MTravel.com offers Members the Personal Touch (May 2007 - Travel Trade)
By Sherrie Funk - May 2007
Supplement to Travel Trade
Montrose Travel is a $110-million travel management company and one of the Top 50 travel agencies in America. Yet, don’t be deceived by its size.
Montrose’s Host Agency division, MTravel.com, offers its 170 independent agents members a highly personalized service. In fact, the family operation has been working with ICs for 30 to 35 years, according to Andi Mysza, president of the IC division.
Started 51 years ago, Montrose Travel was purchased by Mysza’s parents, the McClure family, in 1972. In 1990, Andi and her brother, Joe McClure, bought out her parents.
The agency didn’t originally have a division specifically for ICs, according to Mysza, who added that being a Home Based agent was an “entirely different business back then.”
MTravel.com was started as the agency’s Host division about three years ago. Its members come from all over the U.S. - although, despite the fact that the agency is California-based, there are more members from the East Coast and “a lot from Texas,” she said.
As for requirements, Mysza said that prospective members should be “serious about the industry and building a business - and not only interested in the benefits.”
MTravel.com has two IC programs: one for inexperienced agents ($299/year), the other for experienced agents, many of whom “have a year or two in the business and a handle on making a reservation,” she said. ($399/year plus $15 /month for those who want Apollo). There are no monthly fees.
Most members are inexperienced and require “lots of training and hand holding,” which Mysza said is readily available.
“A big attraction of our Host agency is that we get to know everyone personally and have a one-on-one relationship with each member.”
Among the training offerings are Webinars, conference calls (one or two a week are conducted by agency), supplier training, procedures, how to build group business, as well as training through suppliers and through CLIA, said Mysza.
MTravel.com is there to “hold everyone’s hand,” added - and inexperienced agents aren’t the only ones to have “issues.”
“Since experienced agents are doing more volume, they often need advice on everything from problem solving, supplier issues to general direction. We have the experience to handle any situation and our ICs have access to the tools Montrose Travel has used to drive our growth, including corporate, leisure, luxury, honeymoon, incentive, meeting and group divisions.”
New this year is the launch of MTravel.com’s own training program.”It’s more like a travel school for those who are new to the business,” said Mysza, who said that in the past, whenever prospective agents requested information on a travel school, they were sent elsewhere.
Mysza said that MTravel.com offers a robust technology platform that includes a private label booking site that agents can personalize, with online air, car, hotel, cruise and dynamic packaging booking capabilities. Everything booked online is tracked on the agent’s site and reported back. “We manage it and it has fresh content. It can be held up against any consumer travel site in terms of value and appearance,” she said. (To see a demo, visit www.9999.mtravel.com).Also included is an Agent Web site that features procedures, E-mail, access to Weissman Travel Reports, etc.
As for repeat members, Mysza said, “We have natural attrition. We don’t let them stay on for free, as do some Host agencies, which then claim their membership numbers are going up.”Renewal fees are $259 and $359, respectively.
“Most members are excited about growing their business. Our business is growing and many of our ICs are growing with us. The ones who stay are the ones we want to stay. We don’t lose good people. They’ve very satisfied because we offer them all the tools they need to succeed.”
Pointing out that “even million dollar producers don’t have time to market themselves,” Mysza noted that the agency is a member of Ensemble, offering “access to its fabulous direct mail and E-mail marketing campaigns.”
MTravel.com is “a stable and reliable Host agency with a good reputation,” she added. “Those Host agencies that offer members the moon and the stars can’t sustain an agent’s business very long.”Mysza added that her agency has established strong relationships with its suppliers and has achieved “top tier commission levels with all.”
She noted that some ICs have been working with the agency for 25 or more years.
“They find a home and we treat them like family,” said Mysza. “We’re not a standard cut-and-dry Host agency.”
Tags: home based travel agents
