Event Interviews – CoNexion Travel Professional Conversations

Insights from Success Stories and Industry Leadership

 

Interview X April Marshall

 

 April Marshall, Owner
5 Star Travel
Lubbock, Texas
april@5StarTravel.vipOwner

 

I had the opportunity and honor to interview April Marshall, Owner of 5 Star Travel who is the proud recipient of the 2024 Rising Star Award in the United States. April was chosen by Nexion’s leadership team for her impressive achievements as a newer travel advisor. It was great to learn a bit more from April about her journey and to learn more about how she manages her business. Enjoy this interview and learn more about her strategies for success.

 

Joanie: “Can you tell me about your experience in the travel industry?”

April: “I have only been a travel advisor professionally for about 13 months, however, I have been fortunate to travel all over the world before entering this amazing and fun career.  My family and friends always relied on me to help them plan vacations and tours and ask for ideas on where to go.  After I realized that my son was in high school and was going to be driving, I thought I better find something to keep myself busy but also allow flexibility to travel for my son’s baseball games.”

Joanie: “I love this. One of the amazing benefits of operating your home based agency is having the ability to work around your families schedules and enjoy a great work/life balance. So, what types of trips have you specialized in?”

April: “I originally thought I would specialize in cruising as I have been on at least 15 cruises. However, I have found that my clientele enjoy large family vacations, milestone birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoons. I will continue to do as much as I can while I can, as I absolutely love what I do.”

Joanie: “How do you handle difficult clients or situations where things don’t go exactly as planned during a trip?”

April: “I have found that there are some people who you will never be able to please as their expectations are unrealistic based on their budget, timing, accommodation request etc.  I have tried to provide difficult clients as many options as possible based on their preferences and if they are still aren’t satisfied, then I tell them that I might not be able to assist them in their request.  This has only happened to me one time with a honeymoon couple.”

Joanie: “That is a great strategy April. While we want to strive to help them all with their plans, sometimes we have to learn how to say no. What destinations are you most familiar with and are there any regions or types of travel you prefer to focus upon?”

April: “The destinations I am most familiar with really vary quite a bit from Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, cruising, Caribbean, Mexico, United States, Mediterranean etc. I prefer to focus on places I have been so I can provide personal expertise and experiences with my clients, however, I am able to tap in to numerous resources to provide the best possible experience to plan for my clients.”

Joanie: “Which booking platforms and tools are you most comfortable with?”

April: “Nexion provides their travel advisors with the best training and support. With the amazing list of preferred vendors, there are many options to use for booking.  Agentmate is where I book my clients but I use numerous suppliers for my reservations.”

Joanie: “Nexion does offer their advisors such amazing tools to help them grow and succeed. It is great that you are utilizing those tools so effectively.”

“It is hard to stay up to date on the many industry changes and destination offerings. To that end, how do you stay updated on the latest travel trends and industry changes and can you give an example of how you’ve applied this knowledge to benefit your clients?”

April: “I stay updated with the latest and greatest on the travel industry by checking my Nexion News daily, attending conferences, attending webinars, reaching out to my Business Development Managers, Traveling to new places, basic news, networking, travel outlets and social media. I have been able to apply updated travel news to my clients such as, informing clients of union strikes, civil unrest, hurricanes/storms, Passport Rules, Visas, e-tickets etc.”

Joanie: “How do you approach selling travel packages and/or upselling additional services to clients?”

April: “I have found that my clients trust me to book them with the best possible pricing for their preferences and budget.  I always offer additional options to add to their package such as transfers, tours, photography, travel protection, etc.  Sometimes, clients don’t know what other options there are and that is why they depend on a travel advisor to help them have an easy, smooth travel experience.”

Joanie: “Being a travel advisor is such a rewarding role to play, however there are some challenges that can arise. Can you provide an example of a challenging travel issue you’ve resolved for a client? What steps did you take to ensure a positive outcome?”

