See our real-life stories from people, like you, who've changed their lives with Travel Counsellors
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The nicest surprise when joining the company was the camaraderie among all the Travel Counsellors. I love being part of a worldwide network and being able to obtain first-hand information from so many colleagues overseas
Natalie Matthews,
Gauteng, South Africa
What is most rewarding for me is the flexibility that I have with my time and this gives me the freedom to be there for my family when I choose. I definitely don't miss the stress of working for a corporate agency.
Roshnee Govender,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Being a Travel Counsellor has enabled me to truly look after my clients and I am humbled and grateful that I have the tools, attitude and commitment to my clients to be there for them as a "friend in travel".
Tasmin Rootman,
Villiersdorp, South Africa
I love being a Travel Counsellor as it allows me to be flexible in balancing my work and family life, so that I can be there for my husband and kids when needed - plus with the added benefit in earning money while I'm doing all this.
Thea Coetsee,
Somerset West
I love the freedom I have to deal with my clients according to their needs, without having to report each move I make. It still takes a lot of work - make no mistake, but the difference is that what I put in is totally what I get out.
Dasha Van Zjil ,
Pretoria, South Africa
I can't tell you how much my life has changed! I love the fact that I can work my own hours, that I can be there for my family and that I have the most amazing clients and friends who have supported me.
Kirsty Fourie,
Sunninghill Gardens, South Africa
One of the things I love best about Travel Counsellors is that even though you work on your own on a daily basis you still feel part of a huge family who genuinely cares about the well-being of each and every TC and their clients.
Anja Botha,
Cape Town, South Africa
I am honestly very happy being a Travel Counsellor. No more working for someone else, leaving the office late and not even getting acknowledged for it. Being my own boss is fabulous!
Fazlin Samodien,
Gauteng, South Africa
I love our brilliant systems, marketing tools and the incredible support that I get from everyone at Head office. Being a TC gives me more freedom financially, and I am able to have so much quality time with my little girl, while running my business.
Lana Sykes,
Gauteng, South Africa
After having worked for 11 years at one of the biggest transactional-based consortiums, it is great to be a part of a company that still cares about their people - both TCs and clients, and not only about the money.
Dasha Van Zjil ,
Pretoria, South Africa
I have a fabulous, dedicated head office team who takes care of my back office, negotiates great supplier deals and performs a myriad of other duties on my behalf.
Helen Shelver,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Every day I am thankful and amazed by the support I receive, the marketing eshots, the daily reminders, the training and the opportunity to keep on learning more and more in our industry.
Yvonne Roy,
Knysna, South Africa
I began my career in the travel industry in 1981. Two years later I gave birth to my second child, Shaun. I worked for an airline for over 26 years and in 2006 I bought my own travel agency. In 2007 I saw the Travel Counsellors advert on Travel Info and this is when I started seriously considering joining Travel Counsellors. As the owner of a small travel agency I found that I just couldn't make enough money. I was working all the hours I could, often until very late, but the administration costs,...
