What you'll need to do then (and you need to do this with ALL the vendors) is to get yourself set up in their system. Contact central reservations by phone, get to a res agent and explain your a new agency just getting started. They tell you all the information you'll need to send in (usually a buisness licesnse, proof of IATA, and W-9 form and a cover letter on agency letter head with your name, address phone, fax, and e-mail) and the number to fax it all to. They'll add you to their database of agenices, then you can book under your IATA number and be paid your commisions (which is the whole point, afterall!
). It's tedious and a pain in the butt, but once you sign up with everyone you're likely to do buisness with, you won't have to do it again!
Once that's done, if you think you'll need a supply of brochures for your clients, call all your vendors back and start asking for brochures and any other sales marketing material you can get your hands on (you'd be surprised and the stuff you can get for free! Post cards, flyers, mailers, ad shells, posters, DVD's, it's almost endless!) Start with small quantities, you're just staring out and the year is half over, you don't want to be stuck with a ton of out dated material at the end of they year, all you can do is toss it out! Just order more if/when you need it.
Once that's done, you may want to call your sales rep for all the vendors you set yourself up with, just to introduce yourself. They are all very nice people and should be happy to help you with any issues you may incounter and give you any support you need from the vendors. The vendors realize the trend in home-based agencies and are willing to work with them.
I'm not a home based agent myself, I work for a corporate
travel agency. But I've got 9 years industry experiance, so if you ever have a question that you need to ask, feel free to PM me. I may not always have the answer but I'm willing to try!