April: “I recently had clients cruising out of Hawaii, however they were flying in 3 days prior to embarking on their cruise.  Unfortunately, there were tropical storms brewing around the Hawaiian Islands.  Then, on top of that, there were thousands of union hotel employees in Oahu that just happen to go on strike 2 days prior to their departure and their resort was on of the hotels affected.  I immediately called the hotel and asked what, when, how, and where the strike was going to affect my clients stay at the resort.  Once I talked with management at hotel, I felt comfortable with relaying the message to my clients that more than likely the strike would be over the day of their arrival or possibly the next day.  I wanted to be as transparent and honest as possible of the information received that hopefully only daily housekeeping and some restaurants may not be staffed adequately. My clients were completely understanding and at peace with my phone call.”

Joanie: “Your clients are very fortunate that you were in their corner and staying on top of those changes and potential challenges for them. How do you see yourself collaborating with other agents within the Nexion family?”

April: “Nexion is so amazing with providing support.  We are able to collaborate with other advisors through Nexion Town, Social Media, conferences, webinars, reaching out to BDM’s for our suppliers.  There is always someone out there that can help. Nexion also provides a Member Services number and email to address any issues.”

Joanie: “What do you think is the key to successful teamwork in this environment?”

April: “The key to successful teamwork is communication.  Nexion is great at informing, training, supporting, empowering their advisors and encouraging each of us to network to be more successful.”

Joanie: “What are your long-term goals in the travel industry and how do you see your role evolving within Nexion Travel Group?”

April: “My long term goals with Nexion are continuing to learn and educate myself with everything new.  I want to constantly soak up as much knowledge as possible so I can exceed my client’s expectations. I want to continue to travel as well and learn more about culture, food, history, architecture, geography of all places in this majestic world. I don’t want to be stagnant or become obsolete.  I want to be fresh and updated. My main goal is to have happy clients because of the services I have provided them.”

Joanie: “Your information here will be so insightful to others and I thank you for this and for your time. Our congratulations to you on your success April. I hope we can chat again next year and revisit where you are in your journey.”

 

Interview X  Helayne Hauw

 

 Helayne Hauw, Travel Consultant
Nexion Canada, ULC
LONDON, Ontario, Canada
HRHauw@nexioncanada.com

 

I am here at CoNexion 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana with Helayne Hauw a Travel Consultant with Nexion Canada. Helayne has been awarded the coveted Ambassador Award at this year’s conference and it is truly an honor to get to know her and her story. This award is the highest honor given to a member who exemplifies success, involvement and dedication to Nexion’s values and suppliers.

 

Joanie: “What inspired you to become a travel advisor, and how did you get started with Nexion?”

Helayne: “I have always had a passion and a love for travel. My parents started us traveling when we were very young and so it just continued as an adult. I had a previous career with the federal government in Canada as a labor inspector so this was a totally different career move. I retired and took a travel course just for the fun of it. I thought I’d like to travel more when I retired so this seemed like a good fit. One of the projects in school was to research home based travel agencies. I went to a travel show locally and that is where I met Mike Foster, the president of Nexion Canada. Nexion Canada had a booth at the show and we chatted about the project I was doing. I was basically interviewing him. After this conversation I was thinking maybe I should go in the travel business myself. I could start small with friends and family helping them arrange their trips. The rest is history as it has just grown from that point and here we are 10 years later.”

Joanie: “You knew that you were looking for a host agency and had met Mike Foster, the President of Nexion Canada. Did you look into any other options at that time?”

Helayne: “Oh yes, with my previous investigative work with compliance, I interviewed 5 or 6 other travel agencies to consider. I met several people and it just felt to me that there was no connection for me there. So, I made an appointment to meet with Mike and I was so impressed that he agreed to meet me in person as he was the President! He spent an hour with me. He knew I had no background in travel. Meanwhile, he has 30 or more years of experience. He just made me very comfortable that there would be a soft landing for me at Nexion if I needed in case I perhaps fell off the ledge. They have dedicated trainers with Nexion Canada and it just felt like the right decision for me to go with them.”