I began my career in the travel industry in 1981. Two years later I gave birth to my second child, Shaun. I worked for an airline for over 26 years and in 2006 I bought my own travel agency. In 2007 I saw the Travel Counsellors advert on Travel Info and this is when I started seriously considering joining Travel Counsellors. As the owner of a small travel agency I found that I just couldn't make enough money. I was working all the hours I could, often until very late, but the administration costs, overheads and staff issues were strangling my business. I was also losing business to the internet but knew that if I could just restructure my business, focus on my clients more and improve my marketing, I'd do much better on my own. I loved the idea of running my own business but without having the stress of owning a travel agency. Finally the pressure of the all the admin work involved in running an agency and the long daily commute to and from work finally prompted me to make the decision to change to Travel Counsellors. My personal circumstances were also bearing on my decision. I was very unhappy and with all this I decided that I needed a change. Fortunately that's when I picked up the phone to Travel Counsellors head office and I was blown away with what they had to offer. The Travel Counsellors concept and offering was exactly what I needed. I knew immediately that this was made for me, so I took the leap and joined Travel Counsellors in August 2007. I was one of the first few travel agents in South Africa to sign up with Travel Counsellors. One of my biggest concerns about joining Travel Counsellors was whether my existing clientelle would move with me, but they did! I didn't have to wait for my first booking, it was a seamless change and I brought many of my clients over with me. One of the nicest surprises about joining TC is the amount of support that I get in everything that I do. Being a Travel Counsellor makes me happy and I absolutely love spending time with my six grandchildren. One of the best things about being a Travel Counsellor is that I can offer my clients superior services...my customer always say that they couldn't do without me. I always go above and beyond the call of duty to assist my clients. One of my clients had one of their flights cancelled from Dar Es Salaam and I managed to solve the problem almost immediately even though it was 4am. One of my clients once said that none of the travel professionals they had worked with were as professional, responsive and enthusiastic and informed as me. That made me really proud. I have now been with Travel Counsellors for over six years. I get to take home 60% of everything I earn, which is a lot more than I ended up with when I owned my own agency and I am now earning significantly more as a Travel Counsellor than I did when I owned a retail shop. I have had lots of best TC moments; my favourite was when I first won the Best Travel Counsellor award for South Africa in 2008. It was wonderful to get recognised for all my hard work and I've won it for five years in a row. I am also a Gold Travel Counsellor and have been on a few of the Gold Travel Counsellor conferences to Mauritius, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Gold Dinner celebrations that my husband and I attend with all the other Gold Travel Counsellors each year! I feel so proud and special. Another highlight is our annual conference that is held in South Africa. I love the conferences as it is a great way to meet and get to know head office and my fellow TC colleagues better. The speakers are outstanding and the business sessions are just brilliant as they help us to take our business to the next level.
Having worked for many years at a large retail company, I had reached my ceiling. Travel Counsellors appealed to me as it would help me to personally grow and I would be able to offer my clients a truly concierge service. I was initially nervous in making the change, but my husband encouraged me to go for it as he knew I would be successful. Travel is my passion and I just knew that Travel Counsellors was right for me...I love it. During the three day induction training I was taught all that I needed...
Having worked for many years at a large retail company, I had reached my ceiling. Travel Counsellors appealed to me as it would help me to personally grow and I would be able to offer my clients a truly concierge service. I was initially nervous in making the change, but my husband encouraged me to go for it as he knew I would be successful. Travel is my passion and I just knew that Travel Counsellors was right for me...I love it. During the three day induction training I was taught all that I needed to know on how to build a successful business. I was amazed by the support, the product offering and by the systems and tools. Within no time my business got off to a flying start. A highlight for me every year is the Travel Counsellors annual conference. This is where Travel Counsellors from all over the country get together, we get to meet with suppliers, we enjoy great motivational speakers and it is also where new developments within the company are announced, all of which help us to take our business to the next level. I can't believe the number of friends that I have made, who spur me on both personally and in the business. I get regular training from Travel Counsellors and my business development manager is with me every step of the way. We have regular business development calls and she helps me to stretch myself, to reach and achieve my business dreams. Head office is truly my biggest fan - they are always there for me, encouraging me in every milestone and celebrating my every success, no matter how big or small. Apart from just me benefitting, my clients love the concierge travel service that I provide and this is testament in the many referrals that I have received. My business has grown year on year and one of my proudest moments was achieving gold status. My clients also love the wide product range that I can now offer them; they feel secure knowing that their money is in safe hands. My clients also feel more secure knowing that they only deal with me and that I can meet all their travel needs. It's reassuring to them knowing that they can contact me outside of traditional office hours including evenings and weekends. They appreciate and know that they wouldn't get this type of service anywhere else. If you are passionate about travel and want to offer your clients a concierge service then Travel Counsellors is for you. It's not as scary as you think. I would encourage you to make the call, go and view a demo to see what it's all about and see the systems first-hand that are available to you. Travel Counsellors will answer your questions. They understand its a big decision and will never pressure you to join. It's been the best decision that I have made and it could be yours too!
