“Too Many Choices.” That was the headline of the article I read in a recent edition of the AARP Bulletin. (for those not in the know that is a weekly news rag for fossils.) The subhead read, “From cookies to cell phones, dog food to discount drug cards, are Americans finding that more is less?”
Now I have known this to be true for years–ever since I focused on the choices we have in hand soap or headache remedies. I could have written this same article ten years ago. Of course we have too many choices!
Want a cracker? I can county eighty-five types of them. How about a cookie? Two hundred and sixty-five types of cookies. Have a headache? Eighty pain relievers. Want to invest your birthday money? Thousands of mutual funds. Got a phone? Hundreds of cell phones, dozens of calling plans. Get the picture?
What the world does not need is more choice. We’ve got choice. We just don’t know how to make a choice. What we need, more than ever, is for someone who can help us make the right choice. Why? Because we have too much stuff—thank you George Carlin. Sometimes I think it is impossible for any of us to perform the due diligence necessary to make an educated decision–with or without the help of the Internet.
But enough about AARP. Let’s talk about you. Particularly in the travel industry, your clients and prospects are faced with a plethora of choices. And I don’t believe they are particularly enthralled with this freedom. In fact, I think today’s customer is itching to find a person they can trust who comes equipped with the right combination of skills and knowledge to help them make a proper decision.
Are you the person the world is looking for? Can you become that person? Do you want to be that person? If not, why not?
Consumers are walking around with migraines caused by the choices in travel. As consumers, we don’t know what’s best for us and many of us don’t enjoy doing more than a minute or two of homework.
This shortcoming creates a giant opportunity for those who know what they are talking about. Is it you?
I don’t want to rewrite the AARP article but it goes on to say, “Even though choice may enable people to improve their lives by some objective measure — it often makes them feel worse. This may help explain why there has been a 75 percent increase in America being treated for clinical depression over the last 25 years.”
Hey, if you want to succeed, be the answer person for my travel needs. Earn my trust and deserve my business. Be the best. Oh, and bring me “easy”.
Mike Marchev is a non-linear thinker who makes his living shooting from the hip. Check out his new collaborative project titled The Travel Agent Success Series www.travelagentsuccessseries.com
2 thoughts on “Bring Me Easy”
this is a point I have made any time I am asked wether the internet takes our clients away.I explain that the choices are overwhelming like picking Yoghurt in the grocery store and people will turn to someone that can help them find the product best for them.
When a customer is questioning all those choices, they phone an agency to pick an agent brain. Then they will find some way to by pass you. i.e. clients wanted assistance in planning an Alaska holiday. Then they booked with their time-share company ( at 2/3 rd’s the price of traditional suppliers ) But … that was yesterdays wasted time segment !!!