Joanie: “When you started with Nexion Canada, how many agents were part of the program?”

Helayne: “When I started with Nexion, I think there was maybe 80 agents or so and now they have over 500 in Canada. It has been amazing to be part of that growth. However, even with a number like this I still feel as if we all get the support and attention we need to succeed. There is a family feel to the group.”

Joanie: “What key factors do you think have contributed to your success as a top selling travel advisor with Nexion Canada?”

Helayne: “I never think of myself as a top seller. However, I truly believe it is the connections I have had the opportunity to make and to build upon that have contributed to my success. I started selling to just family and friends and then it continued to grow over time. For example, I am traveling to Antarctica soon and I simply mentioned it to a few people and next thing I know I have a group of over 16 coming with me. My clients like to travel with me I guess! I also have connections from where I used to work and ex-colleagues who book travel with me. I think that my background in compliance also helps with my business. I am very detail oriented and that is so important when selling travel. Reading and understanding insurance documents, group contracts and policies is very important.”

Joanie: “How do you choose which suppliers and destinations that you recommend to your clients?”

Helayne: “These types of events and other travel conferences are very helpful when learning about suppliers and new product offerings. I have been coming to CoNexion for 10 years and feel it has been such a benefit to me. Meeting the suppliers in person and making that connection with them can be very helpful should you ever need additional support or assistance. The face to face with my peers and the suppliers is very important to me. You can text and email all you want, but making those face to face connections are invaluable. During COVID it was so helpful to have already made contacts with suppliers and then I knew who to reach out to when I needed to deal with cancellations, refunds, etc.”

Joanie: “What do you think are some of the biggest challenges that you have faced through your career when you’ve been planning trips for clients, and how do you overcome those challenges?”

Helayne: “I would say sometimes people expect discounts and special deals just because they are my friends. I know that sounds silly, but it happens. Or they may ask why do I charge a service fee? I have to explain to them the value of my knowledge and experience and how important that is to making their vacations what they hope they will be. My travel and sales experiences are really valuable to them. This is based on me having been there at a hotel or perhaps I know the hotel manager. I make sure my clients are taken care of.”

Joanie: “You stay updated, of course, on all the latest travel trends, the deals, and destinations by coming to events like this but when you’re in Canada how do you keep up on all the many changes in destinations, tours and other travel options?”

Helayne: “I am not a fan of Zoom meetings but of course that is one way we keep up with things. I also make an effort to get out to the lunch and learn events in my area. Nexion also does so many great webinars and offer so many continuing educational opportunities.”

Joanie: “Can you share a memorable client experience where you felt like you went above and beyond to meet their needs?”

Helayne: “I have so many wonderful and happy success stories. However, what comes to mind is what a friend and client of mine recently shared with me. He said he never really realized how much I do behind the scenes to make a trip come off without a hitch. He said until he went on a trip without me as the guide, he never really understood all that I do. He said that I make it seamless.”

Joanie: “Is there anything that you use in your day-to-day operations that you really love that is one of the benefits with the Nexion program? They have such amazing tools and resources for their advisors.”

Helayne: “The CBO (Client Base Online) is so valuable. At first I really did not want to learn it or use it, but my husband told me I had better start as if I did not do it I would not get paid. He was right! Well, and we’re just talking about the CBO client based online, which we need to do for any of our invoicing. At the very beginning, I thought it was very difficult. I have finally mastered it and am so nervous that it might change. At my age, change is a bit more challenging to accept. Technology is my challenge, but I am getting better at it every day.”

Joanie: “What advice would you give to a new travel advisor who is just getting started with Nexion?”