I first heard about Travel Counsellors when I saw an advert on Travel Info about four years ago. After reading about Travel Counsellors I had a few concerns about leaving the security of a retail agency and going on my own. I was concerned about moving away from an office environment and also whether I would be able to earn a salary on my own. I was also a bit concerned as to whether I was ready for the next step of running my own business. At the time that I was considering joining Travel Counsellors...
I first heard about Travel Counsellors when I saw an advert on Travel Info about four years ago. After reading about Travel Counsellors I had a few concerns about leaving the security of a retail agency and going on my own. I was concerned about moving away from an office environment and also whether I would be able to earn a salary on my own. I was also a bit concerned as to whether I was ready for the next step of running my own business. At the time that I was considering joining Travel Counsellors there was lots going on at home we were building our family home and my daughter was still very young. I felt completely frustrated as I had to work so hard just to try and get everything done within the office hours and still I was finding it more and more difficult to get my children ready before I left for work each day and by the time I got home, I had already missed bath time. I realised that I was missing out on valuable time with my children. This prompted me to make an appointment with Travel Counsellors head office. After speaking to them and seeing the demo I realised what a fantastic opportunity it was. It was a family decision for me to make the change and deep down in my heart I just knew that it would work. The three day induction training was wonderful. I arrived home with my fax, scanner and printer and my laptop and I was ready to start making bookings. Nothing was difficult at all - it took a little while for me to learn the new systems but I got it in no time and I found that these systems were fantastic. Travel Counsellors provide us with our own in-house dynamic packaging system Phenix; I call this our secret weapon! The deals within Phenix are outstanding and it has become my life. If I had a client stuck in New York who is in need of assistance I could help them immediately through Phenix. If I had a client at the airport who was in need of an air ticket I could get this booked and issued for them immediately, or if that client needed car hire I could book this for them whilst they were at the airport and I could immediately email the vouchers to their phone or iPad, it’s that easy! Phenix has impacted my earnings hugely and through it I’m able to earn so much more. Learning a new system in the beginning was daunting, but when I saw how much it could impact my earning potential I embraced it as I realised just how wonderful it is. We sit at the forefront of technology and there are no other travel agencies who have what we have, it is absolutely brilliant. Travel Counsellors business development is fantastic and so easy. I can phone, send an email or use Travel Counsellors communicator, which is so easy to use and free of charge. Our head office keeps in regular contact with us and among our Travel Counsellor colleagues we are like a huge family and we have become close friends - I never feel alone! Our intranet systems show how well each person is doing and we are able to pick up the phone and to congratulate our TC friends, it is so nice to be able to stay in contact with one another and to build friendships even across the world. The marketing support from Travel Counsellors is just fantastic and I don’t have to do too much marketing on my own as most of this is done for me. For example I get an email communication from my head office saying that there is a head office generated e-shot being sent out to all my marketable clients the very next day. I usually find that I start getting phone calls from my clients straight away and they ask for more information about the advertised offers. As a Travel Counsellor I love being able to offer my clients impartial advice, and I have access to a large variety of suppliers which means that I can get quotes from all of them – which then enables me to compare apples with apples. I am then able to give my clients the option that best suits them, rather than me having to sell the operator that suited my company. I feel relieved now that I can spend time with my family. I don’t have to ask permission if I need to go to the pharmacy or to go and watch my son’s rugby game. I am my own boss and my family support me in this as they understand how important this is to me and to them. My earnings are unbelievable. In the past when I was working for a retail agency I was on a fixed salary, but now I am earning more and am able to take the kids on holiday. The best part is that I have the ability to earn more from the comfort of my home, which is just fantastic! I get new clients mostly from word of mouth referrals where my clients tell others about me. I will often get a phone call from family members of those whose honeymoon or trip I arranged and they want me to arrange theirs. I love it when my clients come back from their holiday - they are always so happy and they call me to thank me and to tell me about the wonderful experiences that they have just enjoyed. I find it so rewarding to give them the holiday of their dreams. Most of my clients have become close friends, the more that I work with them the closer friends we become. Travel Counsellors was made for me, it was made for my family and for my clients and there is absolutely no ways that I would ever go back to working in a retail agency again. I find it easier as a Travel Counsellor to offer a good service to my clients whilst still being there for my family. My clients have often told me that it feels like I travel with them and they love the fact that I am there for them 24/7 and that they can call me even at 2am in an emergency from anywhere in the world. Joining Travel Counsellors has been the best decision that I have ever made and I am very thankful that I did it. If you are hardworking, loyal and passionate about travel then Travel Counsellors is definitely for you. If you give it your all, it will be returned to you. I'd recommend you join immediately – just go for it and don’t wait as long as I did! Joining Travel Counsellors has changed my life and it will change yours too.
