I changed my ITC host company to Travel Counsellors
Melissa lives in Scottburg in KZN and has just made the move from her previous ITC host company to Travel Counsellors. She has just completed her 5 day induction training with the Cape Town support team covering training on all things Operations, IT, Commercial, Marketing, Corporate Travel, Phenix and so much more. She has her Business Developement Exec at her disposal who will work with her on a one-to-one basis to help her to build and to grow her business.
We caught up with Melissa to ask her a few questions.
What is your background and where did you work before becoming a Travel Counsellor?
I was working with Flight Centre before I started with Travel Counsellors. I first worked in a retail store and then I moved over to the Flight Centre Associates brand, working from home.
__Tell us a little bit about yourself __ I have 3 dogs, a cat and 2 kids :) I love my boys with my whole heart, but it’s like raising a pack of wolves, seriously! I enjoy being active, I do a lot of trail running and often go on long hikes. I have travelled to; Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Mauritius, Zanzibar, London, Ireland, Spain and Italy.
What does becoming a Travel Counsellor mean to you?
The appeal of working from home is that keeping my own hours allows me to keep every aspect of my life running smoothly. I have time for work, my kids and myself. If I am not busy with work at 11 am then it gives me the opportunity to do something else, and if I am busy at work at 7 pm then I get the chance to do it all then. Also, some of my clients are busy with their own jobs during the day so they prefer to call me at 7 or 8 pm to discuss their own personal holidays. It’s nice to be able to help them with they need it.
What motivated you to start your own travel business? I made the move so that I would have more time to spend at home and so that I would have move time to give to my children.
What are you looking forward to most about being a Travel Counsellor? I am used to working from home now, but I am looking forward to all the support that Travel Counsellors give to their ITCs. I didn't have that previously.
Have you set yourself any goals or milestones that you would like to achieve in your first year?
I'm not goal driven as such. I know exactly how much money I need to take home every month, and this is my goal.
Have you started planning how you will grow your business / find new customers, and if so how?
I have found that Facebook boosting has helped in the past. As an example, I out together a package for Greece, Turkey and Rhodes Island with a special airfare. I boosted this offer on Facebook for only R200. I got lots of enquirers as a result and ended up with a booking for 6 people. My overall return was outstanding. I'm definitely doing more of this.
What do you love most about working in the travel industry?
I love putting together challenging itineraries, they can take time, but it is so rewarding. I also like being a part of the travel process for my clients, because it all starts with me.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? I'd love to see the Northern Lights as well as the Rio Carnival
If you too can relate to Melissa's story and if you would like to be supported by the very best team, while you build and grow your business then we would love to hear from you.