Scott Ahlsmith, CTC's - Roads Less Traveled

2006 Words of Wisdom

At the end of each calendar year, I reflect on the notes I've made on the back of cocktail napkins and always benefit from sharing those that survived the test-of-time and are still legible.

Travel & Tourism Management 101 - Two Rules for Succeeding

1. Take responsibility for everything
2. Pay attention to details

--Thank you to Seth Godin's Blog for the insightful simplicity

Tipping Hotel Housekeepers

Tripso, one of the travel newsletters I enjoy reading, contains a very interesting and thought-provoking message thread in its Survey Forum.  The survey question asked, "How much (if any) do you tip housekeeping at a hotel?" A number of the postings in the forum prompted me to analyze my tipping rationale -- after 35 years in the travel & tourism industry, I tend to get stuck in a routine and don't really remember why I do what I do. Some would say I built a career on not remembering why I do what I do!

Here's what bubbled to the surface after reading others' posts and reflecting on tipping in general:

Learning About Subcription Feeds

Subscriptions, or feeds as they are commonly called, are simple ways for web publishers (bloggers, podcasters, news sites, etc.) to notify interested individuals when the publisher's online content changes.  Subscriptions or feeds save you time by not having to continually check a Web site to see if there is  anything new.  Instead, an short message, headline, summary, or alert is sent to every subscriber indicating there is something new to view on each selected site.

Interested individuals subscribe to feeds, through a feed aggregators, which give them access to all desired subscriptions in one location.  Many feed aggregators are available.  Some are standalome applications, others are add-in utilities to Outlook or your Web browser.  Some feed aggregators are free while others require payment.

E&O Insurance Monopoly

The Berkely Group, located in Jericho, NY, found a way to collect two Errors & Omission (E&O) insurance premiums for the same travel sale.  Actually, Berkely didn't invent this unfair business practice.  It's been around for a long time.  It is called, "monopoly."

Magellan360 Seminar @ Sea

On Monday, Ocotber 3rd, a group of Magellan360 Affiliates gathered in Seattle for a Seminar @ Sea abord the Celebrity Mercury.  Celebrity Sales Manager, Terry Yurachek, hosted the Seminar @ Sea and led two very informative product seminars.  Magellan's Scott Ahlsmith, CTC and Pete Marsden, Magellan's Chief Technology Officer, conducted an Affiliate Feedback Session that resulted in many good enhancements and suggestions.

The Mercury sailed from Seattle to Vancouver through the Inside Passage to Prince Rupert and back to Seattle.  The itinerary was one of Celebrity's five-day sailings which gave us enough time to bond and learn from each other without keeping us away from our businesses too long.

Click here to veiw photos from the Magellan360 Seminar @ Sea.