I worked for a large retail agency for eight years and I became more and more frustrated about it being all about the money rather than putting the focus on better servicing my clients. I decided to make the move and to join Travel Counsellors as they had a stellar reputation, and I knew that their business model would best suit me as I could build personal relationships with my clients and I loved the Travel Counsellors ethos of always doing the right thing by the customer. After seeing the demo...
I worked for a large retail agency for eight years and I became more and more frustrated about it being all about the money rather than putting the focus on better servicing my clients. I decided to make the move and to join Travel Counsellors as they had a stellar reputation, and I knew that their business model would best suit me as I could build personal relationships with my clients and I loved the Travel Counsellors ethos of always doing the right thing by the customer. After seeing the demo I knew immediately that it was right for me and my customers. I was astounded by how much support head office provided. I didn't know much about how to run a business and was a bit worried about this aspect. But I didn't need to worry at all as Travel Counsellors assisted me through this, teaching me everything that I needed to know. I love the fact that I can run my own business within my own time frames with the backing of a professional company that gives me all the scope that I need and I don't have to worry about the back office. I love the fact that head office takes care of my back office, giving me more time to look after my clients to ensure that they get the very best service possible. My clients love that I have more time to spend with them. I am never on my own and my Travel Counsellor colleagues have become close friends. I really feel like I am part of one big happy family. We are all like-minded individuals who are passionate about travel and putting our customers interests at heart. I know that I can call on them day or night for any work related or personal matters. The tools and support that Travel Counsellors offers is just incredible. "With us it's personal" is our pay off line and we truly live it. The tools that Travel Counsellors provide help me to keep in touch with my customers and to build relationships with them, the training is outstanding and I have access to a business development executive who works with me on a one to one basis helping me to grow and build my business. The marketing is fantastic as it helps generate leads and referrals which result in increased sales. This year we have just had all our consumer websites overhauled at no additional cost. The Travel Counsellors brand name is grouwing stronger and we have just launched a short consumer film as well as a corporate version that is on our websites, in an eshot format and it's something we can also showcase at BNI meetings. The best part is that my business has grown consistently and I haven't had to spend any of my own money in building my business. I have simply used all the tools that Travel Counsellors provides. Phenix is a powerful weapon that sets us apart from all other travel providers. Within a few minutes we can dynamically create our own packages using special IT fares, accommodation, transfers, car hire and attractions. The best bit is that there is a default commission of 20% which I can move up or down. I can book this, take payment and issue vouchers 24/7 so I am in full control. I can offer my clients products that other agents in South Africa don't have and at an affordable price to my clients. The IT support is fantastic and I can simply pick up the phone any time of the day and night and someone from our head office team can log onto my laptop remotely and sort the problem out. As we are a global company operating in seven countries around the world - we have a 24 hour full support structure which is so reassuring to me. My proudest moment was being awarded gold status (earning in excess of R790,577 in gross commissions) in less than a year, at the global Gold Conference in Abu Dhabi last year - the sheer energy was like a million light bulbs under one roof.
I've always worked in the travel industry and I love it, especially now. I began my career in the airline industry and then later joined a large retail company where I worked my way up to becoming a travel manager. I came across Travel Counsellors' advert offering me the opportunity to start my own travel business from home. I am very family orientated and my family come first so this business opportunity attracted my attention. At that point of my career the stress of my job and the long hours...
