Tips for Effective Time Management from Experienced Travel Agents
Written by: Guest on March 20, 2017
Over the years of working with home-based travel agents, we’ve learned that one of the biggest struggles for many new agents is time management. Many new agents start off working their travel business part-time, in addition to other full-time or part-time jobs. Especially for those that are new to working at home, balancing other jobs, family and the rest of life’s commitments can be a challenge!
Each agent’s schedule, priorities and goals are different, so it’s important to find a rhythm that works for you.
To give new agents some ideas on how to better manage their time as a home-based travel agent, we asked experienced KHM Travel Agents to share how they keep themselves organized and on track to meet their goals on a daily basis.
I am a full-time travel agent. But I balance a 3 and 5 year-old with my business. Make sure to take breaks every 30-45 minutes, your work will be more productive. Have a plan for a day, what must be done, I use tasks in the CRM as a reminder. Schedule all the activities within a day, like market your business, reach our past clients, education, etc. And start from the ones you don’t like.
– Anna Krimer, FaSy Travel
I scheduled my travel agent time very carefully and used any time I wasn’t working on a client request to research destinations or complete supplier trainings. Â If you are working from home, try to designate a space or room to your travel business and get into the habit of scheduling business hours when you are working your travel business (booking or training). My family knew when I would “get off work” and come out of my office.– Amber Hayes, Hayes Travel Group
I work full-time and have my TA business (kids, dogs, husband now I’m tired lol!!) My absolute MUST is a small composition notebook I keep where I have to do stuff. Mark it off and move on. When you are just beginning and maybe a little slow create systems for booking, quoting and follow up.
– Mia Majors Mackey, Mackey Mouse Travel
I am a part-time travel agent. My advice is to prepare a daily agenda the night before to help you stay on task each day.– Dee Gilmore, Sunbreeze Travel
Embrace technology!! Get your processes down and stay efficient. Don’t waste energy on things that won’t make you any or enough commission.
– James Berglie, Be Vacations
Since things have gotten a little crazier, I hired a “live” answering service to help with calls during the day and also while traveling. I’ll forward my calls when I’m working on something that needs my full attention. They take the calls for me as if they were sitting in my office, and send me an email of who I’m to call back. I also have it set up to answer my calls when I’m on the phone. This way my clients always get a live person and not a voicemail.– Karen Beasley, Adventures by Travel
I’m a tech junky and use my calendar in my phone for everything which also links to my laptop. We have a calendar app on our iPhones, and each day has everything listed that needs to be done with alarms and alerts if I’m on a deadline. It’s also nice because my hubby can add things to the calendar and can see what my day entails so we can coordinate our schedules as needed. Organization is definitely key, so be sure you have a protocol down that works for you for intake of new inquiries, quoting, follow up, booking process, during travel, and after travel.
– Joy Carta, Carta Travel Connection
Do you have more tips for effective time management? Share them in the comments below!
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