Due to the recent pandemic crisis, many workers all over the world have had to adjust to remote working measures that companies have been  forced to adopt.
Adjusting to this new situation might have caused a drop in productivity for many professionals, so we have decided to provide some valuable tips and suggestions that will keep the productivity of all remote working travel advisors at a high level!

The biggest challenges of remote working

While we all can imagine which are the biggest benefits of working remotely, these are the most common challenges that remote workers will face:

Switching off from work

As discussed in our work-life balance article, switching off from work can be challenging for remote workers.Working extra hours should be only a temporary measure to face bigger workloads, because in the long-run, avoiding unplugging from work can be draining and blur the line between work and life.

How you can switch off from work:
Have an end-of-the-working-day routine! Define in advance your starting and finish time, and make sure you stick to it, making exceptions only when strictly necessary.

Staying focused

Whether you have family in the house or pets to take care of, distractions can be endless. TV, radio, or internet access can be another significant source of distraction, taking your focus away from work!

How you can avoid distractions:
Create a “do not disturb” space, and clarify this to every person that shares a  roof with you! Aim to build a working station where you can stay out of way from other distractions and focus on your tasks and duties.

Staying motivated

The drive that motivates every worker is different, but even if many remote workers might thrive in their home-based situation, those who are not used to it can lose some motivation at the expense of their productivity!

How you can cheer yourself up:
Whether you are working individually or you are part of a team, defining a set of goals, and rewarding yourself when achieving them, can be a good way to keep up your motivation!

10 productivity tips for travel advisors working remotely

The following tips and suggestions can be beneficial for home-based travel agents, agency owners, and every other travel professional that needs, or just wish to work remotely:

1. Invest in a comfortable workspace

For your home working station, you should choose spaces with natural light and good air circulation! Make sure to have the right chair, consider ergonomics seats for your knees and options for a standing desk.

2. Use reliable technologies

Your home working performance relies a lot on the efficiency of the tools you are using! If your computer, your mobile devices, audio set-up, and your internet connection will work well, a transition from office to remote working might not affect your productivity at all!

3. Overcome the communication barrier with your coworkers and network

Make sure you have everything to stay connected with your coworkers: Video conference tools ( headphones, microphones, and a webcam), and services (like Skype or Zoom). Maintaining a good level of communication with all your suppliers will mitigate the impact of this change.

4. Communicate to your network when and how you are available

Your customers, co-workers, and your suppliers should all be aware of which are your working hours! Without a physical place where you can be reached, knowing in which time slots you are available will be vital!

5. Partner up with industry networks

Home-based travel agents and agency owners working remotely should choose wisely which network they wish to join, based on the best benefits they can get, and on their needs as travel professionals. Your work from home can be much more efficient if you are part of a bigger team able to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need!

6. Keep track of your business progress

Keeping track of your achievements will be helpful to ensure you are pursuing your long term strategy. It will be a good way to evaluate your own performance and to know where to improve.

7. Create daily agendas

Define in advance what are your daily tasks and objectives! Short term planning allows you to set achievable goals and makes it easier to keep up with your productivity standards.

8. Set goals weekly

Dedicate time at the beginning and at the end of every week to define the upcoming plan, and then to see what has been achieved, what will have to be postponed to the next one, evaluate your progress, and see what can be improved.

9. Invest time in training and improving your knowledge

Remote working might translate into increased freedom of managing your workload, which can be beneficial for trying to improve your knowledge and skills! Consider investing some time and resources in training! While it could take away some time from operational duties, it can be a long term investment in your personal improvement.

10. Use only the best online tools for travel professionals

The ease of access to working platforms is crucial when working from home. That’s why you should only opt for the best possible booking engine you can get. To deep dive into this subject, you can check our article about the characteristics that travel advisors should look for in every online booking engine.

Find out more

Travel advisors, along with many other professionals, have been way ahead in the remote working trend for quite a long time. While for home-based travel agents nothing has changed, for many other travel advisors the transition might not be as smooth. Find out more about how joining Bedsonline can help you thrive and survive during any circumstance.