Helayne: “I sometimes try to take new agents under my wing when they get started as I remember those first days when I was a newbie. I also recommend that they attend this event, CoNexion. Learning from their peers, meeting the operations staff and all the suppliers is invaluable. There is so much that we learn from each other. We just need to be open to the many possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead of us in our travel careers.”

Joanie: “Thank you so much for your insight Helayne and for sharing your vision with our readers.”

 

Interview X  Jackie Friedman

 

 Jackie Friedman, CTIE
Nexion Travel Group
President

 

Each year when we cover the CoNexion Event I always look forward to the opportunity to interview my friend and colleague, Jackie Friedman. She is a powerhouse in our industry and has led Nexion Travel Group to success through the years. Not only is she one of our industry’s great leaders but she is also one of the nicest people you will ever meet. Join me here as we catch up with Jackie Friedman.

 

Joanie: “The growth and success you have achieved over your years with Nexion is remarkable. What inspired you at the beginning of your Nexion journey to accept the role as President? How has your vision for the company evolved over time?”

Jackie: “My start with Nexion was an interesting one. I was working for Sabre, and they had just acquired the business to help jumpstart a new consortium that they were launching called Jurni Network (that later became Nexion). I was invited to apply for the position and was up for the challenge. In May 2004, I temporarily relocated to San Jose, California to assess the best way to move the operation to Sabre’s headquarters in Texas. At the time, they were just under 700 Nexion members.

What started at as a job evolved into a passion. I was inspired by the opportunity to be a part of the journey for so many small, entrepreneurial travel advisors. A real turning point came after Nexion was acquired by Travel Leaders Group (now Internova) in 2010. That transition gave me the opportunity to evolve as a leader with the size, strength and experience of our parent company behind me. Suddenly, we could offer our members the resources of one of the world’s largest companies serving travel advisors.

My vision has always been smart growth. We want to grow of course, but it needs to be done with a purpose. To do that, I have surrounded myself with a team of talented people who are focused entirely on helping our advisors grow their businesses. Very early on, I realized that we would only be successful if they were.”

Joanie: “How do you differentiate Nexion from competitors in the host agency sector?”

Jackie: “There are a number of great host agencies out there. Arguably, it is the fastest growing segment of our industry. At Nexion, we are focused on providing tools, resources, programs, and education to help our members manage and grow their own businesses.

I believe that our breadth of business development and education programs are industry leading. Our team truly understands adult learning and provides a wide variety of options for advisors of every level. We offer instructor-led virtual campus and online training options for those new to the industry. We follow that with individual and group coaching sessions to help them launch their businesses. We also have them attend either live or virtual five-day Essentials classes once they have a few months of experience.

All of our advisors have access to a robust learning management system with well over 1000 pieces of content to help them along their developmental journeys. Add to that 4 to 5 weekly webinars, multi-day specialty training programs, one-day trainings, regional meetings, and our annual CoNexion conference, we have business development opportunities for advisors at all experience levels.

We have also continued to evolve our marketing programs to help our advisors retain and acquire customers. We build our programs on top of the foundation of the Travel Leaders Network offerings (like Agent Profiler and Cruise Complete). Our programs include omni-channel consumer marketing, social media tool kits, lead generation programs and customized marketing creative asset development.

Nexion is a home for advisors who sell both leisure and corporate travel. We have commissionable air programs for both GDS and non-GDS users. GDS users can access Sabre, Amadeus or Travelport+. Non-GDS users have access to a graphical booking tool where they can book air, car and hotel reservations.

When it comes to differences, our members often list out the things I mentioned, but they often mention an intangible feeling that comes from being part of Nexion, a real sense of belonging and family. That comes from, I believe, the team here. They are the heart and soul of Nexion, and drive the member experience, not only with their professional expertise, but with their willingness to welcome, listen and make every member feel heard and valued.”

Joanie: “What key trends do you see shaping the future of the travel industry, and how is Nexion preparing to adapt?”

