Nice speculation Olescorekeeper---incorrect but a good guess.
ReplyDeleteBusted by the Olescorkeeper.
I guess Ole does not want me to be his REP. Picture it Now! Rejected by YTB! How low can I go?
ReplyDelete