Travel
Counsellors has launched a new corporate business model for business
development managers looking to launch their own franchise.
The new model allows experienced sales and business development
managers to join the travel management company as franchisees, offering full-service account management to clients by working with fellow corporate
Travel Counsellors to make bookings.
The model is not completely new – the company has ten such franchisees
who have brought in more than £10 million in new business since the start of 2020
the company said – but it has now been formalised.
Travel Counsellors Corporate managing director, Kieran Hartwell,
says, “The concept of Travel Counsellor business owners working in duos, trios
or teams is not new to us, especially within our corporate travel division,
however, we’ve formalised the opportunity and extended this further by enabling
a new franchise position focussed on sales and business development.
“There is a wealth of talent in the corporate travel industry
who are experts at sourcing solutions to clients’ problems and creating
seamless booking and travel experiences, acting as an extension of in-house
teams. We want to harness this talent by keeping people in the industry who can
be there for their clients and support businesses to get moving again.”
The
company’s plan is to recruit up to 20 business development franchisees over the
next year.
In the last 12 months, five independent travel agencies and
micro travel management companies have left the high street and office spaces
behind to run their travel businesses remotely, the company said.
Travel Counsellor business development manager Michael Copare,
who launched his franchise in September 2020, said, “During the pandemic it has been difficult. Selling a
product that clients cannot use to the full degree in the current climate of
course can have its frustrations.
“However, with there being light at the end of
the tunnel and by working on my relationships with clients I am starting to see
businesses coming to me for advice and for quotes. By offering a consultative
sell rather than a pushy, aggressive sale I am confident that the groundwork I
have put in to date will ultimately result in sales in the coming months.”