Shoptalk: Why being known by suppliers matters

From getting up to speed on a new product to untangling a booking gone wrong, strong supplier relationships can make a travel advisor’s job a lot easier.

Supplier relationships can provide access to product training, marketing support, FAM opportunities and other resources that help advisors grow. 

When a client needs help, an established supplier contact can also offer a clearer path to the right people, guidance on company policies and stronger advocacy.

The catch is that a meaningful supplier relationship cannot be built only when something goes wrong. PAX spoke with travel professionals on both sides of the relationship about how advisors can build stronger supplier relationships and what being known by a sales team can mean for their business.

The value of being known 

Good supplier relationships can help advisors navigate problems while also connecting them with opportunities to learn, earn and grow. 

Theresa Scott-Thompson, a senior travel advisor at Blowes & Stewart Travel Group, recalls a colleague who was working with one of the agency’s preferred suppliers on a large group trip to Africa.

 “The group did not sell as well as we had planned,” she says, so the advisor had to scale back the group’s bookings at six properties.

The supplier approached each property on the agency’s behalf. “Because of the supplier’s relationship with those properties, they were able to waive all the cancellation fees, which would have amounted to thousands of dollars,” Scott-Thompson says.

Of course, supplier relationships do not guarantee exceptions or allow advisors to bypass company policies. 

Tyler Mattioli, manager of new business development for Ontario and the Maritimes at Club Med Canada says Club Med aims to keep customer service consistent across bookings, but advisors who know the team understand where to turn when they need support. 

“If it’s an agent that has pushed a ton of product and that you have a good relationship with, you know that they’re advocating for you on a regular basis,” he says. “Am I going to be a little more likely to push whatever department I need to get their issue solved? One hundred per cent.”

The benefits can extend beyond troubleshooting. Mattioli says Club Med often receives between 100 and 200 applications for a European FAM. 

Advisors who have demonstrated that they will learn from the trip, share the experience and use it to generate future business may have a better chance of being selected.

Trusted agency partners may also be approached for exclusive sales incentives or additional earning opportunities. 

When Club Med wants to boost sales during a particular period, Mattioli says the company is more likely to reach out to advisors and agencies with a proven interest in the brand. 

“The people that we know that we can count on, we’re a lot more likely to lean on them and give them that opportunity where there’s extra earnings, extra points, extra opportunities,” he says.

Get on a supplier’s radar

For Brenda Lynne Yeomans, key account manager, sales, Canada at Celebrity Cruises, advisors become memorable through consistent communication and engagement.

An established sales record can help an advisor stand out, Yeomans says, but it’s not a prerequisite for building supplier relationships. “I work with so many advisors that are just starting out and they don't have any business with us, but they actually reach out,” she says.

Advisors can begin by attending webinars, training sessions and ship visits or asking a BDM to meet for coffee. While each creates an opportunity to learn, Yeomans says face-to-face contact is especially useful for turning an introduction into a relationship. “For me, that’s where the magic happens,” she says.

Mattioli also notices advisors who attend roadshows, complete supplier training and participate in FAM trips. “For me, the standout advisors are the ones that are advocates for your brand,” he adds.

That advocacy can include recommending the product to clients, helping colleagues understand it and sharing supplier content on social media. 

Mattioli says those actions can help newer advisors demonstrate their potential before they develop a large sales portfolio. “If they’re going to social media to promote us, we’re going to see and we’re going to take notice,” he says.

Scott-Thompson stays connected by inviting suppliers to provide in-house training and participate in consumer events. The events give clients an opportunity to ask questions directly and learn about the full range of products a supplier offers. 

Someone who associates a tour operator mainly with sun packages, for example, may discover that it also offers cruises or European vacations, she says.

Scott-Thompson adds advisors can also build credibility by following supplier updates and reaching out with thoughtful questions. “BDMs love that, being able to explain things if you’re not getting it,” she says. “It definitely keeps you front of mind because they see the interest and that you’re taking the initiative.”

Suppliers also notice what advisors do with the support they receive. Yeomans says strong partners put tools and training into practice and stay in touch about potential business rather than contacting their BDM only when they need help.

Advisors do not need to cultivate the same level of connection with every supplier, Yeomans adds. “You can’t be everything to everybody,” she says. 

Instead, she recommends concentrating on companies that best fit an advisor’s clientele and business model, then investing the time to understand their products and sales teams.

Maintaining those relationships also means behaving like a partner when problems arise. “It really is about being pleasant and about showing mutual respect,” Scott-Thompson says, noting that BDMs may be trying to navigate circumstances beyond their control.

Mattioli says advisors should approach a BDM as a partner rather than an employee responsible for fixing every problem.

“I don’t work for you. You don’t work for me,” he says. “We’re working together to make sure that your clients have the best experience possible.”

For Yeomans, shared success is the foundation of a lasting supplier relationship. “We’re invested in their business. We want them to be successful,” she says. “And if they’re successful, we’re successful.”

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