One of the keys to success in travel is relationships. It does not matter if you are physical or virtual; home based or corporate. In travel, I have found that most executives are very approachable. Look at Vicki Freed with Royal Caribbean--she will give out her cell number and a direct line to her office.
Relationships with clients are essential to survival as well. There must be a level of experience, expertise and customer service provided or the client is going to go away the next time. It is the old "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me" mantra.
However, one MLM company just does not believe in relationships it seems. We have heard stories of their upline offering no support, we have been shown the level of experience their home office support has shown by a former RTA as well as from watching them operate under pressure. Their attrition levels in their 10K Filing support this and I imagine the quarterly filing (due soon) will further support this.
I would think that they might know who is running the show of their "suppliers"...but not so much. In a March 27, 2008 announcement to over 131,000 of their agents, they quoted the "president" of Trafalgar Tours in response to the new eLearning Program.
"The agents who complete the eLearning program sell
25% more than agents who have not taken the program."
- John Severini, CTC President, Trafalgar Tours
NEWSFLASH: Severini left Trafalgar in September 2007! While this might (and probably is) an oversight, it does pose a problem. When communication comes from HQ, it is taken as gospel. I can picture it now...131,000 people running around insisting that John Severini is president of Trafalgar. Why would I expect less? They feel Dr. Seligman exists. They feel the 2 Fly Free Program is exclusive. They feel that they can earn a lot of money in this program.
Come on, if you are going to play thye game, at least get the names of the players right.
By the way, right from Trafalgar's own website, they talk about the elearning with an intro letter from Severini, referring to him as the president. Maybe, trafalgar needs to figure it out too.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.trafalgartours.com/content.asp?ID=1058
Truth is, YTB should have said, former president as should the Trafalgar website in promoting the e-learning. But, you can see the ease in making the error, when the company itself makes the same error.
ReplyDelete"Are you my Mother" Coach is my Mother and he knows everything. You people shouldn't insult my Mother.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I have to give them a pass on this, John - Severini probably did say that back in 2007 and it is most likely used by Trafalgar to this day......
ReplyDeleteCTA in MD
I usually agree with what John posts. This seems a bit nit picky. Especially if it still references Serverini as president on Trafalgar's website.
ReplyDeleteJohn -
ReplyDeleteThis will be a good test of your integrity.
Most of the entries that you make are your opinion. While I disagree with most of them, it is your blog, they are your opinions and you have a right to them.
However, the premise of this entry is wrong. The subject is Trafalgar Tours and you already know this morning that Trafalgar is using Severini on their website.
Time to take this one down and move to the next YTB subject you have in the can. Or at least add a second "Newsflash" with the new information that you have been enlightened with.
Please prove us wrong on the "spaghetti against the wall" theory that many of us in YTB feel you adhere to.
Time to do the right thing, John.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
I think it depends on WHEN YTb 'quoted' Mr Severini. If they used a quote from prior to September 2007 then I feel there is definitely a misunderstanding. If they 'quoted' Mr Severini in March 2008 then, no matter what Trafalgars website says YTB should have asked the same question of the new president and quoted him. Yeah, it's a pretty small point.
ReplyDeleteBut lots of websites have errors on them that should be caught and fixed by the companys IT people. the Hartfield atlanta airports website does not list some gate numbers that have been added over the last couple of years (my client paniced when she couldn't find the gate Delta gave her) and they readily admited to not doing updates. So, once again, you can't believe everything you see, or don't see, on a website. For a company such as YTB, whose whole being is focused on websites, I would hope for more editing and reaffirmation before posting. I would expect the same of any informational pice published by any website.
and before you get all huffy, i don't count personal opinion websites like blogs.
Do You Know Who The President Is?
ReplyDeleteNot exactly front page news from our gumshoe sleuthhound. Oh well..there's always tomorrow's unforgettable topic to look forward to. ;>)
OleScorekeeper
Just Picture It Now They Once Were Lost...But Now Are Found...
Despite the meteoric rise of online travel sales, the travel agency distribution channel represents a large and dynamic opportunity accounting for nearly $110 billion in sales, or 41 percent of all travel booked in the United States, PhoCusWright research says in a new report. The study included interviews with 1,900 agents involved with ASTA, ARC and CLIA.
ReplyDeletePhoCusWright says the study presents the first definitive sizing and analysis of the complex and dynamic agency channel. “Facing significant upheaval in their industry, many in the agency community have responded strategically, tactically and—most of all—aggressively to adapt, survive and succeed,” the report says.
Anonymous said..."Just to set the record straight, I'm not Doug, I'm not Alan, I'm not Babs, and I don't care what anyone's gender is. I'm just the wise ole Scorekeeper. ;>)"
ReplyDeleteI'm not buying it. So who are you really? Why not always sign with "OleScorekeeper" then? I'm afraid I'm also going to have to dispute the "wise" part. Sorry. Also, I will continue to press the issue until you fess up. All YTB people are supposed to be honest according to your leaders.
