The results of the most recent Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN) survey revealed that outside agents are headed in different directions than traditional storefront agencies. When the survey asked agents during which hours they made the majority of their bookings, more than 26 percent responded “between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.,” followed by “between noon to 3 p.m.” and “3 p.m. to 6 p.m.,” both at just over 25 percent. Only 23 percent of the agents surveyed indicated “8 a.m. to noon.”
“Who would have thought that more than a quarter of the bookings taken by outside sales agents are made by travelers in the evening hours?” asked Gary Fee, OSSN president.
When asked which type of agent they considered themselves to be, nearly 49 percent indicated that they were full-service agents. Twenty-one percent indicated that they represented a niche market, and almost 19 percent claimed to be a destination specialist. Only about 12 percent said that they were a preferred supplier-focused agent. www.ossn.com
