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What You Need (as an Independent Contractor) with WTM
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- Business Account and Credit Card
- While not absolutely required, we highly recommend that you keep your
business banking separate from your personal account. Agency checks
and money orders are best handled from a business account, and you will
probably want a place to deposit commission checks made out to your
business.
- Computer
- Your computer should run Windows 98/ME/2000/XP, and have a minimum
of 64 MB RAM, at least a 2.1 GB disk with sufficient free space,
2 MB SVGA Video Card, 800 x 600 minimum resolution setting, an
internet connection, and Internet Explorer 5.01 or higher.
- Errors and Omissions Insurance
- While not absolutely required, you should obtain travel agent
professional liability and/or errors and omissions insurance for
your own protection. World Travel Management itself carries
the maximum available professional liability and E & O insurance.
- Professional Proficiency
- Our program is designed for experienced agents. However, we do
offer three entry pathways for well motivated self-starters via
the Career Quest Training Center (earn a $50 discount by
putting "World Travel Management" in the "Referred" box) or
the Education Systems
Travel Campus
Independent Agent Package or through
the more basic
The Travel Institute TRIP Kit program.
It is especially helpful to have prior
business and sales experience. Once you have passed the Travel
Agency Proficiency (TAP) Test after completing any of these
self-study programs, we will offer you the Apollo software.
- Install Galileo Desktop (optional but recommended)
- This revolutionary new system will turn your computer into your office.
You can conduct your business from anywhere either through the graphical
interface or the command line interface, with ticketing capabilities
directed to the main office. There is no setup fee or additional monthly
fee for the GDS, and there is no transaction quota - our GDS access is
included in the standard monthly fee, which will be waived with qualifying
commissions.
- Internet Service
- The internet is the independent contractor's friend. You will
conduct research, make bookings, request invoices, and communicate with
WTM and with some of your customers over the internet. We recommend
local internet service providers over national service providers because
they are more likely to be helpful if you have a problem with your
connection (and you may get better pricing). If you want to use
Apollo/Galileo, note that it requires that your internet connection supports
the IPSec Secure Networking protocol. On-line content
providers such as AOL and CompuServe are not recommended.
You need a real ISP that supports standard internet protocols.
:-)
- Method of Payment
- Currently, payments for travel arrangements can be made
with certified check or money order to WTM or preferably, directly
to the supplier by client credit card. Agency checks will be
accepted only if certain criteria are met. Agent credit cards
should be used to pay annual participation and monthly access fees,
and to pay incidental expenses to prevent these from being deducted
from commissions.
- Phone and Fax
- A stand-alone fax or efax is recommended. We forward booking
confirmation faxes to your fax number as they are received.
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