I've always worked in the travel industry and I love it, especially now. I began my career in the airline industry and then later joined a large retail company where I worked my way up to becoming a travel manager. I came across Travel Counsellors' advert offering me the opportunity to start my own travel business from home. I am very family orientated and my family come first so this business opportunity attracted my attention. At that point of my career the stress of my job and the long hours often until after midnight were finally getting to me, and it frustrated me that it was taking me away from my husband and son, Rudi. I felt in my job that I was just a number pusher and it frustrated me that I was working in travel yet had never experienced any opportunities to travel! I made the call to Travel Counsellors' head office and they were helpful in giving me all the information and they also put me in touch with a Travel Counsellor so I could call and speak with them to find out their first-hand experience. This was very reassuring for me. Four months later I resigned as travel manager of a large retail agency and I joined Travel Counsellors the very next month. I was under the impression that I would earn less than when I was currently earning, but I was pleasantly surprised that just three months later, I was earning way more than before. Plus another surprise to me was the number of educationals that were now available to me. In my five years working for a large retail agency I hadn't been offered a single trip and I was only in my third month as a Travel Counsellor when I was given the opportunity to go on my first ever educational which was to Tanzania. It was an experience that I will remember forever! Since then I have been to Mauritius twice, once on an educational and another time when we had our annual conference. At that conference I was awarded 'Most Helpful TC' by my Travel Counsellor colleagues - this has to be my proudest moment ever! Travel Counsellors regularly put together team challenges made up of Travel Counsellors from around the world and I was fortunate to be in the winning team where we won an all-expenses paid trip to Kalkan! This year alone I have also been on an exclusive Travel Counsellors dedicated educational to Dubai in September and London in November. I also got to experience the global Travel Counsellors conference as well as to enjoy the sights of London and do my Christmas shopping! Travel Counsellors certainly knows how to put the fun back into travel! I love travel and I love getting the opportunity to experience destinations first-hand so that I can pass this information onto my clients. My business mix when I first started was leisure only. It has since changed to become more corporate. My business has grown through referrals. One of my leisure clients referred a corporate client to me and that corporate has since referred many more corporate clients to me. This is the biggest compliment that my clients can give me. One of the most rewarding moments to me is when my clients come back from their holiday and absolutely rave about their experience. Getting positive feedback from my corporate clients is what really makes me happy. I know that time is money and for a corporate client to take the time out of their busy schedule to thank me for arranging their travel that was seamless is hugely rewarding and satisfying. Phenix is my favourite tool provided by Travel Counsellors - it is our own in-house dynamic packaging system allowing me to tailor-make a travel package within minutes. It has over 70,000 quality hotels, transfers, car hire, city attractions, tours and theatre tickets all of which are available 24/7 for bookings and payment. Phenix offers my clients a great deal and the margin built in helps me to earn more. I love the fact that I know that I can offer my client a product that is right for them, as opposed to what is right for the supplier and I know that it has the best pricing offering for my client. Another favourite tool of mine is my contact centre which holds all my client information and sends me valuable prompts, for example, it sent me a reminder that one of my clients' passports was about to expire in 7 months' time. This gave me the opportunity to pick up the phone and to call my client to remind him that he would need to start the process of renewing his passport. He was blown away that I had remembered! The support from the head office team is incredible, from the three day induction training to the business development support and the marketing tools. I couldn't run a successful business without them. It's so reassuring to know that head office is only an email or phone call away. Head office is helpful and friendly, always cheering me on and wanting me to be successful. I work hard and have the perfect work/life balance. I believe in the phrase "if you love what you do - you will never work a day in your life". I love travel, I love helping my customers and I absolutely love being a Travel Counsellor! In my old job I felt tired and now I feel satified . I was unhealthy before but since joining Travel Counsellors I now have the time to make healthy meals and to pick up my interests once again. I have started running again and to date I have lost 20 kg's. I am so much more relaxed, I have more time to spend with my customers and my family and my personal satisfaction is at an all-time high - I am loving life! If you are hard working, love travel, love people and if you are passionate about offering your clients the very best in customer service then Travel Counsellors is for you. I would encourage you to pick up the phone and to give Travel Counsellors a call. They have changed my life for the better and they could change yours too.