Just Picture it Now - I don't know who I am!
John, todays post is a complete stretch for trash. Look at this analogy as I see it.
ReplyDelete"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" Abraham Lincoln, President, United States
Hello? Do we not know he's not the president anymore as well as dead? Does this make his quote useless?
Make more friends John and you'd have less enemies.
John said, "We have heard stories of their upline offering no support". I am the guy you referred to there: 2008-03-28
ReplyDeleteA Zealot Sees The Light!
One of the vehement YTB supporters has jumped ship.
I terminated myself from my upline on 3/17/08. I have only been contacted by former sponsor once since then on 4/10/08 by e-mail as part of his total downline distribution group telling me to register for the YTB Convention in Aug 6-10 2008 and I better hurry because YTB is expecting 30,000 people to attend.
If he knows I am no longer in his downline, he hasn't responded to me. That's what John is talking about when he says, "No upline support" and I agree it happens.
YTB is a relationship business. You better believe each and every client, customer, and RTA/REP relationship is important.
That's why I am leary about being part of team with a large downline and with people who want to recruit, recruit, recruit.
Rod, the way people drop out of YTb I bet you are not they only former RTA that he/she still thinks is part of his/her downline. They don't care about you as an individual but as a cash cow. From what I hear from you, you no doubt will be somebody else's cash cow when your resting period is over. YTB is about selling websites, not selling travel.
ReplyDeleteMLMs and Travel - A Bad Mix!
Could be a reason why blog activity has been so slow lately.
ReplyDeleteMINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (AP) -- At least 23 people in 14 states have been sickened by the same strain of salmonella found in unsweetened Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat cereals April 5 after finding salmonella contamination during routine testing.
Here's what I think:
ReplyDeleteStar Trek Figurines and Travel: A Bad Mix
Women's Urban Fashion and Travel: A Bad Mix
C'mon John - at least get some "travel clicks" worthwhile or is this a reflection of your demographic audience? If it is - I'm in the wrong place.
John, or any one else in the know. Is there connection between YTB and Severini or Trafalgar that goes deeper than just a training program? I have been noticing some advertising of Trafalgar Tours by person who recently became a travel agent (supposedly, and overnight). It looks like Trafalgar may be co-oping with a YTB agent-wannabie.
ReplyDeleteEddie said...
ReplyDeleteRod, From what I hear from you, you no doubt will be somebody else's cash cow when your resting period is over.
Not until Ted Lindauer's legal concerns of no pay no play are addressed in writing, no sooner than July 17, 2008, and if I find a person deserving to sponsor me.
rod -
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect . . . get over it.
Quit pointing fingers at everything and everybody but yourself.
I have a Team of over 600 RTAs and I have never met my PowerTeam Leaders. Never met them, never have gotten a call from them and they have made thousands of dollars from my hard work.
I decided that I did not have a Leader . . . so I became a Leader.
All the resources to be successful in this business are available to anyone.
Enough is enough . . . get over it.
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
Wow!!!!
ReplyDeleteOn every other thread, John comes back in a defends, defends, defends, well, on this one, some outspoken TTAs say it is a major stretch, and John is silent.
I guess he will just make his next blogpost and hope this goes away.
First off I could find no mention of Severini on that page your referenced. If you are looking at a cached page--it does not count./ Secondly that page is obvioyusly not a published page--look at the latin place holders in the banner lorem ipsum....
ReplyDeleteBut regardless, I know who is running the companies I am supporting.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleterod -
With all due respect . . . get over it.
Quit pointing fingers at everything and everybody but yourself.
I have a Team of over 600 RTAs and I have never met my PowerTeam Leaders. Never met them, never have gotten a call from them and they have made thousands of dollars from my hard work.
I decided that I did not have a Leader . . . so I became a Leader.
Well Anon,
I'm 1 RTA who has quit so far in 2008. In 2007, 67,000 RTAs quit for their own reasons. I know the reason why I quit. I can't answer for the 67,000 RTAs who quit in 2007.
It makes me sick how much focus is put on recruiting, especially with all the open issues hanging over YTB's head. You say get over it. I'm over it. I know what my mistakes were. If I decide to reenroll into YTB, second time around is going to a lot different.
I'll be enrolled with someone who cares about the issues and image.
rod -
ReplyDeleteFine.
You are still not over it.
You are the type of person that will not leave your driveway until you are sure all of the traffic lights will be green on your trip across town.
Go find something that makes you happy.
Here's a clue: YTB is not for you. YTB is never going to be perfect. It is a work in progress and obviously you cannot handle that.
Your tip for the day: The glass that you see as half empty . . . is half full for those who want to see it that way.
The issue is not YTB . . . it is your glass half empty outlook.
Seriously . . . Good luck!
YTB and TRAVEL: A Great Mix!
Paul Wiseman was named president of Trafalgar 6 months ago.
ReplyDeleteIt really doesn't matter...does it?
Go YTB!