What our Travel Counsellors are saying...

Julia Lynch

I started my career in the travel industry in 1990 and five years into my career I bought a small travel agency in Coogee with my business partner. We enjoyed 17 years of successful trading, but as the industry continued to evolve we struggled to keep up. I found that I just couldn't make enough money even though I was working all the hours I could, often until very late. The increased competition, administration costs and overheads continued to strangle my business. I was also losing business...

<span>I started my career in the travel industry in 1990 and five years into my career I bought a small travel agency in Coogee with my business partner. We enjoyed 17 years of successful trading, but as the industry continued to evolve we struggled to keep up. I found that I just couldn't make enough money even though I was working all the hours I could, often until very late. The increased competition, administration costs and overheads continued to strangle my business. I was also losing business to the internet but I knew that if I could restructure my business, focus on my clients more and improve my marketing, I'd do much better on my own. I l</span>oved the idea of running my own business but without having the stress of owning a travel agency. I finally made the tough decision to look at my options which is when I approached Travel Counsellors and it couldn't have come at a better time. I spoke to the team at head office and was invited along to their national conference. The company ethos and values were exactly what I was looking for and I was blown away with the support they offered. I knew immediately that this was for me, so I joined Travel Counsellors in October 2012 after I had closed the shop. I guess one of my initial concerns about joining Travel Counsellors was the impact the change would have on my existing clientele, but I needn't have worried. The transition was seamless and my clients were supportive of my new adventure. They love that I can spend more time looking into their enquiries and meeting them at a time and place of their choosing. To me, the main benefit of joining Travel Counsellors was the amount of support that I get across every aspect of my business - from business development and marketing to administration. It means I can concentrate on what I do best - looking after my customers and delivering a personal service. My colleagues around the globe are also an amazing source of support. I get to stay in touch with them via instant message, message boards and we also get to stay up to date by tuning into live, weekly TCTV broadcasts from head office, so I never feel alone. Plus, working from home allows me to choose my own hours. I can now be flexible and help my customers out of normal office hours whilst enjoying more 'me time' - from taking a walk at lunchtime to going for a swim before I start work. I have fallen back in love with my travel business and, I'm pleased to say, my customers say they couldn't do without me - it's a massive confidence boost! For example, I had a client on a business trip to the US whose flight was cancelled due to a disruption in San Francisco. Before my client even realised what had happened, the UK head office had emailed me (on a Sunday) to let me know that my client would be affected. I contacted my client who was delighted that I had taken the time to call them on a Sunday and keep them up to date with developments. I have now been with Travel Counsellors for over a year. I get to take home 60% of everything I earn, which is significantly more than I took home when I owned my own agency.

Eleanor Lamdin

"I started thinking about doing something different when I realised there was a complete lack of recognition where I was and that with travel Counsellors, I could be genuinely independent to give my clients what is best for them, not what the business was forcing me to sell. I felt free at last!"

Nadine Kutz

"Being a TC gives me the opportunity to combine my passion for travel and my desire to offer the best in customer service. I love the flexibility of working from home, the lifestyle which that brings and getting to know some wonderful Travel Counsellors around the world that have become close friends, each one always willing to lend a hand. All you need is a passion for travel and to genuinely care about customers. Join us; you'll be so glad you did."