Starting out...

[tinkandtank]

Any tips for someone who is a travel agent for a small agency but wants to branch out on her own and start her own agency? My friend has the necessary travel affiliations with Disney to make it happen but would love some tips on the ins and outs of doing this. I might end up joining her if she is able to make this happen!

Thanks in advance for any, and all, suggestions.

 

[Cruise]

The first thing I would do is have her go over any paperwork she signed when she joined the travel agency. A lot of companies have a "non compete" clause that will prohibit an employee from working in the same field for a specified amount of time if he/she leaves the company. If there isn't a non-compete clause, there may still be something about her client base. For example, if one of the travel agency's current clients ends up booking a trip with your friend within the next two years, and the TA found out about it, they could sue her for damages if she signed something saying she wouldn't take clients with her.

First things first - cover your butt legally!

 

[kritter]

If someone has a reservation currently booked with a TA and the agency owner does not want to release it back to the client. Is there anything that the client can do to have control of that DCL or WDW reservation back??

 

[Marionnette]

If someone has a reservation currently booked with a TA and the agency owner does not want to release it back to the client. Is there anything that the client can do to have control of that DCL or WDW reservation back??

You can cancel the reservation and re-book with someone you would rather be with. This is assuming that you are able to cancel without penalty and that you can still get the same pricing that you got with the agent you are currently with.