Jackie: “One thing I know for sure, is that the role of the travel advisor is becoming more relevant and more important than ever. Even in this age of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, nothing can replace the human connections that advisors have with their clients.

Successful advisors will understand that they need to embrace some of these technologies to manage some of their administrative tasks, so they can spend more time curating travel experiences for their clients. There is really nothing to be afraid of, as long as you see these new technologies as tools to help you, not to replace.

Given the changing landscape, we are seeing more and more advisors specializing and finding a niche that is aligned with their expertise and passion. I always tell members to do more with less—that is, to find your niche and become an expert, instead of trying to be all things to all people.

We are also seeing many of our members wanting to grow their own virtual agencies by adding either employees or independent contractors. We want to continue to provide the training and resources to support those efforts.”

Joanie: “You have such strong relationships with the supplier community. How do you manage and maintain those relationships with travel suppliers on behalf of the Nexion members?”

Jackie: “First and foremost, we never forget that this is a relationship business. The most successful partnerships result in growth for all parties involved: the advisor, the supplier, and Nexion. Because of the size of the Nexion network, we need to make sure that we have preferred partnerships that meet the needs of most. We will only enter into an agreement if we truly believe that we can help that partner grow our mutual business.

We engage with our partners at several different levels of their organization. First and foremost, we want to make sure that our advisors have the support that they need to grow their sales with that partner. There has been tremendous progress made by suppliers with supporting hosted advisors across the country. Second, our team of Industry Relations Directors meet regularly with their partners to discuss strategies and tactics to grow our mutual businesses. Finally, our leadership team has developed strong relationships with the executive teams at our preferred partners.

To me, it is simple. The most successful relationships occur when both parties take the time to understand each other’s goals and objectives and seek win-win relationships.”

Joanie: “What are the biggest challenges host agencies face in the current travel market, and how are you addressing them at Nexion?”

Jackie: “In today’s environment, there is more interest than ever from people intrigued by the idea of becoming a travel advisor. I think that is a fantastic thing for our industry, but it needs to be managed. The role of the travel advisor is more complex than ever before, since they have to wear so many hats from running a business to processing reservations and everything in between.

Host agencies need to carefully vet prospects to ensure that they understand what is involved in starting a travel business. We also need to set clear expectations that it will take at least a year if not more to earn an income because of the timing of commission payments. The truth is that many new entrants underestimate what it takes to be successful in this business.

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), where I am currently Board Chair, is working to promote greater professionalism for their members, and Nexion is an avid supporter of this. We want to make sure that the barriers remain low enough that anyone interested can explore the option of being a travel advisor, but we also need to make sure that those same barriers don’t let just anyone call themselves an advisor. The concept of professionalism, in the same way that a financial advisor or a therapist needs to adhere to, will be one of the more important issues our industry faces. Professionalism is the way forward.

Another challenge that host agencies face is finding opportunities to increase operational efficiencies as our networks grow so that advisors can focus efforts on selling travel. From document distribution, to commission processing, to issue resolution, our support infrastructure is critical to the success of our members.

Finally, the need for fraud awareness continues to become more and more important. Our team lives by a “see something, say something” philosophy. They know to look for many of the red flags that could indicate fraudulent bookings. We are constantly communicating fraud prevention best practices to minimize instances of advisors falling for phishing attempts from fraudsters trying to gain access to their credentials.”

Joanie: “What opportunities do you see for growth and expansion in the coming years? Are there any new initiatives or other opportunities you’re particularly excited about?”

Jackie: “Our plan is to continue along our trajectory of steady growth by recruiting new advisors, and helping existing advisors grow their businesses.

This year we had a focus on launching new programs to help advisors become more effective marketers. This includes our Marketing Expert coaching program where members of our team work one on one with advisors to ensure they are capitalizing on the opportunities available to them. We also launched a program called The Marketing Lab, where they can have our team create marketing assets like logo creation or social media reels on their behalf. Finally, we continue to grow our Business Success Journeys coaching programs.”

