I agree - planning fees are essential for TA’s these days. I have not started up yet, but I will be charging planning fees. I will make sure clients understand my value. If they do not want to pay, that is a client I do not want. They will be the most difficult clients to deal with. I know from doing this for free for friends and family for years.
Thank you big time! Great video. My wife has been a travel agent since 1988, and we recently aquired a full service agency in our rural midwest town. Most of the agencies in our area have gone out of business. We are going to attempt to save this one. First order of business is to charge fees for our services up front. No one around here has implemented up front service fees. We have recently started a fee schedule and other measures to streamline the process, give our paying customers a higher level of service, and hopefully slow down the stream of shoppers that sadely just waste our valuable time. Videos like yours have given us the courage to change the status quo. Thank you so much and we wish you much success in your business.
This is great! I totally agree with you. Planning Fees save time and ultimately make for a better experience for both you and the client. I find myself working harder for clients when I charge a fee. Best of luck in your new business acquisition!
Unfortunately, I did more research and it seems like it is more complicated to open even an independent travel agency here in Japan as I need a lot of money... I wanted to do this as traveling literally is my passion and sharing that with other people was my goal, but now it seems it is not gonna happen anytime soon... @@ThemeParksforGrownUps
Hey Kylee - Thank you so much for your generosity and sharing your cost structure with us. I've been in this industry since 2018 and have been frustrated for either people booking and out of fear for one reason or another they cancel. Or how many hours I spend with a client and I don't get compensated till they travel. I have now structure how much I am going to charge and I feel nervous and excited at the same time. Am full aware that I might lose potential clients but I'm OK with that.
This is great information! I just started my travel agency and am working on getting everything set up. Quick question for you: what is the process for booking dining reservations and genie + reservations for the clients? It seems like disney makes it really hard for anyone that is not the client to make those reservations. Do you log into their MyDisney account, or is there a way to do it from your own? Thanks for the great video and I can't wait to see more tutorials from you!
Hi there, you have to sign into your client's account in order to book reservations for them. Ask them permission to do so and suggest changing the password later if they would like to do so. My client's usually feel comfortable allowing me to do that so I can help them with their plans.
I am JUST starting. I’m completing training right now. Would you recommend charging a fee right off the bat? Or would you recommend building your business and then implementing that fee later once building a client base?
Great video, it seems that many host agencies pride themselves on offering free planning services stating that the agents only receive commission through suppliers. Do you have to find a specific host agency that is ok with you charing a planning fee or how does this work? thanks!
I can't speak on behalf of all Host Agencies but I know that some (mine included) don't mind if you charge a fee. I treat it as a completely separate transaction. It's my "Theme Parks for Grown-Ups Fee" and not a fee that is affiliated with my Host Agency. You can totally use "Free Consultations" as a selling point but I personally advise keeping these short. I know a lot of Agents will basically plan a client's entire vacation only to have the client ghost them. The Agent loses the time they spent planning the vacation without any compensation whatsoever. Again, this is all based on my own opinions and experience! You should absolutely do what you think is best for your business.
Hello! I was just wondering if I should do a tier system as well but the more I thought about it, the more I'm not sure. I would love to have a tier system but with covid now it makes it a bit harder to reserve dining and days at the park. What would you suggest? It is possible to still do the things you offer now with covid, or is it difficult because theyve shortened the time frames for reservations?
Hey girl! Quick question that you may or may not know the answer to but if you are deciding whether or not to work with a host agency, can you personally offer other planning fees that have nothing to do with the host agency? I have a lot of well-made printable, and pdfs that I make for Disney properties etc. so could I offer those as extra things the client could purchase? Thank you for taking the time to educate all of us who want to do this for some income! Have a magical day!
Hi Jessica! Yes, this is what I do with my business. The planning fees and "extras" with separate costs have nothing to do with my Host Agency. I charge them via an invoice using Square or Paypal!
@@ThemeParksforGrownUps This was so helpful! Thank you! I have created my own printables and digital planning guides already and I was afraid that if I went with a host agency, I couldn't use those for my business. So do you just offer these extra to your clients if they want more personalized planning? (Sorry for all the questions! But I truly appreciate it!)
Find the Planning Sheet here! theme-parks-for-grown-ups.ck.page/products/planning-price-sheet
I agree - planning fees are essential for TA’s these days.
I have not started up yet, but I will be charging planning fees. I will make sure clients understand my value.
If they do not want to pay, that is a client I do not want. They will be the most difficult clients to deal with. I know from doing this for free for friends and family for years.
Great information. Agree 100 percent. You explained everything on a clearly simple way . Thank you.