All my family run their own business. From my mom and my dad to my brothers and sisters and it has always been something that I was aspiring to do. I actually fell into travel completely by accident I was studying IT and hated it. Without my knowledge my sister sent my CV into a large retail agency and the first I knew of this was when I got a call to come in for an interview. I went in for the interview and got the job I absolutely love travel and, especially after my first trip, the travel bug...
All my family run their own business. From my mom and my dad to my brothers and sisters and it has always been something that I was aspiring to do. I actually fell into travel completely by accident I was studying IT and hated it. Without my knowledge my sister sent my CV into a large retail agency and the first I knew of this was when I got a call to come in for an interview. I went in for the interview and got the job I absolutely love travel and, especially after my first trip, the travel bug bit hard Even since then it's been an absolute passion of mine. I continued working at this large retail company for a number of years. Whilst I learnt a lot, I became more and more disillusioned that their focus was more on the sales than on the people and customer service. It furstrated me that I couldn't spend the time that I wanted with each customer and each person I dealt with became a number in a queue that I had to get through as quickly as possible to reach a target. I was extremely successful but worked 12-14 hour days. There just wasn't enough time in the day! Because of this I was eating in the car on the way to work. When I was at work I didn't have time to prepare food so I'd grab fast food on the run and often got interrupted so I'd never eat at the same time during the day. I'd arrive home late in the evening and order food which resulted in unhealthy meals. I didn't have time to exercise as I was working 6 or 7 days a week. This finally started taking its toll on me and I started to break down; the relationships around me were suffering. As if it was meant to be, one night when I was at work late I saw the Travel Counsellors advert. It was like seeing a bright light at the end of the tunnel. The overall concept was incredibly attractive, particularly the part where you could run your own business from home. My biggest concern at this stage was the financial insecurity but I discovered that someone who worked previously for the same large retail agency as me, has joined Travel Counsellors. I immediately contacted her to find out her first-hand experience. I decided that this was exactly what I wanted to do and I made contact with the Travel Counsellors' head office team. It was meeting the team that made up my mind. I am a people-oriented person and I could see that everyone at head office shared my passion. My previous company was very good at training and, when I spoke to this ex-colleague, she spoke about Travel Counsellors being outstanding and that they offered the best support structure. My husband was extremely supportive of my decision so it was all systems go. When I joined Travel Counsellors the first year was challenging. I had to change my entire way of working and thinking and find out if I was driven enough to do this. The support of fellow Travel Counsellors and everyone at head office makes me very positive and inspired to be the best person I can be. The only decision you need to make is the one to fully commit and I have a lot of self-perseverance. I proved this to myself when I made a group booking of 120 people. I couldn't believe how easily the booking went; it was well over R1 million. The way of operating as a Travel Counsellor in comparison to what I was used to was very different. I feel so proud when I think back to one of my most memorable client experiences. I was able to go to a family's home for the first time and during this visit I got to hear what was most important to each family member. Each wanted to do something completely different. At my previous company it would have been about giving them the cheapest holiday option but I was able to tailor-make a holiday that incorporated all of them. After my clients came back I had a phone call with them where they were all shouting with excitement and talking over each other to tell me the favourite part of their holiday! Something that I always appreciate at Travel Counsellors is the fact that our products are always good quality so I no longer have to listen to disappointed phone calls. I don't have to do any of my own marketing over and above what Travel Counsellors offers. Most of my business comes from referral and I would say that on average I get about five new clients each month from referrals! I have so much more time on my hands as a Travel Counsellor. In my old company, when I got an enquiry I would immediately send the request to a tour operator but would have to wait at least 24 hours for a response and it would take me up to three days to get a quote out. With Travel Counsellors I can get at least three quotes out in one day. I have the time to do all the research on the destination and with Travel Counsellors' own in-house system Phenix, I am able to dynamically package and customise everything. Phenix is so simple and easy to use and it has enabled me to earn way more as well as saving my clients' money. As a result, I am earning more than when I was in salaried employment. On a personal note, once I had settled in I started to schedule my days so that I could go to the gym each morning and eat periodically. One day I saw myself on TV. My brother in law said "who's the girl who ate Nicci?" I weighed myself and then announced to my friends and family that my goal was to lose weight. Six months later and I had lost 30 kgs. I have maintained this weight and couldn't be happier! My bank balance disagreed as I had to buy a whole new wardrobe but, because I run my own business, I put in extra work so I was able to afford the spree! I wouldn't have been able to reach my goal otherwise. The reason I am where I am today is not only because of my sheer determination; it's beause I am a Travel Counsellor. The friendships at Travel Counsellors are incredibly strong and I would say that they are equally as strong as the friendships that I am able to have with my clients. I have three clients who call me at least once a week to talk and each of these clients only travel twice a year! It makes me smile over and over when I hear them saying what a huge difference I made in their lives. I have had to rescue clients when things went wrong and I love being there for them and being able to help. If I was to sum up my life in my old job I would say I was limited and now working as a Travel Counsellor I feel free! The transition was seamless!
