Thomas Cook (India) Limited and SOTC Travel’s youngest distribution network is a unique Travel Business Associate (TBA) model, providing individuals irrespective of age, an opportunity to supplement their income while working from home without being bound by the need to report to offices or keep time schedules.
Rapidly adapting to the accelerated demand for flexible jobs and the rise of the gig economy, the unique hub and spoke model of the Travel Business Associate network, connects aspiring entrepreneurial individuals with the Companies’ extensive retail branch network. The Associate is then aided by the branch to close sales and earn attractive commissions.
The TBA model has seen an impressive sales growth of over 10x since inception in 2018 and has already surpassed its pre-pandemic sales. With around 300 partners on-boarded spread across the country, the Companies now aim to scale up the business to maximise on this high potential model.
Simple 3 step join up:
- Enter details online: Thomas Cook; SOTC
- Screening process with documentation
- Confirmation
Range of Products included in the TBA model: Holidays – International & Domestic; Foreign Exchange; Holiday Card; MICE & School Groups, etc.
Post the simple online sign-up process, Thomas Cook and SOTC align each Business Associate to the Companies’ closest branch and equip them with adequate training, tools and technology, to create new customer opportunities through the associate’s personal connections and references. The Travel Business Associate can choose to be actively or passively involved in a sale process, post lead generation.
Abraham Alapatt, President & Group Head – Marketing, Service Quality, Value Added Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook (India) and SOTC Travel said, “The strategic intent was to build a simple hub and spoke model aligning individual Associates to our local branches and backing them with training, tools and technology to create a new customer-market opportunity. The Travel Business Associate model is based on personal connections and references with no fixed costs and consequently a non-linear cost line that lends itself perfectly to rapid scalability, especially in a post-pandemic recovery period. What is noteworthy is that, in an era witnessing rapid rise of the gig economy where individuals seek flexibility, we are emphasizing on creating equal opportunities and I am delighted to state that nearly 50% of our Travel Business Associate workforce comprise of women – new mothers, homemakers, self-made women entrepreneurs; equally retired individuals, small business owners, mutual fund distributors.
He added, “Our Travel Business Associate model has witnessed sustained interest from Associates, growing by over 10x, and has already surpassed pre-pandemic levels. We aim to optimize its potential and further grow our business in the post-pandemic era.”