The 10 Commandments of Working From Home
by Nancy Kist

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1. Thou shall start at Square One.

The travel industry is like any other business. You need to know the basics in order to work and succeed in this industry. Take the time to get the education you need before you start your home-based travel agency, and then continue your education every year. Join OSSN, attend a travel show, start to work on your ACC with CLIA, or participate in a supplier’s online program. The travel industry is constantly changing. A good agent is on top of these changes and aware of the new products being offered by suppliers.

2. Thou shall possess a Professional Attitude.

If you’ve started a home-based travel agency, you are the boss. It is your sole responsibility to promote yourself and your business. Before you walk out the door or pick up the business line, ask yourself if your “professional image” is in place. Experts say you have 11 seconds to make an impression whether in person or on the phone; so ensuring you are projecting a professional attitude is essential. What we wear, how we look, and what we say are all vital aspects of a professional attitude.

3. Thou shall have a Designated Office in the Home.

Working on the kitchen counter or dining room table just does not work. You have a business and, like any other business; you need a set area that is exclusively for your business. In your office, you will want to have a computer and printer that is used only for the business. You should have a phone line, cell phone, and Internet service dedicated for your business. Decorate the office with travel posters and start collages of pictures of your clients enjoying the vacation you booked.

4. Thou Shall Set Regular Business Hours.

Once your office is established, set your business hours. Let your family, friends and clients know when the office is open. When you set your hours, make sure you work your hours around your family and outside commitments. Working from home, you do not have to keep 9-5 hours.

• If you know you have to drop off the children at school at 8:30 am and then pick them back up at 3:30 pm, then schedule your weekday hours from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
• If you are working a full-time job at the same time, schedule evening hours (7:00 pm – 10:00 pm) two nights a week and Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
• It’s your business, and your hours can be flexible. But, once you set them, stick to them.

5. Thou Shall Avoid “HOS.”

HOS is a common ailment of people who work at home. Experts call it “Home Office Syndrome” and the symptoms are:

1. Walking around wondering what you were doing before you got distracted.
2. Procrastinating for any reason.
3. Working in “untidy” conditions.
4. Answering the phone or client e-mails at all hours.

There is a cure. Although painless, it does take time to be effective:

• Establish your daily schedule.
• At the end of your workday, take 30 minutes to create tomorrow’s To-Do List.
• Prioritize jobs according to their importance.
• Allow yourself time for callbacks, research for new clients and “clutter” clean up.
• During work hours, do not take time to do household chores or errands.
• Be diligent at completing the tasks at hand and be sure to cross it off your list.
• Then when you are done for the day, close your office door and spend quality time with the family.

6. Thou Shall Not Re-Invent the Wheel.

Do you, as a home-based travel agent, need to have a website? Should you design your own website? Should you use a database and accounting system for your agency? What about research – should you use online sites or industry books? No matter what you feel your agency needs, don’t re-invent the wheel. Don’t waste your time trying to create your own programs – there are great programs and Internet sites available that will do the job for you.

7. Thou Shall Set Goals & Track Your Progress.

Every business needs goals, both long range and short range, and these goals should be reasonable and attainable. When setting goals, make them precise and give them a time frame and an amount so they can be measured. This is the only way you know if your goal is achieved. If you have several goals, make sure you set priorities so you are working on the most important first. By writing down your goals in a business plan, you will be able to track your progress and realize your achievements.

8. Thou Shall Not Become a Home Office Prisoner.

If you are a home-based travel agent, it is true that you work from home – but if you stay inside your house waiting for clients to ring your doorbell, your home-based business will be short-lived. The main reason suppliers love home-based agents is because they can reach clients that the supplier’s marketing may not reach. Think about your day, and how many people you come in contact with at the post office, pharmacy, grocery store, PTA meeting, or the soccer game. Now remember the “Three Foot Rule”: Everyone within three feet of you is a potential client. The beauty of working from home is the flexibility you have to get out and network with people. When you are doing that schedule, be sure to schedule time out of the office networking.

9. Thou Shall Stay Organized.

For agents working from home, one of your worst enemies is Clutter. The travel industry sends out a record number of faxes, brochures, and e-mail alerts. You must find time to sort through them, and then what do you do with them? Many agents call this the Leaning Tower of Travel Publications, and most of these towers sit in the corner of their offices. Don’t let them accumulate! When a travel publication arrives, page through to see which articles are of interest to you, tear them out, and put them in your tote bag. Then, next time you find yourself sitting in a doctor’s office or waiting for soccer practice to end, open that tote and start reading. If you want to keep the article, put it in a folder when you get home – and if you don’t want it, throw it away. How many post-it-notes or pink telephone message sheets have you lost before you got to call the client back? Get yourself a spiral steno pad and start using it for all incoming messages and important information? Be sure you enter the date at the top of each page. This is a permanent record you have to refer back to at any time. Being organized will make your easier.

10. Thou Shall Have Fun with Your Business.

If you love what you do, it will show. If you take the necessary steps to set up an efficient business from the start, your business will run effortlessly. If you like to talk to people about travel and enjoy networking in your community, promoting your travel business will be easy. Never forget this is a business – but have fun watching it grow!

Nancy Kist is president of Career Quest Training Center. Established in 1999, the center offers specialized online training for individuals who want to become home-based travel agents. Today, Career Quest has become an online travel training leader with students and graduates from all round the world. Career Quest is proud to be a member of OSSN, a CLIA affiliate, and an ASTA Travel School Member. For more information on the programs offered by Career Quest Training Center, visit www.CareerQuestTraining.com.