Thank you big time! Great video. My wife has been a travel agent since 1988, and we recently aquired a full service agency in our rural midwest town. Most of the agencies in our area have gone out of business. We are going to attempt to save this one. First order of business is to charge fees for our services up front. No one around here has implemented up front service fees. We have recently started a fee schedule and other measures to streamline the process, give our paying customers a higher level of service, and hopefully slow down the stream of shoppers that sadely just waste our valuable time. Videos like yours have given us the courage to change the status quo. Thank you so much and we wish you much success in your business.
This is great! I totally agree with you. Planning Fees save time and ultimately make for a better experience for both you and the client. I find myself working harder for clients when I charge a fee. Best of luck in your new business acquisition!
Thank you for the information
The planning fee link does not work. It gives an error message that the price may have went up. Can you put a working link please? Thanks
this was extremely helpful. thank you so much!
Thank you so much!! I just started my travel agency last month. Wish me luck!!
That's awesome! How's it going so far?
Unfortunately, I did more research and it seems like it is more complicated to open even an independent travel agency here in Japan as I need a lot of money... I wanted to do this as traveling literally is my passion and sharing that with other people was my goal, but now it seems it is not gonna happen anytime soon... @@ThemeParksforGrownUps
Hey Kylee - Thank you so much for your generosity and sharing your cost structure with us. I've been in this industry since 2018 and have been frustrated for either people booking and out of fear for one reason or another they cancel. Or how many hours I spend with a client and I don't get compensated till they travel. I have now structure how much I am going to charge and I feel nervous and excited at the same time. Am full aware that I might lose potential clients but I'm OK with that.
You are so welcome! I hope charging a fee will keep your business in motion!
Thanks so much. Good info and perspective!
Thanks! Glad it helped and best of luck!
Great videos and great information
Thanks!
Great video
What host agency do you work for?
Who do you go through? I heard outside agents is a good start, thank you
Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
This is great information! I just started my travel agency and am working on getting everything set up. Quick question for you: what is the process for booking dining reservations and genie + reservations for the clients? It seems like disney makes it really hard for anyone that is not the client to make those reservations. Do you log into their MyDisney account, or is there a way to do it from your own? Thanks for the great video and I can't wait to see more tutorials from you!
Hi there, you have to sign into your client's account in order to book reservations for them. Ask them permission to do so and suggest changing the password later if they would like to do so. My client's usually feel comfortable allowing me to do that so I can help them with their plans.
I am JUST starting. I’m completing training right now. Would you recommend charging a fee right off the bat? Or would you recommend building your business and then implementing that fee later once building a client base?
And how has it changed since genie plus is a thing that we do in the park once we get there?
Great video, it seems that many host agencies pride themselves on offering free planning services stating that the agents only receive commission through suppliers. Do you have to find a specific host agency that is ok with you charing a planning fee or how does this work? thanks!
I can't speak on behalf of all Host Agencies but I know that some (mine included) don't mind if you charge a fee. I treat it as a completely separate transaction. It's my "Theme Parks for Grown-Ups Fee" and not a fee that is affiliated with my Host Agency.
You can totally use "Free Consultations" as a selling point but I personally advise keeping these short. I know a lot of Agents will basically plan a client's entire vacation only to have the client ghost them. The Agent loses the time they spent planning the vacation without any compensation whatsoever.
Again, this is all based on my own opinions and experience! You should absolutely do what you think is best for your business.
Hello! I was just wondering if I should do a tier system as well but the more I thought about it, the more I'm not sure. I would love to have a tier system but with covid now it makes it a bit harder to reserve dining and days at the park. What would you suggest? It is possible to still do the things you offer now with covid, or is it difficult because theyve shortened the time frames for reservations?
Do you have them pay you through venmo, or paypal? Which payment method do you use?
I send them an invoice through Square! It helps with taxes later too.
Is your planning fee sheet still available? The link takes you the a page that states shop is not available.
Thanks for letting me know! Here is the new link to the Planning Sheet.
theme-parks-for-grown-ups.ck.page/products/planning-price-sheet
Hey girl! Quick question that you may or may not know the answer to but if you are deciding whether or not to work with a host agency, can you personally offer other planning fees that have nothing to do with the host agency? I have a lot of well-made printable, and pdfs that I make for Disney properties etc. so could I offer those as extra things the client could purchase? Thank you for taking the time to educate all of us who want to do this for some income! Have a magical day!
Hi Jessica! Yes, this is what I do with my business. The planning fees and "extras" with separate costs have nothing to do with my Host Agency. I charge them via an invoice using Square or Paypal!
I sell planning guides and itineraries through a website called Shopify. Sometimes it's easier to just do the exchange through Paypal though.
@@ThemeParksforGrownUps This was so helpful! Thank you! I have created my own printables and digital planning guides already and I was afraid that if I went with a host agency, I couldn't use those for my business. So do you just offer these extra to your clients if they want more personalized planning? (Sorry for all the questions! But I truly appreciate it!)
@@jnicholeliving3255 Yes, I offer all sorts of extras for purchase. Sometimes I throw the printables in for free if I have a really great client. :)