It has always been a dream of mine to travel the world and as a result I decided to follow my dream and to pursue a career in travel. I initially wanted to be an air hostess but realised that it wouldn't be a feasible career for me, so I entered the travel world as a retail consultant as I absolutely love people and wanted to be dealing with them. I started working at a retail travel agency and then later moved to a more corporate office. I later left that and opened my own franchise in Benoni but...
It has always been a dream of mine to travel the world and as a result I decided to follow my dream and to pursue a career in travel. I initially wanted to be an air hostess but realised that it wouldn't be a feasible career for me, so I entered the travel world as a retail consultant as I absolutely love people and wanted to be dealing with them. I started working at a retail travel agency and then later moved to a more corporate office. I later left that and opened my own franchise in Benoni but this didn't work out so I went back to work at the corporate travel agency. I began thinking about joining Travel Counsellors in 2008. I had seen all the adverts and there was a lady who I worked with whose sister had just become a Travel Counsellor and she kept telling me how much she loved it and how succesful she was. What prompted me to start thinking about Travel Counsellors was that I needed a change in my lifestyle; the long hours were getting to me. I often had to work until 10 or 11pm at night, just depending on what needed to be done. I had to work both weekends and public holidays just to keep up to date with my work. This frustrated me as it was taking me away from my family. It meant that I was the parent who could never attend school functions and I resented missing out. My biggest fear in joining was - would I make it? Would I survive without a fixed income? I didn't really have a client base so where would I get the sales? But looking back now I am so pleased that I did it as I am earning may more than I had expected. I wanted to do something for myself so I signed up to attend the Travel Counsellors roadshow. I loved what I saw and I then contacted head office again for some more information and by this time I was sold - I knew it was for me. I was attracted to Travel Counsellors as I knew that I could still work very professionally from home, and have more time to better service my clients. I would have the flexibility which meant that I could be there for my family and to attend school functions but still be there for my clients. I loved the camaraderie that I could see in Travel Counsellors and I loved the fact that everyone stands together and that I am never on my own. The best advice that I was given when I was thinking about joining Travel Counsellors was to follow my dreams and to not be afraid. I was challenged to move out of my comfort zone and I knew I wouldn't be on my own. Working as a Travel Counsellor is very different to being a travel agent. I now have more time for my customers and it's not all about price. I have the time to spend with them, to really listen to what they want and to find out about the experience they are looking for. I am then able to go away and to do the research and find exactly what they want. I'm able to do far more for my clients than I was able to do before and I now have the time that I can give to my family. My client relationships have changed. Before it was impersonal and it was all about gtting them the information in the quickest time. But now with the additional time that I have and with the support and tools offered by Travel Counsellors, I can really get to know them better. My clients have now become close friends and I know them so well. At first I found the transition from being employed to being self-employed difficult, but as I got the hang of it and I learned the new systems, the transition was simple. I love the Travel Counsellor buddy system. If I need time out to attend a school function or to do something personal then I love the fact that I can phone my buddy and ask them to take care of my clients while i'm unavailable. My buddy works in the same manner I do, offering the same level of customer service - so it's an easy win. My proudest moments are always when I get a compliment from a client and whn they thank me for the work that I have done for them. On a personal level I set myself a target to achieve gold status within five years and I achieved this within three years. This was a phenomenal achievement to me. I have been blown away by the friendships that I have made at Travel Counsellors. It is absolutely awesome and there is such a special family feeling, it is quite remarkable and I have never experienced this at another company before. The highlight of my year is always the Travel Counsellors annual conference where Travel Counsellors from around the country all get together - the buzz is just incredible. Even the relationships that I have with the Travel Counsellors head office team is just