Joanie: “You have such an amazing sense of family and loyalty at Nexion. How do you foster a positive and motivating work environment for your advisors and staff?”

Jackie: “At Nexion, we truly are a family. I believe we have something special. It does not surprise me that our best leads for new advisors come from those who are already a part of our network.

We build this dynamic in several ways. First, we offer a wide variety of live events that our members can attend to meet our staff, partners, and other advisors. Some of these are smaller in nature, providing them with opportunities to connect with like-minded colleagues. The granddaddy of them all is our annual CoNexion conference. Each year, I encourage our advisors to expand their networks. We offer solo tables for those attending alone to connect with others in a similar situation, and these are proven to be extremely successful.

We have established local Nexion Networks. These are advisor-led and offer them opportunities to connect with other members in their local areas. Some of these networks have emerged around a demographic like young professionals or a psychographic like military veterans and spouses.

We have an online community called Nexion Town where members can collaborate in a variety of special interest groups.

Nexion also started a peer-to-peer accountability program called Forward Motion. Advisors can pair up with others in our network that may be working towards goals and objectives and hold each other accountable.

Finally, we attend a number of industry events and find opportunities to bring our advisors together. I often hear from advisors, that when they connect with other Nexion members at larger events, they feel like they are “home.” We truly are a community. Another way that we develop that sense of community is through the Family Bonds Foundation, where I am also President. This charity gives grants to those in need, and they don’t need to be part of Nexion or travel at all—just nominated by someone in travel. We had someone who was given a grant come on stage at CoNexion to share her story, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. What really made an impact to those in the audience is that it was their donations that helped her out in a tough spot. We take care of each other and our communities at Nexion.”

Joanie: “What qualities do you believe are essential for a successful travel advisor in today’s travel environment?”

Jackie: “The travel advisor of today is very different than what the profession was like when I started 40 years ago. They need to wear a variety of hats spanning from business ownership to travel planning and administration. To me, one of the most critical skills is the ability to connect with people. Successful advisors are skilled at listening and taking the time to truly qualify customers to find the best experience to meet their needs. By making themselves referable, they can grow their network of clients through word-of-mouth. Today’s advisor also needs to find a healthy balance between working on their business and working in their business. I always recommend that they allocate a certain portion of their time to growth strategies that will help them acquire new customers. Other important qualities are organizational skills, attention to detail, and effective problem resolution abilities. They also need to establish the appropriate systems and processes for day-to-day management of customer bookings, administrative tasks and client relationships.”

Joanie: “As a leader in the travel industry, what is your personal philosophy on travel, and how does it influence your approach to business?”

Jackie: “I believe that those of us that are lucky enough to travel have a better understanding and appreciation of other cultures, and that ultimately makes them better global citizens. There is no doubt that I have had personally numerous opportunities throughout my career to travel to amazing destinations and I consider myself blessed. The ability to travel and see the world is truly the best education one can have.”

Joanie: “What is the most memorable trip you’ve taken, and how has it impacted your perspective on the travel industry?”

 

 

Jackie: “Probably one of my most memorable travel experiences was my river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia. Visiting small villages along the river and connecting with locals was magical. I remember stopping in one village, and having two small children each take one of my hands, and escort me up the hill to a shrine. We couldn’t communicate through language, but I felt so connected to them by just looking in their eyes and seeing their smiles. Another day, we visited a small schoolhouse, and I had an opportunity to meet with two boys who shared their dreams for the future. Although I love seeing the sites, tasting the cuisine, and enjoying beautiful destinations, the connections I make with people are often the most memorable. As an industry, we are blessed to be able to help travelers find those experiences that can truly change their perspective of the world. We are selling products that people want to buy.”

Joanie: “Thank you Jackie for your insightful and thoughtful answers. It is always such a pleasure to catch-up with you. We appreciate your support of Travel Professional NEWS and we look forward to CoNexion 2025.”

 

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