May 1996

An Interview with Jason King Re: "Caps & Cuts"

requested by Travel Weekly
Reported by Henry Magenheim

TW Q: Tell me how many offices you currently have?

YIT:Yours In Travel Personnel has offices in NYC (Corporate
Headquarters); Rutherford, NJ; Boston, Ma; Washington, DC; Atlanta,
GA; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Phoenix, AZ; and London, UK. Within the
next 90 days, six (6) new office: Stamford, CT; White Plains, NY;
Philadelphia, PA; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; and Los Angeles,
CA. We service the entire US as well.

TW Q: How many searches have you completed this year?

YIT:We completed over 8,000 successful searches in 1995.

TW Q:Have you seen more travel agents becoming available due to Travel
Agencies closing?

YIT: No. While we are, in fact, somewhat surprised, we have not seen an
increase in the availability of more travel agents. We have made our
own determination that many of these displaced workers were part
time, or close to retirement age, or decided to change careers. Salary
levels are down from 1994-1995 slightly, although salaries on
corporate and leisure are competitive, especially in major cities.

TW Q: What types of workers are being requested?

YIT:We have, in fact, for the first time in over 24-1/2 years in business, had
many more requests for part-timers, but can't find those people. We
have seen an upswing in our Temp Division, although temps can be
quite expensive.

TW Q: Why are agencies requesting Temps?

YIT:As stated above, through temporary help, it also allows the agency to
have a longer "test" for the worker, and ultimately offer them
permanent work if it becomes available. Cities most prevalent are
NYC, the boroughs, Philadelphia, and all of New Jersey and
Connecticut.

TW Q: What positions can't you fill?

YIT:The only posts that are impossible to fill are those agencies which are
not being competitive in salary and those agencies who offer no
benefits.

There is never a shortage of people; only a shortage of "great" people.

TW Q: Can you give us an idea of current salaries for agents?

YIT:Yes. Definitely.

For example:1994 and 1995 (New York & New Jersey ) 1. Corporate agents with major CRS and on-site experience = $38,000 - $44,000. 2. Corporate agents with major CRS and headquarters or res center experience = $36,000 - $40,000. 3. Corporate agents with major CRS and small to medium size single location agencies = $33,000 - $35,000. 4. Leisure agents with major CRS and on-site experience (within a Corporate Travel Department) = $28,000 - $32,000. 5. Leisure agents with major CRS with following = $25,000 - $27,000 + %. 6. Leisure agents with major CRS = $23,000 - $28,000.

1996 1. $35,000 - $39,000 2. $33,000 - $38,000 3. $30,000 - $35,000 4. $25,000 - $30,000 5. $20,000 - $25,000 + % 6. $20,000 - $26,000

Overall salaries have gone down. Although there are variables per city, it's more applicable to say by region.

For example:Highest wages:NYC, NJ, PHL, So. CT, BOS, LAX, SFO.

Lowest wages:Middle America and Florida.

YIT:	(NY & NJ) gone slightly down, again.
	1994 - 1995:
	1.	Corporate Travel Manager (on-site) = $55,000 - $75,000
	2.	Operations Manager (HQ) = $50,000 - $65,000
	3.	Travel Agency Manager (Corp & Leis)=$45,000-$55,000
	4.	Leisure Manager = $35,000 - $40,000
	1996:
	1.	$55,000 - $65,000
	2.	$45,000 - $60,000
	3.	$40,000 - $50,000
	4.	$28,000 - $35,000

Note: Salaries for Leisure should have gone up since commission caps imposed, but they went lower.

TW Q: Do agents receive salary and commission?
YIT:Most agents throughout the US are paid on straight salary. If the
agent has a following, they may receive some salary, or draw against
commission, or straight commission. Same trend as always.

TW Q:Can you supply me with a breakdown of Salary versus Commission?

YIT:	Straight salary	94%
	Salary + commission	4%
	Commission only	1%
	Others with incentives	1%
		____

100%
TW Q: Does the certification of CTC have any importance?

YIT:Not really.
While the recognition of CTC has greatly increased, only a very small
percentage of our clients, less that 1%, request the designation.

TW Q: Can you give us an idea of the sizes of the agencies you work with?

YIT:	A.	Small (volume $1 million gross or less)
	B.	Small, but growing (volume $2 million - $5 million)
	C.	Medium (volume $5 million - $10 million)
	D.	Medium + (volume $11 million - $24 million)
	E.	Large (volume $25 million - $50 million)
	F.	Regional Mega (volume $50 million - $100 million)
	G.	Mega (volume $500 million to a billion)
	H.	Super-Mega (volume $2 billion up)

TW Q: How about Salaries?

NY Metro A. $20K - $26K (primarily leisure) B. $25K - $28K" " " " " " " C. $30K - $36K (primarily corporate) D. $33K - $38K" " " " " " " " E. $35K - $40K" " " " " " " " F. $35K - $40K (diversified) G. $30K - $39K" " " " " H. $30K - $42K" " " " "

TW Q: The Harris Poll reflects different salaries, how come?

YIT:	First of all, based upon my recollections, the Harris Poll reflects more
	of Middle America than East or West Coasts.

I believe salaries to be on the upswing, the salaries that should be more competitive are leisure. Leisure agents and managers have always been paid less. This shouldn't be the case. Leisure sales is hard sales, they should be paid rates competitive to corporate.

The bulk of our client/candidates are primary earners in the household, not secondary.