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INDUSTRY
I research host agencies for a looong time. My criteria included consortia, leads, costs, sales quotas, training, access to host owners/managers, Sabre access, and commission split.
I decided my preferred consortia were Signature and Ensemble. Lead became a "no" once I understood tat those leads may pay less commission and the customers would not be my customer. I am re-entering the travel industry after a couple of decades of doing little travel work. So - I am not a newbie, but will need some hand-holding and encouragement. When I joined ICT, I was still working a fun-time job and knew I would have little to no sales for months.
I chose ICT because the cost to get started was low. The financial outlay was very small - and no monthly fees. ICT does not have a monthly, quarterly, or yearly sales quota. That was one of my main questions to Robert before I joined.
The commission split is lower than I would prefer, but until I am booking $1M+ in sales, I am fine with the split. If I want to increase my commission, I need to look at preferred suppliers for ICT and Ensemble that provide a higher commission percentage. Sabre is also an option at ICT.
ICT is a FAMILY RUN business. Any question I have is answered by Robert, the head of the agency. If I have concerns, he is a phone call away to discuss my question. ICT has a Facebook group where agents post questions or concerns. Half the time, Robert also answers these questions. The other agents at ICT are soooooo helpful. They answer questions, give suggestions, will assist other agents when needed. They have all become family.
ICT is the perfect host for someone who wants to run his or her agency as they see fit. ICT will not hold your hand. But ICT will help and provide guidance. So for a brand new agent, ICT may not be a fit unless that new agent is making sure he or she is learning from other people/teachers in the industry.
Being on your own per se can be disconcerting. But if you reach out, ICT is there to assist.
As a business owner, I appreciate having the ability to run my business without having parameters the host agency requires. I can create my own website. Commissions are paid on time. Plus, I am now part of a new family on whom I can and do depend. ICT is an ideal host for me.
New Agents - if you are willing to be courageous and put yourself out there, we are here to help you. And we believe in you. You will feel that camaraderie here.
I have been in the business for 34 years, right out of Travel School, and did the 9-5 thing, working for a few different Travel Agency's where I could be face to face with the excited honeymooners and the like .... well, as some of you could probably guess, when the opportunity arose for me to work from home as an alternative.... I jumped !! I opened up the back of a Travel magazine and saw Incentive Connection Travel's ad for agents looking for a Host Agency. I called and spoke with Robert for a very long while ... I was onboard before the end of the day.
May 18, 2012 was my first paycheck and the rest is history !! It did not take long at all to climb the very fair commission-split ladder ! They start you off at a much better percentage than that of any other Host Agency out there and in no time you can count on the final 80/20 split ! It's incentive enough for me to keep plugging away and building my business !!
The entire Siamon Family is amazing ! Always happy and willing to assist with just about anything ! I read on these reviews where someone posted he wonders if Robert ever gets any sleep .... I have to agree !! I'm on the East Coast and he is up and at em bright and early every morning checking his e-mails !! Working with Incentive Connection Travel has been nothing but a pleasure !! Pretty much you handle your own business and have access to a lot of tools and contacts to keep your business going smoothy and productively !!
I will work for them until my fingers cannot type any more ... or until my eyes stop working ! I'm in it to win it !! In for the long haul !! You would NOT be disappointed with making Incentive Connection Travel YOUR choice for a Host Agency .....
Best of luck to you !!!!
Sincerely,
Doreen Cappellini Bonczek
Words can not express how wonderful Robert, Harvey, and all the staff at ICTravel are. I was with another host agency before this one and I felt like I was an afterthought. Since joining ICTravel I feel like I am part of a family. When I did something wrong instead of being scolded about it, I was called by the office and was walked through, step by step, the proper procedure. Anytime I have a question, day or night, it is answers promptly. I sometimes wonder if Robert ever sleeps.
Robert truly is in business to support his agents and you can feel the respect he has for us in everything he does. Joining ICTravel was the best move I ever made.
I am probably the newest member to join ICT, but I have 22 years industry experience, from inside travel agent working for someone else, to Director of Operations for a multi-location Travel Agency, to Owner/Operator of my own Travel Agency/Tour Company. Today..."times they are a-changing"! So I set out in search of a host agency. After a great deal of searching, I was personally invited to the Annual Incentive Connection Travel Family Convention this year, and I just returned. I did a lot of research prior to landing on ICT as my choice, but the "deal was sealed" after attending the Convention.
ICT hosted the most professionally orchestrated function, spanning a 4 day period, at a great Scottsdale Resort, featuring a plethora of industry speakers, filling us all with wonderful food and drink, allowing us to learn and experience new and profitable tools of the trade, making everyone involved feel like the "family" that they treat you as......and all this to help their hosted agents learn, grow, and succeed.
I look forward with great anticipation to the new experiences I will have as a hosted agent with Incentive Connection Travel. I have full and complete trust in this company to provide everything they promise, and it will help me to continue to be the travel professional that I have invested so many years in.
I will post again a year from now, and give you an update!
Incentive Connection Travel is a great host agency. They are easy to work with, provide agent support and tools to help grow your agency. The costs associated with being a member are reasonable and the commission split is fair. They are a family-owned business and treat their agents like family. They are always available and ready to assist. They have a chat forum via email as well as a Facebook page for agents to help each other, provide reviews on properties/destinations, etc. They pay commission on time. I've been very happy with this agency and highly recommend them.
We have been in the travel business almost three years. I knew I would need some guidance when I started. I searched for an host agency and after reviewing several I decided to try Incentive Connective Travel. I could not have made a better decision. The company is a family owned and run with the same care and concerns as if they were part of my own company. I came from a business that was family owned and the one thing who else would you trust if not your own people. They pay on time and have always been there for me.
Donald
I have been with ICT for over 10 years and find it to be the perfect host for my upscale agency. I did try another host for a year, but found that it wasn't a good fit. Commissions are paid promptly and we have a large number of preferred suppliers, but can book any supplier with no reduction in commission percentage. Membership in the Ensemble Travel Group is included and is a huge benefit.
I highly recommend this host for any experienced agents. If you are a complete newbee looking for a host to train you, ICT is probably not for you.
I have been with this agency for 10 years. I have been with other host agencies that weren’t great fits. This is the best host agency. This family of owners gives the most support of any host agency I have been with. Their website is filled with tools we need to make our business successful. When you call they take the time to help you and if you email, you get prompt replies. If you need a host agency that values you, this is the one.
Incentive Connection Travel is the very best Host Agency! What they represent to do, is exactly what they do. They are professional, supportive, and completely TRUSTWORTHY.
I started with Incentive Connection Travel when I first got into the industry and had a pretty horrible experience. I found support to be 0, getting paid for commissions next to impossible, and if you want to actually get one of these "family members" on the phone, forget about it. Getting passwords to suppliers websites took weeks and I was repeatedly overcharged for various fees. My experience was probably further soured due to the fact that I was new with limited experience and could have used extra support which was not available. I admit I have no grounds for comparison as I have been blissfully independent since 2011.
My wife (Paula) and I entered the travel field in 1997 and joined Incentive connection Travel in 1998. We searched for almost a full year before finding a host agency.
Since 1998 we have had no reason to look for another host agency as they have always provided what or even more than they promised.
There are many host agencies available, but while you are looking to either move to a new one or are new to the industry, make sure you check out Incentive Connection Travel.
I highly recommend Incentive Connection Travel to be your host agency.
They offer excellent support, education, E&O Insurance, Commission and document software that can save hundreds od dollars.