| Travel agencies are notoriously crowded and cluttered. | | | | make huge numbers of brochures attractive. |
| Brochures constantly appear in the mail, and a great | | | | Therefore, we recommend that brochures be kept in |
| deal of equipment needs to be available to each agent. | | | | filing cabinets out of the view of the general public. |
| Psychologists have conducted studies which prove | | | | These files of brochures must be maintained, with |
| that environment has a major impact on individual | | | | obsolete brochures taken out on a regular cycle. |
| performance-and, therefore, productivity. In the course | | | | Clearly, in order for these files to be workable, an |
| of visiting travel agencies over many years, I have | | | | orderly indexing system needs to be available so that |
| identified some principles that can make designing a | | | | agents know where to find a brochure on a particular |
| productive travel agency simpler and more | | | | destination. |
| straightforward. | | | | An electronic message board in a vacation office |
| Allocating Space | | | | adds a degree of light, color and interest to the visiting |
| First and foremost, it is important to allocate an | | | | client. A message board can display special fares, |
| adequate amount of space for each staff member. | | | | packages and destinations. |
| Generally speaking, an appropriate ratio seems to be | | | | Commercial Department Design |
| 100 - 150 square feet per employee. You may have a | | | | Commercial travel agents essentially function as order |
| 400 square foot office for yourself, and a conference | | | | takers. Their space requirements are considerably less |
| room that takes up another 200 square feet. | | | | than those of a vacation agent. There is need for |
| Otherwise, the ratio should hold. | | | | more coordinated activity in a commercial reservation |
| When considering your layout, group specialties | | | | center and therefore, the supervisor needs to be |
| together - commercial, vacation or group travel, for | | | | located centrally, with clear visibility to all areas within |
| example. Physical space should be designated for | | | | the reservation center. Ideally, to enhance visibility, this |
| vacation sales. Similarly, a separate space needs to be | | | | area should be raised off the floor six to eight inches |
| established for commercial sales. The specific | | | | on a platform. We recommend a glass enclosure built |
| requirements of these two areas will be discussed | | | | around the supervisor's platform to give privacy, |
| later. | | | | without losing visibility. |
| Keep in mind that vacation agents deal with the public, | | | | Because the agents frequently have less working |
| and should be convenient to the public entrance. | | | | space, the commercial area needs sound baffling to |
| Commercial agents do not deal with public, and can be | | | | keep the noise level below a distraction threshold. We |
| located in a back room. Ticket production and the | | | | recommend raceway furniture for commercial agents |
| physical process of tearing down tickets should be | | | | which provides a 14-inch fabric panel surrounding each |
| located near an exit to reduce traffic from delivery | | | | work station. |
| people through the office. It is advisable to have your | | | | Raceway is a kind of furniture developed for high |
| main computer in a separate room. | | | | density work areas which includes a "race" or channel |
| Vacation Department Design | | | | for all the cables and wires for each work station. It |
| First, you need to decide what business you are in. If | | | | works particularly well for computer work stations. It |
| you are selling point-to-point tickets, the ideal | | | | also usually comes with sound baffle "privacy panels" |
| configuration is a counter top for the general public to | | | | surroundings each work station. |
| approach, receive their tickets and leave. They are | | | | Electronic message boards also have application in the |
| discouraged from lingering, but are able to be served | | | | Commercial Department, serving as vehicles for |
| efficiently -as the airlines discovered a long time ago. | | | | communicating important last minute messages, such |
| If however, you're in the business of providing counsel | | | | as fare changes or even airline bankruptcies or major |
| to vacationers, then a space more conducive to | | | | weather emergencies. They can also be used to |
| discussion would be appropriate, such as small | | | | stimulate productivity by tracking how close the agents |
| conference tables with an agent at each table. A | | | | are to a target sales goal. |
| bookshelf at each conference table should contain | | | | Computer Room |
| resource material. We would recommend against | | | | Many of the automated accounting systems available |
| putting any kind of reservation automation on these | | | | for travel agencies operate on mini- computers which |
| tables. The tables should be open, spacious and | | | | require a controlled environment. ADS and ABS both |
| attractive. The agents need to be disciplined to keep | | | | fall into this category. These computers should be |
| the space uncluttered and free of piles of paper. The | | | | placed in a small room with a tile floor. There should be |
| reservation system for the retail agents in this type of | | | | no work stations in that room. There should be no |
| layout should be situated in a computer workstation at | | | | equipment or supplies stored in that room. Ideally, no |
| the back of the room. The same discipline in terms of | | | | printers should be located in that room. Ticket printers |
| keeping the station orderly applies here. | | | | produce dust. Office supplies collect dust. Dust and |
| Vacation agencies all over the world are | | | | static electricity are the enemies of a mini-computer. |
| experimenting with video displays of destinations. Such | | | | Every time someone walks past a computer, the |
| a facility, if you can afford one, is extremely attractive | | | | potential for a static discharge arises. Static discharge |
| and enticing to the general public. A small room with | | | | can cause a head crash, putting your computer out of |
| comfortable chairs and video display can double as | | | | operation until a repair person can be dispatched. Head |
| your waiting room. Again, the key is to keep the space | | | | crashes are extremely costly in terms of down time, |
| tidy, attractive and as spacious as can be | | | | and potentially dangerous in terms of data loss. |
| accomplished within the limitations of your facility. | | | | Remember, your goals in planning your facility are to: |
| One of the major obstacles in an attractive vacation | | | | Provide sufficient space for your staff, |
| office is the proliferation of brochures which lie in piles | | | | Meet the space particular requirements of each |
| on the floor, in boxes under the desks and dripping | | | | specialty area, and |
| from racks on the wall. If you're going to keep | | | | Create an uncluttered atmosphere conducive to |
| brochures in your office, it's extremely important to | | | | greater agent efficiency and attractiveness. |
| establish a formal library. Someone needs to be | | | | A well-thought-out, well-designed office can maximize |
| assigned the duty of maintaining this bank of data. To | | | | your professional image, minimize your expenses and |
| a certain extent, there is little that can be done to | | | | stimulate productivity. |