I was with a previous host agency for 7 years and had to fight to receive almost every dime I earned. So many excuses and delays and lack of Head Office support. My previous agency may have been around for 25+ years but their services took a nosedive during covid and never bounced back.
Because of this I decided to leave and joined TTAND about a year and a half ago and I can't begin to express how happy I am to have switched host agencies.
TTAND works WITH their Agents by providing prompt immediate support; you can make a call and speak to someone immediately or put in a support ticket if you don't need immediate action.
The Founder is just an email or phone call away, always! He has even taken my calls while sitting at an airport! How is that for support and caring for his agents?
TTAND walks walk you through everything if you are unfamiliar or have questions.
The difference in host agencies is like night and day! I'm so glad I made the switch and wish I had done it sooner!
Best move I have ever made in my travel career... TTAND is proactive, upbeat, always on top of the latest technology, trends etc and run by a super aweome team.....
I have just started my career as a travel consultant and I could not be more thrilled to have signed on with The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND). I talked to several other host agencies, but none were as supportive, informative, and responsive as Rhonda at TTAND. She really made me feel like a part of a great organization right from the beginning!
After signing up I completed the online training and the in-person training and I will say the in-person training was AMAZING!! I don't even know how I would have started without the training I was given. It was so beneficial to meet the support staff from all the departments and know that I was going to be well supported from booking to accounting to marketing!
I am just starting this journey but I can say without a doubt, I made the right choice. If you are new to the travel industry and the host agency you are considering does not offer in-person training I would strongly suggest looking to The Travel Agent Next Door.
I have been in the travel industry for over 12 years, 10 of those with another host agency. While I was quite happy with the support I received from the other host, when I heard from colleagues how The Travel Agent Next Door was going above and beyond what any other host in the industry was doing I decided to take a look. I was blown away with what was being offered by TTAND and decided to make the move. It was the absolute best business decision I have ever made. From Founder Flemming Friisdahl to the amazing team he has assembled, the support is incredible. I truly do not think I would still be in business these months since Covid-19 hit without the unwavering support of this host. Never before have I felt part of a family in this industry. I am proud my agency Xcursions is powered by The Travel Agent Next Door, and looking forward to continued successes ahead for my host, and all of the TTAND Family.
I interviewed many agents and managers for other host agencies after retiring from a major retail travel agency, before making my decision to join The Travel Agent Next Door. I liked the philosophy of win-win-win and being able to work with my husband in the travel industry was the deciding factor. As well as having had the privilege of working with Penny, Flemming & Rhonda in previous roles sealed the decision. The support office staff are highly qualified and professional. The whole support team works so hard to keep us all engaged in a tough year, we are so appreciative of all of them. Five years now and counting, blessed to be associated with TTAND
Why the Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND), you ask?
Your question is a fair one because trying to make the decision whether, or not, to change agencies (or Host Agencies) is a difficult and stressful one, even at the best or worst of times, since you do not know what to expect if you do make the decision to move!
Here's my take on switching to TTAND:
I was a cardiology RN until March 2013 when I came into the travel industry as a home-based agent, right from the start.
I was treated well by my previous agency but 3 years ago I decided to join TTAND at the advice of a friend, one also in our Host Agency Family.
This is the best decision I have ever made!
You have heard about the excellent support for agents - this is not an exaggeration! From the marketing; training; support; follow-ups by our founder, Flemming Friisdahl; monthly Town Hall meetings with Flemming and the lovely Penny Martin; webinars including motivational speakers and suppliers; contests for improving our fitness, as well as those for clients and essential workers, and ones benefitting underdeveloped countries, and efforts to volunteer within our communities, the support never ends.
Our professional support staff, a spectacular group, answer all of our queries forthwith, and the support from fellow agents across the country is also next-to-none.
The mandate of TTAND is to make life easier for their TRAVEL AGENT PARTNERS, so we can give the best service possible to our clients, and they do just that!
I could go on and on, but why not drop me an email with your questions about whether or not to join the best Host Agency out there for Canadian travel advisors?
dcooper@thetravelagentnextdoor.com
I have been very impressed and more than satisfied with the support and help from The Travel Agent Next Door. There's a genuine respect and desire to have us succeed in our business. It's better support than what you could ever hope to get in a "bricks and mortar" agency. The fees are more than fair and the attention to detail, listening to us with regards to suppliers we want to work with, commission structures and splits , our professional websites, the well being support during Covid and all we've been going through has been above and beyond. I would recommend The Travel Agent Next Door to anyone seeking to become a home based agent, whether experienced or a novice.
I am one of the Travel agents who work with my host agency The Travel Agent Next Door .I have 24 years in the Travel Industry and I carefully researched what was available in the Industry before signing up with TTAND in 2017. Many years ago I was a consultant doing research on the Home based agencies in Canada and the USA. I thought what a wonderful idea and I waited for a group the calibre of TTAND. This group is excellent in everything that they do.The supports are amazing ,updates ,pertinent Travel information, great relationships with suppliers and communiction communication communication to its Travelagents/agencies . They are always on top of situtations and make the Travel Agents feel like they are special .During this time of Covid we met 3 times a week and had the opportunity to ask questions and have discussions. From my perspective the communication is instrumental to the success of my business . I have to be informed. Our websites are very high calibre and clients comment on it all the time. The Marketing division is on the ball and keep us tech savvy . Great assistance with our Accounting and we can call and get live assistance all day.I personally think they are by far the best Host Agency today. I feel lucky to be part of this group!
I owned my own agency and its was in the family prior for 32 years before that. It took me over a year to make the move, to work under TTAND. I research every company and I heard nothing but good things from every person I talked to that was affiliated with them. Even reps, and wholesalers I spoke with would give me great reviews. Other companies like TTAND, I always got positive but also negative. I was moving to cut cost on my billing system, and countless hours I spent tracking commissions, and to cut cost with book keepers, etc.... It was an easy decision for me to make in the end and "THE BEST POSSIBLE ONE I HAVE MADE SINCE"!
From the support staff to the company owner, and everyone else that makes this company work the way it does. Are nothing less than AMAZING!
The Travel Agent Next Door is my first introduction to the travel business. I came across them while I was doing online search for host agencies and they stood out head and shoulders above so many others, especially in terms of support they offer to agents. I have been with them since December 2019, a few months before Covid disrupted travel, and during Covid. I am happy I chose The Travel Agent Next Door because they always have the agent in mind and go out of their way to help and support us. It is a friendly, warm and fun company with wonderful people, and there is always someone you can reach out to when you need assistance. During these tough times, The Travel Agent Next Door has been tirelessly explaining things to us and keeping us current with travel and government updates, supporting us in many different ways and creating exciting activities to get us motivated during Covid. From management all the way across the company, The Travel Agent Next Door is a fair and positive agency. I totally encourage you to consider them as a host agency. I have not regretted being an
agent of The Travel Agent Next Door.
I started in the travel business in 2006. The Travel Agent Next Door is my third host agency that I have joined. I have to say they are the best by far. I have been with them for 5 years and I will never leave. We are treated like family, by Flemming (who personally calls each and every one of us every six months to see how we are doing and if we have any complaints or changes we would like to see). The rest of the executive team as well as the support office are some of the great and most helpful people in the industry. There is never a dumb question. As for the other agents, I have found them to be wonderful, very helpful and they are not afraid to share their knowledge with you. Since the whole COVID thing started TTAND has been with us the whole way, keeping us up to date on things once, sometimes twice a week. They will always have your back. They are encouraging and want to see all their agents succeed. They are the best host agency out there. You will not regret joining this wonderful group of people.