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 By Michael Drever
President and CEO
What makes CruiseShipCenters unique among Host agencies?
I would have to say the ability to scale your business your way. As an agent you can grow from Independent Contractor to Home Based Franchise Partner and then become a Host to your own team of agents. From there, you may even choose to open a retail location.
Do all of these business models use CruiseDeskTM?
Yes, everyone operates on one system. We refer to CruiseDeskTM as Enterprise CRM because it integrates everything to do with managing the business: marketing, booking, invoicing, commissions and cash flow. Whether you are an agent or an owner/manager, to have everything at your fingertips with a single-entry system is a real benefit. E-tickets are even stored on CruiseDeskTM as part of the customer’s record, so the agent has the history and ability to e-mail them as needed.
Can an agent see a CruiseDeskTM demonstration before joining?
Absolutely! A basic overview takes about an hour. Sometimes we run longer because people get so excited, they ask to see many of the features we don’t normally have time to demonstrate in a standard presentation. To schedule a presentation time, please E-mail info@cruiseshipcenters.com.
How do you handle training?
We have a training department and a team of business development managers who provide ongoing education. All new Cruise Consultants complete a certification program through our International Cruise AcademyTM. This includes proficiency with CruiseDeskTM, marketing, sales and product knowledge. We work very closely with CLIA, so all of our people complete the training ready to be certified as Accredited Cruise Counsellors, with only the sales requirement to be completed.
CruiseShipCenters has attracted some high profile partnerships and industry veterans to your team, why do you think that is?
In terms of partnerships, The Magic Johnson Travel Group and the strategic investment from Expedia Inc. have really been an endorsement of the CruiseShipCenters system. By that I mean not just our agent-level technology CruiseDeskTM. It’s 70-plus support people who provide training, marketing services, business development support, group programs and our help desk. We have a proven business model and now it’s just a matter of putting it into the hands of more Independent Contractors and Franchise Partners.
As far as people, we attract talented individuals who are passionate about cruise vacations. I think it is CruiseShipCenters’ reputation and the way the company is growing that has people excited about joining our team.
What do you see in the future for CruiseShipCenters?
We set a goal to achieve 30% annual growth and we have hit that target every year for 20 years. The industry as a whole is in a very good position. Consumer demand is strong, the cruise lines have built a great product, and technology is making it easier for agents to better serve their clients. We need to continue to focus on bringing more sales people into the business and to develop the next generation of travel agency owners, whether they are Home Based or retail. We will also continue to add features to CruiseDeskTM based on the input from front line agents because in the end, it is their system.
For more information, call (877) 957-7327 or E-mail info@cruiseshipcenters.com
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