like family. I love that they are there for me - cheering me on, encouraging me, challenging me and helping me to realise my dreams. My customers would describe me as being customer orientated, reliable, fast, efficient and friendly. Something that they really appreciate is that I am available to them outside of office hours. I have clients (doctors) who don't have the time flexibility and who can't meet with me during the day so they really appreciate the fact that I can visit them at their homes in the evening and go through all their travel requirements with them. Working from home has made it very easy for me to rescue clients. I once had a client phone at 2am - the customer had arrived at the hotel but the hotel couldn't find them on their reservation system and they wanted my client to pay again. My client called me to see what I could do. Despite the accommodation having been already booked, paid for and confirmed, I was able to call the hotel, speak to the manager and to send them all the proof and to get my client checked into the hotel. My clients keep coming back to me as service is everything to them. The training at head office is excellent and it keeps getting better. I would rate it 10/10. I love the various forms of training that are offered, from the eLearning which I can do in my own time, the investment that the company has made into my business with Anthony Iannarino and the regular road shows that we have. I absolutely love the road shows and getting together with the key head office staff - they encourage us, motivate us and show us new tools and train us on how to be better at what we do. They show us how we can earn more, they inform us of new deals and we get to meet with our Travel Counsellor colleagues and brainstorm ideas. I find this very beneficial. Something that I really like about Travel Counsellors is the fact that we are free to sell many suppliers and we don't have to work with preferred suppliers only, they simply have to be approved and this is due to our financial protection plan, which protects my clients' money in the event of a supplier failure. This now opens a much wider variety of property choices as well as a most varied option of prices. I now have a much better chance of finding exactly what my client is looking for. Before, with the limited range of product, I could only offer my clients the closest option but often not exactly how they wanted. Plus they have the added benefit of being financially protected. It's amazing to look back on how I have overcome my fears of not making it, I am so pleased that I took the leap. I am running a very successful business and over the past two years my sales have kept doubling year on year. I am earning more than three times than in my previous role and my client base keeps growing which helps my earnings to keep growing. If I was to give anyone who was thinking about Travel Counsellors any advice I would say - if you think that you have it in you to run your own business and it is a dream of yours then follow your dream; you won't look back!
I love our brilliant systems, marketing tools and the incredible support that I get from everyone at Head office. I have built such incredible relationships with my fellow Travel Counsellors over the past 6 years, who are now like family to me and they are always there when I need them.
Being a Travel Counsellor gives me more freedom financially, and I am able to have so much good quality time with my little girl, while running my business successfully.
"Travel is my passion"
Marijke Davel
"The induction training was wonderful."
Nina Gerdener
"I am never on my own."
Jennifer Moller
"I honestly love my job and everything that goes with it."
Donna Powell
I love the freedom I have to deal with my clients according to their needs, without having to report each move I make. It still takes a lot of work - make no mistake, but the difference is that what I put in is totally what I get out.
I can't tell you how much my life has changed! I love the fact that I can work my own hours, that I can be there for my family and that I have the most amazing clients and friends who have supported me.
One of the things I love best about Travel Counsellors is that even though you work on your own on a daily basis you still feel part of a huge family who genuinely cares about the well-being of each and every TC and their clients.
I am honestly very happy being a Travel Counsellor. No more working for someone else, leaving the office late and not even getting acknowledged for it. Being my own boss is fabulous!
I love our brilliant systems, marketing tools and the incredible support that I get from everyone at Head office. Being a TC gives me more freedom financially, and I am able to have so much quality time with my little girl, while running my business.
After having worked for 11 years at one of the biggest transactional-based consortiums, it is great to be a part of a company that still cares about their people - both TCs and clients, and not only about the money.
