It has been a year since I signed up with OA. Now is a great time to share my experience with you if you looking for a new host ( like I was) or are a new agent looking to join the tourism trade.
OA is a GREAT host. No doubt. Before joining them, I simply picked up the phone and called them to speak with the owner. I had zero expectation of this actually happening but was pleasantly surprised when Chad Burt came on the line and spent a good half an hour speaking with me and answering all my questions. I signed up the same day. It didn't take me much time to understand their systems and if I had a question, the OA staff was very quick with their email replies. Best way to communicate with them. They have brilliant internal systems set up for just this purpose. Agency staff and higher-ups are almost always available for insight and help as and when needed. They are highly professional ( yet super funny on socials). I had a chance to meet most of the staff at one of their TA conferences and the vibe is that of one big family. For new agents, they have mentors for initial support. Though I have industry experience, I still set up a call with a mentor just to test the new waters. It was a lovely call.
They have great contracts with vendors, resorts, and consolidators across the world. Their payment system is top-notch with very little room for confusion. Payments have been on time on expected dates. The split is also one of the best ( that I know of) ( Ex host had a terrible split and I wish I had known of OA before).
All in all, I highly recommend Outside Agents. It has been a great year with them.
Happy Travel!
I joined Outside Agents in late June and jumped in quickly to learn ALL I could learn. And while I’m a newbie who’s only currently sold $25k in August and September combined (I’ll get there!), I just wanted to come on here and type that I’m SUPER appreciative to all of the hard work that goes into these sites. If I need an answer to anything, it’s here! (Or in our Facebook group that I also adore!) Whether it’s in a training course, a discussion board, or within the suppliers themselves, I can find it here. And while I honestly feel like the best way to learn is to just get in there and start researching the suppliers and start booking, I would be remiss in not acknowledging how easy Outside Agents has made it for this old lady to finally pursue her dreams of being a part-time travel agent! (Hopefully FULL-time once I retire the 8-5 in 3 years!) I’ve ALWAYS loved travel all of my life and now nothing brings me more joy than helping others take that trip and make those memories.
Thank you for helping me get started. All of you!
We just finished our first year with Outside Agents after coming over from another host, and they have been fantastic. The ability to connect directly with the owners who treat you like family has been the number one thing we rave about. Since the our first call to them, they understood the importance of my wife and I maintaining the integrity of our agency as a true husband and wife team, not just an agent and a sub. Great job Steve, Chad, and family! Thank you for welcoming us!
I'm five months into my journey with Outside Agents. I chose them because they were the best value as far as I could tell, and the woman who inspired me to pursue this career recommended them after doing her research after having started with another company that was an MLM that she doesn't want to be affiliated with. I'm taking her to lunch tomorrow in appreciation for the recommendation, I feel like OA was a good fit for me. So far they've been pretty hands off with me, but that's kind of what I wanted while I got the business parts completed ... setting up the business, figuring out how to organize things, getting the inital training done and getting familiar with everything, getting my website set up, the whole nine yards, dang no wonder I'm tired, lol. I kid. Not really but OA made it so much better than it could have been. They will not hold your hand, don't expect that, I didn't even want that and suspect you don't either. But as you have questions, they will answer the ones related to their business. If it's related to YOUR business, that's all you. You are assigned a mentor after your initial training and because I'm still pretty early, I'm trying to get a feel for how that works. It's pretty incredible what a great system they have set up, for so many agents from so many backgrounds with such different levels of knowlege and experience. And they make it work. Oh, you need to know, they have a great system for handling pretty much any question you have that you can't find yourself. MOST of it is already documented and it's pretty easy to find your way around after you get the hang of it. But when you can't find the answer or you need something, you just submit an SOS ticket. Their SOS team is on top of it, they're quick with a response! I'm coming from a corporate background and am super impressed with their SOS team in comparison to the responses I've seen in the corporate world. I'm super early in and will come back and update later on. My advice so far would be to bet on OA and go for it!
I am really glad I signed up for this Host Agency! Outside Agents has made me feel welcome. I am new to the travel industry. There is a lot of great resources that I can use online & in person. At first the computer system is a little confusing but there is enough community support, plus there is support from Outside agents.
I am updating my review since I posted it a couple years ago. nothing has changed except I feel more as a family member than a number. I am here to stay. I have to say this was the best choice I made years ago to join Outside Agents. Through out my years here the staff and owners have been amazing, always in contact when needed and also just checking in to see if they can help grow my business. The reason I am writing this today is an encounter I had just the other day, I get up very early and at 6:05AM I sent a message about some commissions I couldn't track down, I wasn't expecting an answer until late in the day, BUT to my surprise Allison responded in less than 5 minutes at 6 in the morning with answers to my questions and resolved my issues. This is the type of team work and effort they go thru to help us as agents to grow our business. THEY HAVE OUR BACKS 100% (response time not typical but wow I was surprised ) This is the best decision I made for me and my business I started at a little over $125,000 now over 2.5 million a year, Thank you for helping me grow.
I have been an agent for 3.5 years. Outside Agents has been with me from the very beginning. The support that is offered not only by the OA staff but the entire community of agents is UNBEATABLE. I am a USAF veteran and I know a thing or two about camaraderie... the staff and other agents really are like a big family.
On top of that, I love the structure that OA has built. There is no pressure to hit a certain sales goal, no pushing to "recruit" (which I personally find recruiting to be an off-putting practice), and the training, tools, and events that help each agent be a better business owner are top notch. The knowledge that as a business owner, I can still reach out for help / problem solving at any time is just so reassuring!
On top of all of that, I loved starting out with one of the highest commission splits in the industry... 80/20! It took some time and hard work but now I am enjoying an even higher commission split. Plus we get paid weekly unlike some other hosts. We are a family of 6 so those weekly paychecks (when applicable) have been amazing!
I have done multiple FAM trips with suppliers and engaged with agents from many other host agencies... and to me it sounds like I definitely made the right choice based in my needs and the things I hoped to find with a host agency.
So happy I did my research before becoming a travel agent and joined the best host in the industry! Outside Agents has been amazing to work with and has allowed me to start a great career by working under them. Im just a year and a half in and I’ve already moved up a commission split level. They provide all the training needed to learn both their system and the supplier systems. I always get quick responses anytime I need help with something and receive on time commission payments.
I have been in and out of the travel industry for about 6 years now. I decided to join Outside Agents in 2021. And it has been so good for me. It is only recently I decided to take this and do it more full time. There is such a feeling of community within the agents with Outside Agents. I love the level of support within the management. The answer questions in a timely manner. They have great training. Easy to follow trainings online.
I joined Outside Agents in 2022 after using HAR to research my options. I decided on OA because of their training/support, low fees, and high commission split.
My goal was to make enough money to fund one cruise a year for my family. However, I quickly surpassed that goal with $500,000 in sales in my first full year.
The team at OA has been supportive and helpful whenever I contacted them and the in-person training is some of the best I've ever experienced regardless of the industry.
I highly recommend this Host Agency.
If you're contemplating a switch in your travel agency partnership, look no further than Outside Agents—my experience since joining just eight months ago has been nothing short of transformative. The unparalleled support from the owners and outstanding customer service has truly elevated my business. Their comprehensive training materials are a treasure trove of information, demonstrating just how committed they are to your success. In stark contrast to my previous host agency, where I often felt isolated and waited days for a response, Outside Agents has fostered a welcoming, collaborative environment. If you're seeking a host agency that prioritizes your growth and well-being, I wholeheartedly recommend Outside Agents; you won’t regret making this empowering choice!