Here is the scenario:
- 135,000 people are affiliated with you selling travel
- Your only industry affiliation is CLIA
- Your concentration is on selling cruises, but do sell other packages as well
- What percentage of your agents would you expect to be serious enough to further their professionalism and education by becoming an ACC, MCC, or ECC? 50%, 10%, 5%, 1%?
.02%
I wonder what the percentage of that 135,000 is that are card holders? If I had to guess, upwards of 70%
I think it's more interesting that Leisure - according to what they told TW - is such a small percentage of their sales but their only real affiliation is CLIA.
ReplyDeleteThe RTAs with CLIA don't need the higher achievement levels because it's not about being good or great at cruise sales and knowledge, it's about getting a discount, and one does not need any more than the basic entry level knowledge for that. Why pay and do more when it's unnecessary?
ReplyDeleteI belive your math is faulty as .02% of 135,000 is 2700 and not 32.
ReplyDeleteYou believe incorrectly. If you want to be exact, it it .0237%
ReplyDelete135,000 X .000237 = 32
Now TWO percent of 135,000 is 2700 I agree.
"I belive your math is faulty as .02% of 135,000 is 2700 and not 32."
ReplyDeleteMath challenged.
Reading comprehension problems.
From Yale to Jail.
YTB and Travel and Absurd Mix.
Lighten up, Anon. A lot of us are math challanged - with or without CLIA.
ReplyDelete"Lighten up, Anon. A lot of us are math challanged - with or without CLIA."
ReplyDeleteEddie I will not lighten up. Alot of us are not math challenged. YTB RTA's DO NOT understand the SEC numbers or basic MATH!! If you are going to be in business you should have at least a basic ability to understand Math and the financial statements of a company or else have a good accountant decipher it for you. YTB recruits those on welfare, in jail and the under employed. Basically, people who really don't make a whole lot of money because they lack the necessary skills and education. YTB manipulates figures so you all are so confused you don't know what the heck is the truth. Throw a number out there unsubstantiated and you RTA's lap it up like a dog.
And, it has been proven time and again those RTA's visiting this site can't comprehend what they read. Most YTB's have little understanding of how the travel industry works nor do they care.
I will not lighten up Eddie. Because YTB has trashed the travel business and in turn unleashed a bunch of uneducated fools to book travel.
Okay.
ReplyDeleteJohn suggested to me that I send Ed Perkins an email in yesterdays thread. Ed is the guy who wrote the article that John posted from the SF Chronicle.
ReplyDeleteWell, i sent him an email with a scenario of a guy who I just signed up. Here is my email to him....
Hi there Ed,
I have read a few of your columns and find them very good. I have been booking online and have been as long as I can remember there being online travel sites. I have used expedia, travelocity, priceline, orbitz, etc. I always seem to find very similar prices for all kinds of travel from flights, rental cars, hotels, etc. Most of my travel is for my business. Without getting to detailed I consult other businesses around the country and probably spend 200 nights in a hotel each year. I also go on one family vacation a year, usually a cruise or all inclusive somewhere as those are good for the kids. Anyway, here is my question. My cousin got into YTB travel to help raise money for his church. He mentioned it to me since I travel so much and book online that I could just buy from myself and get the comission. After all I am doing it anyway is what he said. I checked his site and actually booked my last 3 business trips from him as the prices were the same as the other sites. i figured I would support his business. Well, he told me that, even though possible small per each night, that comissions on the hotels I stay at are between 5 and 20 dollars per night, depending on the price. If I were to buy into YTB and buy my travel from myself, I would earn comission on my own travel, hotels only of 1000-4000 annually and that is before my rental cars and my family vacation!!! It seems like it makes sense, but I value your opinion, am I missing something?
Here is his reply....
XXXXX,
Thanks for writing in and your kind words about my column. I have been involved with the travel industry for years, as you may know. I have seen all kinds of trends come and go. I don't think YTB is a bad company I am just concerned about the tactics of some of the people who decide to join. With that said, your scenario is an interesting one. And from the point of finances, it would make sense for you to get involved with YTB. If you have been doing all of your booking online, of course you should figure out a way to save your money. When I wrote my recent column, which I assume you read, the concern was about card mills in general. I can't personally say if YTB is a card mill as I haven't done my own research. But, if you have, and you are comfortable with it, then go ahead. Thank you again for your email.
Ed
So? Not quite a ringing endorsement. He says he has not done the investigation on YTB but if it works for you then go ahead.
ReplyDeleteYou are correct but it was a far cry from the assumption that John wanted us to have yesterday with the posted article. And, it is important to note that if he hasn't done the research then he clearly wasn't at all referring to YTB in his article.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous...who was it that ever said he was talking about YTB? Did you even bother to read my post? Or do you just make the assumption? Is YTB mentioned in my post? If so, please show it to me.
ReplyDeleteIt was you immediately assumed it was YTB--not me. Why is that? I saw a post on Yahoo finance about a director on talking points how to convince people that YTB is legitimate.
It's been said before but what is it like representing a company that you need to focus so much of your energy on defending their business practices instead of concentrating what they claim to be their core product?
Let less then 5pct of the RTA's have continued eduction with extra certification. The rest simply joined to get a card. Shocking. You mean they really don't want to be travel agents, they just want the perks? No way, I just don't believe it.
ReplyDeleteLisa your MATH Is off as well......less than ONE PERCENT. Considerably less than one percent.
ReplyDeletepoint zero two percent
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Ed said;
ReplyDelete"I can't personally say if YTB is a card mill as I haven't done my own research."
Ed admitted he is not familiar with YTB. And, I am sure he is not aware of the down line and all that crap. As to your own bookings I have priced YTB myself and YTB is HIGHER than any of the other sites and HIGHER than what a TTA can get?
So you pay higher prices to get a measly commission and you pay a fee every month. You probably break even. But, then again you people don't get it, never will and can't do the MATH. No wonder this country is slipping in world standards when most people can't even do simple Math!
YTB is an unethical company run by pond scum. And, if you buy into it that makes you just as bad as they are. Supporting YTB is like buying counterfeit goods the money goes to people who are crooks.
If people were encouraged to join YTB to SELL travel and earn the benefits like all the rest of us the card mill question would not be an issue. But, always the but, in 99%of the recruiting info I have seen selling travel is barely mentioned. Travel like a pro - sure, get discounts - sure, take paycations - sure, but never join YTB and be a travel professional and help your friends and family with great service and great value.
ReplyDeleteMany of you have admitted buying into it ONLY to purchase travel for yourselves. So you pay and pay and end up with no discounts at all really. Ask anyone - even ask Rod - it's the RECRUITING where the money is. Heck so much time is spent in recruiting there's no time to actually sell.
If you cannot do the fast talk, use the carrot and rope in more unfortunates your YTB career is over.
Maybe we should email Ed and ask him to do an in depth look at YTB. Soup to nuts. Financials and all and see if he thinks that YTB is not all church websites and love your brother (but make sure the cc will go thru).
As I've said before, CLIA ought to be ashamed of themselves for allowing the degradation of an industry standard.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess $$ talks.