Agents urged: "Sell love, sell emotion."

BANGKOK – Create emotional bonds with your customers to succeed, travel agents at the Abacus International Subscriber Conference in Bangkok were told.

Roger Konopasek, founder of Results Team Asia, said agents should differentiate between their job (selling tickets) and their business (selling vacations, experiences), he urged.

"You are in a problem situation because you are still just selling tickets. You need to build emotional linkages with your customers," he said. "Sell love, sell emotion."

Konopasek warned agents that it wasn't enough to say you provide better service and know more than your competitors.

Just like a car salesman could not sell a car by saying it has four wheels that touch the ground at the same time; travel agents cannot win customers and keep them by just pushing tickets or general features.

"Websites also have features – and can promise even more like 24/7 service," said Konopasek. He also urged agents to go back and check their values – are they values in action, or merely slogans?

Values, he said, will form the bedrock upon which the lighthouse that will direct customers stands.