The role of a travel agent has always been a popular one with people around the world, as it’s part of human nature to want to explore new cultures and experiences. However, as a travel agent course will show you, there’s much to the position that you won’t know about until you’re actually doing it, so a little foresight can be really helpful in confirming that it’s the job for you.
We aim to help you by giving you some insight into some of the things that you might face when doing the job for real. At the end, we’ll cover how an OCA travel agent course can help you obtain the knowledge and skills to be successful, but first, let’s dive in and talk about some of the pros and cons you’ll face when in the job for real.
First, let’s look at some benefits…
Benefit #1 - You Often Get to Choose Your Hours
One thing that can be said for the role of a travel agent is that it can be extremely dynamic. Travel-based online course training shows you’re often the point of contact for your customers, so working flexible hours is necessary. So, if you're someone who prefers the 9-5, it might not be the job for you. It can be challenging but also rewarding, and being able to choose your hours is something that appeals to many.
Benefit #2 - You Get To Travel For Work
As a home-based travel agent success course will teach you, in-depth knowledge of the locations you’re recommending to customers is something of a prerequisite. This may mean you’re asked to travel to the location for research, allowing you to provide first-hand advice to your clients about where to go and what to expect. To many, it’s one of the best bits of the role.
Benefit #3 - You Can Be Your Own Boss
When you combine the knowledge you get from a travel agent course with the experience you get in the position, you get everything you need to start your business. Lots of people take this route at some point, as it often offers freedom and greater earning potential than being employed.
And now some drawbacks…
Drawback #1 - It’s a Demanding Job
As the point of contact for your customers, it’s not unusual to have to be available on a 24 hour, 7 days a week basis. Due in part to different time zones and the fact that holidaymakers will only ever call you if there’s a problem, it’s a demanding role that can test your problem solving and customer service skills to the limit.
Drawback #2 - Customers Are Far Savvier These Days
As you’ll learn on a travel agent course, modern customers are much savvier than they used to be, primarily because of the internet. This makes selling holiday packages more difficult due to the level of numerous internet companies you compete with. It doesn’t make the job impossible, but it is trickier.
Drawback #3 - Customers' Complaints Are Common
As a travel agent, you are part of a service industry, and holidaymakers can quickly complain about their experience - even if the grievance relates to something minor. This means that you need to keep your cool and not argue with your clients, as most often, it’s just a matter of wanting to get their feelings off their chest.
Train to Be a Travel Agent Affordably & At Your Own Pace
As with any professional role, being a travel agent has pros and cons, so it’s a case of enjoying the perks and managing the challenging parts. If you’re thinking of becoming a travel agent yourself, the great news is that training from OCA allows you to get the knowledge and skills for success on your own terms and at your own pace.
As you’ll find out by visiting us at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au, all of the professional courses we offer at OCA - training covering 20+ sectors & industries - is CPD-approved, video-based and created in collaboration with top industry experts. What’s more, it can be paid for in manageable instalments, meaning nothing is stopping you from realising your work ambitions.
If, however, you have any questions for us, we’ll be more than happy to answer them. Simply call us on 1300 611 404 and we’ll give you the information you need.
