Norma Shepherd
Where were you born? In Elkhorn, Manitoba.
What was your 1st job? Working in a grocery store after school when I was 12, stocking shelves and working the till.
How long have you been in the business? About 17 years. I bought a CruiseShipCenters franchise with a friend.
Tell me about your 1st airplane ride. From Winnipeg to Alberta, on one of those old planes. I was about 13 – it was probably Trans Canada Airlines.
How has the business changed since you got into it? The prices are a lot lower, particularly in cruising. People are now getting balcony cabins for what they used to pay for an inside cabin. And the service has gone down a bit too.
Do you have a specialty? Cruising, though 30% of my sales are land. Right now, I’m selling a lot of China because it’s so cheap.
If you could have any job in the business what would it be? I’d probably stay in this, because I can work when I like. At 77, I’m not going to go out and beat the bushes for business.
What was your best FAM? Norway with Hurtigruten – delightful! And South America with Oceania. I actually haven’t taken many. I don’t think you get an accurate picture when you’re surrounded by 4,000 travel agents.
What drives you crazy? People who lie to me. They say, “My friend paid $X for this cruise through their travel agent.” I tell them, “If you think there’s a better agency to go to, why not go there?”
What was your biggest individual sale? About $75,000 – a trip to China for a family and their friends.
What’s the 1st thing you do when you get into a hotel room? Take off my shoes! (Laughs) And order a gin and tonic!
Do you have a magic sentence to close the sale? For cruises, I say, “We can put a cabin on hold.” They like that cruise companies will honour lowered prices for the final payment.
How do you cope with jetlag? If it’s Europe, I try for a couple hours of sleep on arrival. Coming home is not such a big deal.
What do you do to keep you clients loyal? I’ll send flowers or a bottle of wine. Or if it’s a family going to Disney, I’ll arrange to have a Mickey Mouse on the pillow on arrival. Plus my clients appreciate it when I’m tough on insurance. I’ll say, “You really are foolish not to have insurance.”
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received? “Mind your own business.”
If you had to spend 6 months in a destination, which one would you pick? Some place in South America, maybe Peru. The country is beautiful. Or Norway – Scandinavia is really nice.
If you or someone you know is a front line travel agent in Canada and would like to be featured in Up Front, please email martha@gk.openjaw.xyz.
