Richard Turen
I noticed her within 5 minutes of introducing myself. She was sitting in the middle seat of the third row on the left side of the classroom.
It was the summer of 1983. I was teaching her 3-day class on cruising to 54 students enrolled in Chicago's most expensive travel industry course. We were in a bright, glass-covered high-rise building in the city center.
The passenger in seat 3C glanced at me once or twice, but we didn't speak to each other until two weeks after the course ended. She had left the fashion world and secured her a job at one of Chicago's most prestigious travel agencies.
We went to the arboretum on our first date. While we were out walking, I saw her leaning against a tree, so I blurted out something. “You know we're getting married, right?”
She laughed and asked if that was the line I used on every date. I told her there were only three things she wanted me to know about me. “I don't want kids. I prefer big dogs to small dogs. I'm going to live somewhere other than Florida.”
Dear reader, you may already know the rest of the story. In 1987, she and I started a new kind of travel business, and you and I have talked from time to time for almost 20 years.
The woman I married, Angela, turned out to be the greatest travel advisor I've ever met. She has been my boss since our business started. I will report to her. That's when I'm not helping her care for her daughter and two small dogs from her home in Florida.
Our business model has worked beautifully to date. I remember before COVID-19, when I interviewed agency owners and spoke to consortium colleagues, I always heard the same answer when I asked them what their biggest business challenge was. I did. It's a “price rebate.” Concise and simple.
But post-coronavirus, we hear a different response: “We're looking for staff.” For most people, this has become their biggest business challenge.
In a way, to the best of my ability, I've been trying to share advice in this area since my first reality check. But for the record, there is no solution to the staffing problem. My company has not been able to resolve the issue.
Indeed, our staffing challenges were of our own design. We are recruiting members for our in-home concierge team. Does not include any sales. We have never employed travel agents or anything like ICs or outside sales agents. We are looking for a travel-experienced, computer-savvy member of our team whose sole job is to serve and enhance each guest's travel experience.
We allow our staff to work 3 or 4 days a week depending on their preference. You can take off at any time if needed. Starts at $22 per hour and includes a generous 401(k) plan. We offer air travel allowances and full travel allowances. We do not offer air shipping and our average transaction value is over $26,000. Our customers live in 46 states and we operate from a confidential phone number and waiting list.
Carry your work details with you in your back pocket when you go to the bank, Whole Foods, or your favorite restaurant.
But while your business model and ours may be very different, my “reality check” is that I have the same challenges as you when it comes to finding the best potential employees. It means that it is. I don't have an answer.
