Join Us
Many travel consultants enter the field for the wrong reasons. Cordially Yours Travel accepts those individuals who are interested, not only in travel and the benefits that the industry affords them, but to truly care about helping people, their friends, family and new clients, in fulfilling a dream or a reality of experience. The process begins with an application and a short essay of why you are interested in the field of travel. Nothing lengthy or too detailed, simply put, what are your expectations.
Likewise, why choose Cordially Yours Travel? The owner, Gwen, has been in the business since 1989. With 15 years of experience behind her, a love of travel and a commitment to servicing the client, continuing education and a passionate mentoring to her independent contractors, the dedication alone in you and your success and learning is a priority and reason enough. You would not just be a number to her. The agency is comprised of independent contractors who too have a sense of community between them. They are willing to help one another, an important element in team work and mutual endeavors: group, vacation coverage and the like. Cordially Yours Travel has an extensive consultant website with a group chat area for exploring questions, making suggestions, and even planning for attendance to the many seminars and conferences available. Once you are on board with us, web tools are made available to you in a simple format.
Commission payouts are liberal, fair and on a sliding scale. Your association with Cordially Yours Travel comes with support that you will not find in many other host agencies. Also, costs are kept down and there is an incentive program based on productivity that will reduce and/or eliminate costs. Technology is used extensively. Commission reporting, group management etc. are all available through our Consultant Intranet. The goal is to provide an environment that allows for efficiency and effectiveness within our own consultant community.
Though productivity is important, it is not a requisite for working with Cordially Yours Travel. We are here certainly to help you learn and earn and there are numerous incentives to grow your business and your income. Our associations within the industry offer tremendous opportunity to learn about products as well as have travel experiences that lead to more productivity and knowledge, and all is encouraged.
When considering a host agency the travel consultant, experienced or a newbie need the support of that host. The experience and knowledge of the owner and the other affiliates enhances your opportunity to be successful. We are here to help but not to run your business.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Employment Development (EDD) have strict guidelines in respects to the rules, those of control of the Independent Contractor by a Host. These rules restrict the Host Agency in areas of education, tools of the trade and expectations or dictating of time, work and exclusivity to name a few. Some of the tools of the trade are available from the host for a minimal charge.
Cordially Yours Travel carries over earned overrides to our consultants. Commissions and referral fees are paid once a month. Commissions are paid after clients have departed for their trip, or after the monies have been received from the supplier, whichever should come the last.
Referral agents are those persons contracted to simply refer business to this agency that consummates in not only the sell but the commencement of a planned trip. These agents must remit an application and essay. They too are Independent Contractors but not consultants. They are paid for having done nothing more than passes business to the agency. A fee of 1% of the NET sale is paid for each completed booking and is considered a one-time fee for that client. Referrals are received under a particular process whereby an agency independent contractor will be assigned to complete the communication with the referred client. All correspondence regarding the client is copied to the referral agent to keep them informed. A check in the amount of 10% of the net commission earned for the sale will be mailed to the referral agent after the client's departure, or when commissions are received by the agency, again - whichever of the two come second. For example: Trip cost: $3,000. Earned commission at 10% would be $300. The referral agent would receive $30.00. The balance of the commission is split per contract with the assigned independent contractor and the agency.
Referral agents will remit a form with potential clients name and contact information and any information that will help in assigning the proper consultant to that client. For instance, if the client is looking to travel to the orient we have consultants who specialize in that destination and are the more likely to be given the prospect.
The referral agent will receive acknowledgement and e-mailed copies of all correspondence and a copy of the commission check that will show calculations of reimbursement. The referral agent must have any business card, flyers or any other advertisements be approved by the host agency before distribution. In house Independent Contractor/travel consultants are required to do likewise.
To begin an association with Cordially Yours Travel following the receipt and acceptance of an application and essay, a consultant will be sent, via e-mail, a contract and Invoice to cover the initial fee. The Referral Agent will be sent only an Independent Agent Contract. No fee is required of a Referral agent. The introductory fee applicable to the consultant is an expense to cover set-up, insurance (to include computer software integration), agent handbooks etc. If the consultant's productivity meets or exceeds $3,500 per month in gross sales, the monthly fee of $20 assessed for the software (use on the agent intranet software) will be waived. To be clear - Referral agents are not required to meet minimums or integrate into the consultant web or pay a fee as they are not to be considered Travel Consultants. The Travel Consultants initial Introductory Fee is $150 dollars paid with the signed W-9 form and completed Contract. The annual renewal fee is $75.00 per consultant.
From the onset a new travel consultant will be given a two month period to begin their education by reading the handbooks and other material sent them. Sixty days following the receipt of the Initiation fee the consultant will begin the $20 monthly charge unless they show productivity as explained above. An experienced consultant will have one month from the initiation fee to begin producing before the $20 monthly charge will be in effect.
The only fees expected outside of the $20 monthly fee will be postage fees to handle transfer of documents and other mailing between the Host and the consultant. These fees will be kept to a minimum by bundling mailing and sending as needed. Any costs will be deducted from future commissions OR the consultant can have the option of remitting the sum to the agency no later than sixty days from the postal date.
Travel insurance is a must and there are options to this. A signed Independent Contractor with this Host agency will be covered by activities that the Independent contractor participates using the Host Agencies account relationships. Any claims for services rendered outside of Cordially Yours Travel are not covered. The consultant may obtain individual E&O insurance for work performed outside of Cordially Yours Travel on their own and at their own expense. It is the Independent Contractor’s responsibility to read, approve and understand the insurance policy for the Independent Consultant issued through Berkeley Agency, LTD for Cordially Yours Travel.
So, if after reading this are you still interested in affiliating with Cordially Yours Travel, copy and complete the application with a link below and fax or e-mail to Cordially Yours Travel FAX: 530-676-3758, e-mail gwenduncan@inreach.com. We at Cordially Yours Travel are anxious to have you join us, to help you and everyone to come out a winner!
For those interested in becoming a group leader/pied piper please click here. Responsibilities, contract and the like can be found there. See links at the bottom of this page for Application and Contracts.
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