Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might not get there.”

The same is true for performing research, especially for transportation vendors. 

If you aimlessly google around until you find a vendor who looks decent - you may discover the right fit, but probably just waste your time. In order to effectively make good use of your time - the most important asset - you need to begin with a solid foundation/starting point. 

Researching Luxury Transportation Providers

Create a quick list of 10 referral candidates  - this is your starting point. Ask around the Travel Agent community and try to seek transportation providers who are a “one-stop-shop.” Meaning, their affiliate network is so vast that you can use them regardless of where your client is traveling. 

Visit all 10 websites and look for cues indicating they share the same vision on travel. Do they emphasize the travel experience - or just vehicle features? Little nuances can reveal a company’s true culture and where they place priorities. 

Your goal should be to narrow your list down to 3 candidates quickly. It should be remarkably similar to hiring a new employee at your agency.

• First, you have a foundation - your stack of resumes
• Second, you need to filter through the noise and keep the resumes that stand out
• After that, you take the remaining resumes and give the candidates a call to vet them. 

But imagine if you started a search for a new employee by logging into LinkedIn, searching for the desired job title, and wandering aimlessly hoping to strike gold.

That's the key to the research phase - don't wander aimlessly hoping to strike gold with the right transportation vendor. 

Vetting Luxury Transportation Providers

Vetting your 3 transportation candidates is the most crucial piece to the puzzle. It’s now time to dig deep. Most Travel Agents reach this phase and the overwhelming switching costs start creeping into their decision making process. As such, one of the first things we hear is an immediate need for rates/discounts. It’s important to make sure you have the right fit before you reach pricing. Even if you feel that you gathered enough information about the company’s culture online, it’s critical not to skip the vetting phase by jumping straight to rates. 

Start the conversation by saying, “I have a client who needs…….”

From there let them do the talking. The right sales rep will:

• Be excited to help you
• Ask questions
• Be willing to find your client’s best solution

If the rep doesn’t sound excited to work for the company, it’s a direct indication of weak culture — red flag. Seeing if they ask questions shows they care about your client’s experience. As such, they’re willing to find the perfect solution for your client's transportation needs.

At this point, you should have 1-2 transportation vendors that you feel:

• Have the same vision on the travel experience 
• Exude great company culture
• Are willing to find your client’s best transportation solution
• Have exceptional customer support
• Will make your life as a Travel Agent less stressed

Before the final decision is made, you need to schedule a meeting with the 1-2 remaining vendors. To learn more, please download our free eBook: 4 Steps to Switching Transportation Vendors.