by John Frenaye
Monday June 29, 2015

Have you seen it? There has been a subtle shift in the cruise lines lately: changes in dining options, changes in drink options, etc. While the cruise lines have always been notorious for developing the latest and greatest kitsch—surfing, boxing, bowling, roller coasters, zip lines, etc., they have also been equally notorious for nickel-and-diming the guests to bolster the bottom line. But is that changing?

One of the biggest selling points of land-based vacations is the all-inclusivity. Sandals, Beaches, Club Med, Iberostar, Karisma, you name them—pay one price up front and enjoy your vacation. Sure there are some personal charges—spas, purchases, side trips, etc., but at an all-inclusive resort, it is very easy to leave with a “zero dollar” bill on the last day.

Not so much…

For the next five days, Mike is going to remind us of some important Customer Service Wisdom to improve your relationship with your current clients and cultivate new ones with prospects!

In most instances, more energy is expended towards acquiring new accounts than it is for maintaining current relationships. We all seem to want more these days: one TV is not enough, one car is not enough, one yearly vacation is not enough. There seems to always be something else we have in our sights. What we have never seems to satisfy us. More... more...…

by Richard Earls
Sunday June 28, 2015

"If I only had an hour to chop down a tree, I would spend the first 45 minutes sharpening my axe." - Abraham Lincoln

Louie was one of the hardest working men I had ever met. A restaurant owner, he was up first thing in the morning, worked all day in the kitchen and on the floor and went to bed late at night. The next day, he would do it all again. I was amazed at his ability to put in those hours and I was sure that his new venture would be a great success. A year later, he was out of business. I told Louie's story to one of my business mentors and he shook his head knowingly. He was not surprised at…

Levi Sanchez began with Blue Sky Tours 17 years ago and currently holds the position of Travel Agency Engagement Manager. He has worked extensively in various departments within Blue Sky Tours, and worked on the promotion of Hawaii to the travel agency community through his extensive knowledge of the region.  He is involved with travel agency engagement, policy, training, technology, and product strategy within Blue Sky Tours.…

I began my career in the travel industry in 2002 as a sales person for a hop-on, hop–off trolley tour company in historic Boston. Prior experience in the hospitality industry and spending the previous 23 years in Beantown made me a good fit for the position. I grew up here, went to college at Northeastern University, and was (and still am) an all-around Bostonian. My favorite part of the job was welcoming people from different parts of North America and all over the world to "my" Boston. I appreciated that they chose to visit my city on their vacation, and I wanted them to leave saying the people of Boston are friendly, helpful, and welcoming. …