Marie A. Smith, CTA, CTIE
Strong supplier relationships are essential to a successful travel business, yet confusion around roles and responsibilities can limit their impact. In this three-part series, Marie A. Smith, CTA, CTIE, drawing from experience on both the agency and supplier sides of the industry, explores how advisors can better understand, leverage, and strengthen their work with Business Development Managers and Reservations teams to support long-term growth and a more intentional approach to their business.
Part One: How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your BDM and Why It Matters for Your Business
Having worked on the agency side in both advisory and leadership roles and now serving on the supplier side as a Business Development Manager, I have had the opportunity to see our industry from both perspectives. One of the most common areas of confusion is understanding how to properly use a BDM.
Advisors are relationship-driven. When something feels urgent, it is natural to reach out to the person you know best. However, I have often seen BDMs mistaken for reservations agents or quoting resources. That misunderstanding can slow down processes and limit the value of the partnership.
Clarity strengthens relationships.
Understanding Roles and Responsibilities
A Business Development Manager works on the sales and engagement side of a supplier organization, with business growth as the primary responsibility. In that role, the BDM helps advisors increase production, identify new opportunities, strengthen marketing efforts, and build long-term partnerships.
They are not typically inside the live booking system, building itineraries or checking availability. Those responsibilities belong to the reservations team who have direct access to inventory and rate structures.
Having worked on the agency side, I know how easy it is to blur those lines. When you are trying to move quickly for a client, you simply want answers. Using the correct channel ensures faster turnaround and stronger overall support.
Reservations handle execution. Your BDM supports growth.
Provide Context Rather Than Just a Request
One of the most effective ways to strengthen your BDM relationship is to approach it strategically.
Instead of sending a quick note asking for pricing, provide a full picture of the client and the goal.
For example:
“My clients are a family of five traveling in peak season with a fifteen-thousand-dollar land-only budget. They would like to visit two islands in Hawaii and want a balance of outdoor adventure and resort time. How would you structure this?”
That level of detail allows your BDM to offer meaningful guidance before numbers are even built. You may receive advice on budget allocation, destination pairing, expectation management, and positioning language that helps you present the trip more confidently.
That is strategic collaboration. It is very different from requesting a quote.
Respect the Process
Professionalism requires respecting structure.
Pricing and itinerary builds should be directed to the reservations team with complete information. This includes your IATA or CLIA number, full traveler names, travel dates, preferred properties, and required contact details.
Sending complete information to the appropriate team improves response time and reduces unnecessary back and forth communication.
As advisors, we expect clients to respect our expertise and our process. The same principle applies when working with supplier partners.
In Part Two, we will look at how to leverage your BDM relationship to increase revenue and strengthen your overall sales strategy.
Part Two: From Support to Strategy: Leveraging Your BDM to Grow Revenue
In Part One, we discussed the importance of understanding roles and respecting structure. Once that foundation is clear, the real opportunity begins. A strong BDM relationship should not simply support your business. It should drive growth.
Having transitioned from advisor to supplier partner, I can confidently say that the advisors who see the most measurable growth are the ones who use their BDM proactively rather than reactively.
Use Your BDM to Strengthen Your Sales Strategy
A BDM relationship should not begin with a specific trip. It should begin with your business plan.
Your BDM should understand who you serve, what your clients typically invest in their travel experiences, and where you want your business to grow.
Have conversations about your client demographic. Are they value-conscious families, luxury couples, destination wedding groups, or experiential travelers seeking custom itineraries? What is the typical investment range of your bookings? Are you working to move into a higher revenue tier or expand into a new niche?
When your BDM understands your production goals, client base, and long-term objectives, their guidance becomes strategic rather than situational.
Instead of reacting to individual bookings, you begin building a framework for growth.
This is not about a single booking. It is about building a roadmap for growth.
Advisors who engage at this level position themselves for stronger production and more intentional expansion.
Think Beyond the Immediate Booking
Many advisors reach out to their BDM only when a booking becomes complicated or when pricing feels challenging. While that support is valuable, the greater impact comes from consistent, forward-looking conversations.
Schedule time to review production trends. Evaluate which destinations are performing well and where there may be opportunities to diversify. Discuss shifts in client demand and how supplier partnerships can support your evolving business model.
If you plan to expand into Europe, build a stronger group segment, or increase luxury sales, those conversations should happen before you begin actively selling in those areas. Early alignment allows for better positioning, targeted focus, and stronger results.
Sustained growth is rarely reactive. It is the result of deliberate planning and informed collaboration.
Increase Booking Value Through Strategic Collaboration
Your BDM often has visibility into preferred partnerships, promotional opportunities, and value-added amenities that may not be top of mind during a busy booking day.
Early collaboration can uncover opportunities to elevate bookings in ways that benefit both you and your client. This might involve positioning a higher room category, refining the overall experience, or highlighting inclusions that justify the investment.
Higher-value bookings are rarely accidental. They are the result of thoughtful positioning and strategic alignment.
Take Ownership of the Relationship
Strong business relationships require effort from both sides.
Communicate clearly about your goals. Share wins and challenges. Respect established processes. Be open to strategic input.
Having worked on both sides of the industry, I have seen how powerful these relationships can be when they are used intentionally. Advisors who understand the structure, engage proactively, and treat their BDM as a strategic partner consistently place themselves in a stronger position.
They are not simply looking for support when something goes wrong. They are building a framework for growth.
The advisors who grow steadily over time are intentional about how they use every resource available to them. They understand roles. They respect process. They communicate clearly.
And they recognize that a well-developed BDM relationship is not just helpful. It is a competitive advantage.
Part Three: Strengthening Your Reservations Partnership
In Part One, we clarified roles. In Part Two, we focused on growth. The final component of a strong supplier partnership is working effectively with Reservations.
Reservations teams are responsible for execution. They work inside live systems, structure itineraries, manage inventory, and ensure accuracy.
Supplier structures vary. Some offer direct access to a dedicated agent or allow email communication. Others operate within centralized call centers. Regardless of the model, the responsibility remains the same: understand how that supplier is structured and work within the system provided.
Professionalism includes adapting to structure.
Respect the Volume
Reservations departments manage significant daily volume, often within defined service level agreements. Complete and accurate submissions allow them to maintain those standards and work efficiently.
As discussed in Part One, required information should be submitted from the start. This includes IATA or CLIA number, full traveler names, accurate dates, and clear preferences. It is not a formality. It is part of professional practice.
Rushed, incomplete, or frequently revised requests place strain on the system and can delay outcomes. Preparation on the advisor’s part directly impacts execution.
Efficiency begins with preparation.
Carry Your Qualification Process Through
Your qualification process must carry through to Reservations.
The details gathered during your consultation should translate directly into a well-structured request. Reservations can only be made effectively when they are working from complete and accurate information.
Qualification is not only a sales skill. It is a standard of professional practice.
Plan Ahead
Set realistic time expectations with your clients from the beginning. Communicate clear turnaround timelines and allow appropriate space for pricing, revisions, and confirmations.
It is important to remember that you are working within your supplier’s timelines and service level agreements, not your own. Respecting those timelines protects both the booking process and your professional credibility.
Execution is strongest when it aligns with structure rather than working against it.
The Complete Partnership
When advisors understand roles, leverage strategy, and execute with preparation and clarity, the entire system functions more effectively.
BDMs help you grow. Reservations help you deliver. Both relationships matter.
They build strategically.
They execute professionally.
They grow with intention.
