Timing is everything!

Fact: During the last four to six months, the economy has pretty much tanked — in some places more than others. Regardless of where you are in the travel goods industry, travel has been hit hard: fuel costs are up 400+% from 2002, airlines are cutting flights, many times there are not enough seats to go around on a lot of flights and someone gets bumped off!

One thing is for sure, when things get tough, travel is hit first and harder than other sectors of the economy. Like a forest fire, a tough economy causes more creativity and new kinds of growth on a resultant basis. Additionally, for a retailer in our industry, it is of maximum importance that every consumer in our door is “harvested” far more than ever before. The best way to “harvest” the travel goods consumer is to be sure our staff is the most knowledgeable. The timing of the Travel Goods Specialist Certificate Program could not have been better. There is no better way to make the traveling consumer a more productive customer than with the knowledge they will gain from the Certificate Program.

None of us can afford to leave anything on the vine of our consumer once they come through our door. The best way to maximize the harvest in these times is to be sure that all of our staff are trained to the max, and this is best made possible by the Travel Goods Specialist Certificate Program. Watching the consumer turnaround is fascinating: when they come in for one or two things, and your staff works with them for about five minutes asking all the right questions, the consumer's willingness to trust your staff is incredible, thus maximizing the harvest.

I don’t know about you, but I certainly can’t afford to leave anything in the fields unharvested in these trying times.

Chuck Weisbart, It’s…In the Bag!, Palm Desert, CA

Another retailer letter:
Badge of Honor — Jude Oskin, Specialty Luggage, Pittsburgh, PA