Within two years of operation Wanderlust Travel Experts has grown to 63-plus members, and this week the brand is celebrating another milestone, its inaugural conference in the Hunter Valley.
Support, transparency and solid commercials are billed as key to the brand’s rapid expansion—and founder and director Cath McLeod says the model will continue to evolve as it embraces technology and web-based tools to drive efficiencies from documentation to training.
“One of our strengths is the systems and support we provide our members to support them in their businesses, so they can focus on what they do best-selling travel.”
This includes a web-based members portal, on-line training portal, and Travefy which connects to its Tramada mid-office system ‘enabling efficiencies with uploading information and not double loading’.
On the commercial front, McLeod says its consolidation support from Global Travel Network is another strength in addition to its preferred partnerships with reputable suppliers ‘which is especially important in the current challenging times we find ourselves navigating’.
“These partnerships, both direct and through our co-ownership with House of Travel, mean we believe we have one of the highest point of sale commissions and broker commissions in the New Zealand broker market.”
McLeod says marketing, too is key to its model, with an increasing range of tools for its members. However, a growing sense of community, despite its fast growth, has become one if its greatest assets, she adds. “One of our agents said, ‘it’s the family you choose’ which sums it up perfectly.”
. . . Support
On the subject of support, McLeod stands by its member assertions that it offers the best broker support in the sector. “That’s proving to be a drawcard for new members.”
McLeod visits each member face to-face twice a year and is on call ‘because our members don’t just work Mon to Fri nine to five, so we provide support when needed’.
As well as ongoing training, she says Wanderlust ensures same day reimbursements and same day responses, with a team on hand to help.
It also now has a proven framework to help members transition either between brands or from an in-store consultant to a broker, she adds.
. . . The Future
While McLeod says the brand’s future focus is sustainable growth of quality members, she adds that it aims to offer choices to fit each individual business’ needs.
“We don’t have hidden fees or clip point of sale commissions as overrides; we are transparent in our approach with our members, they trust us and we trust them.”
Wanderlust is also taking steps to recruit next-generation brokers, as well as helping its members with succession planning, she adds.
