ShopTalk: Mary "Mimi" Cleary
MARY "MIMI" CLEARY,
Vice president of corporate services, Atlas Travel International, Milford
Managing In A Virtual World
How do you keep track of your employees when they’re scattered across the United States? Very carefully, according to Mary “Mimi” Cleary, the new vice president of corporate services at Atlas Travel International in Milford. Her job is to keep track of and support the more than 60 travel agents located across the country that provide travel services for corporate clients. Here, she talks about the challenges of managing a dispersed team as well as her outlook for the travel industry.
>> How do you manage to manage people that are spread out and as far away as Hawaii?
I’ve been really fortunate because I’ve been able to meet all but four of our agents so far. We bring them in house for training and they have to come in three weeks out of the year. A lot of that has happened over the summer, so I’ve been able to meet them and ask them questions. Communication is the way you have to do it with telecommuters. E-mail, e-mail, e-mail, phone, phone, phone. I’m on the phone all day.
>> E-mail can be so overwhelming. How do you keep on top of all that?
When I first started here the number of e-mails coming through on a day-to-day basis was very overwhelming. I think within the first three-day span I received about 1,200 e-mails. One of the first things I wanted was to reorganize our e-mail lists because everyone was on every group e-mail list. We’ve already seen a big improvement. It just needed a little organization.
>> Are you someone that responds right away to emails?
In our industry you pretty much have to be responsive. In corporate travel response time is one of the biggest issues and of course that starts at the top. If a client is trying to reach me and my response isn’t good it’s no different than an agent not responding in time. So we’re pretty much tied to our desks.
>> You’ve been in the travel industry since 1982. What is it about travel that has kept you in it?
I think the day-to-day challenges. This industry has gone through so many ups and downs, but we’ve survived them. And I think every time we come out of them stronger.
>> What are those ups and downs?
First there was the whole commission crisis where the airlines, one by one, started taking away commissions. Then we went through the Gulf War where travel literally stopped. We went through 9/11 and now the current one is the gas crisis. It’s never ending. These are monumental changes for our industry. The airlines are really going through a complete reorganization right now.
>> You’ve recently hired five new people. How is the company growing given this tough economy?
We are actually on an upturn. Sales have been incredible. A lot of it is referral business. I think with the economy the way it is, companies are realizing that they need travel management now more than ever and they need companies like Atlas to watch where their money is going. I think they look to us for cost savings.
>> Any trends of where businesses are having meetings?
I think people are looking for creative locales, but now with the economy, they’re definitely looking for a deal. What I’m not seeing is the high-end incentive. The meetings are persisting, but they’re looking for the value.
>> What’s your advice for business travelers given your experience?
I definitely avoid certain hubs. I avoid certain times of day. One way that you know you’re going to get out is to take the earliest flight in the morning. There’s usually a plane on the ground, so you know it’s going to eventually take off. I definitely always try to pack light and bring it with me so my luggage doesn’t get lost. The one thing I cannot convince clients to do enough is check in online. That way you know you don’t have to worry about getting kicked off the flight.
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