What About Identity Theft?

Every day there is a news story about identity theft. The Department of Veterans Affairs recently lost information on millions of Americans; Hotels.com lost data on thousands. Now, your travel agent is asking you for all sorts of information. Are you setting yourself up to have your identity stolen? Possibly.

But probably not. Let me tell you why.

When you work with a travel agent — whether face to face or mouse to mouse — you are looking to purchase more than just travel. Not just a trip, not just a cruise, not just a flight — but an experience. And with the right agent, it will be an experience that will in some way enrich your life.

Here’s an example. Three weeks ago I was in Rome, where I witnessed a spectacular fireworks display and celebration as the Swiss Guards marched into the Vatican to celebrate the 500th anniversary of their protection of the Holy See. I could have booked any old hotel, but my travel agent, Lynda, who works in my office and knows me very well, booked me a room with a patio overlooking St. Peter’s Square. She didn’t just book a room, she booked my experience. See the difference?

If Lynda did not know me so well, I would have missed an experience that will be with my daughter, Elizabeth, and me forever. But Lynda is a great travel agent, so she knows me inside and out. In fact, she often knows which trip I’ll be taking before I do. How? Because she’s proactive. She keeps her eye out for travel opportunities that she knows will excite and interest me. And the surprising thing is, I am only one of a thousand clients she serves each year.

It is all about “Customer Relationship Management” (CRM), and it is not evil. It’s how service providers operate. Ever wonder how the Domino’s Pizza guy knows you like large pepperoni pizzas? How the supermarket miraculously spits out coupons that you can actually use? It is all about knowing your customers and keeping track of their interests, preferences and habits.

Travel agents are experts at CRM. In the old days, your information was kept in your agent’s head or maybe in his Rolodex. Today, it is likely to be kept on the agency’s computers. (Our office uses a program called ClientBase, a CRM program developed specifically for travel agents.) With each contact, your agent should be gathering a little more information from you to serve you better down the road.

Little things mean a lot when it comes to creating your experience. Are you prone to seasickness? Maybe a cruise is not for you. Does your family have roots in Greece? Does a particular artist or composer really move you? How old are you? What about your kids? Shuffleboard or windsurfing? Hot dogs or chateaubriand? With this information, your agent can present an experience that will interest you — and leave the others in the trashcan.

A good agent will also keep track of all the tedious stuff you might forget, as well as the stuff you have no desire to monitor. Before switching to our agency, Erin and Gary had a wonderful trip to Paris all lined up and ready to go. But their dream trip got derailed at the Air France check-in counter, where Gary discovered his passport had expired. With a good agent, this would never have happened. A good agent keeps track of your passport – and your visa requirements, deposit dates, insurance coverage, shots, conversion rates, credit card expiration dates and countless other travel details – so you don’t have to. When something needs attention, you’ll receive a reminder — before it ruins your experience.

So, when you have a good relationship with a travel agent, don’t be afraid to give up the 411 about yourself.

But here comes the word of caution: While most agents are honest and most agencies have security measures in place, there is always a chance that your data might be accidentally compromised. So be prudent, especially with Social Security, passport and credit card information. Your Social Security number should never be asked for unless your agent is filling out some government forms for you. And, if you don’t feel comfortable leaving your credit card information on file, don’t do it; it just means the agent will have to ask for it each time you make a purchase. That’s a small price to pay for your peace of mind.

Your travel agent already has an identity, and he probably doesn’t want yours. So, choose your travel agent with care, then let him ask questions — and be honest when you answer them. After all, it’s your experience that counts.

So, what is the recipe for a fantastic travel experience? Take a dose of caution, add a cup of trust and allow your agent to go to work for you!

It's Hurricane Season

This is the time of year we now dread. Not Christmas. Not the end of school. Not even that bittersweet day when you realize you are another year older — again! I am talking the two words that put the fear of God in everyone who lives on the coast: hurricane season. Yes, very quietly, in the still of the night, about two weeks ago, the 2006 hurricane season began.

Right now, the forecasters are busy trying to figure out the answers. How many? How severe? Where? Currently, they are predicting a slightly less active season than 2005, and the best news is that the U.S. Gulf Coast may get a reprieve.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 2005 hurricane season smashed all previous records. The year saw 28 named storms (the previous record was 21, in 1933), 15 hurricanes (previous record: 12, in 1969), four major hurricanes hitting the United States (previous record: three, in 2004) and four Category 5 hurricanes (previous record: two, in 1960 and 1961). The extraordinary activity of the season was attributed to warm waters in the Atlantic. This year the water temperature is expected to be cooler.

“The Atlantic is a little bit warm, but it’s nothing like last year, which was the worst hurricane season in history,” says David Adamec, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. “Last year the water was really warm. It was downright toasty.”

How much warmer the water will get this season depends a lot on how long a persistent subtropical high-pressure system remains parked over the Atlantic, Adamec says. The high pressure keeps the skies clear and lets the sun beat down and heat up the waters.

AccuWeather, a weather information service based in State College, Penn., is forecasting a more active season for the northeastern United States and the western Gulf of Mexico, predicting that one in six Americans who live in those regions will be affected by tropical winds and rain.

“The 2006 season will be a creeping threat,” says AccuWeather’s chief forecaster, Joe Bastardi. “Early in the season — June and July — the Texas Gulf Coast faces the highest likelihood of a hurricane strike, possibly putting Gulf energy production in the line of fire. As early as July, and through much of the rest of the season, the highest level of risk shifts to the Carolinas. From mid-August into early October, the window is open for hurricane strikes to spread northward to the more densely populated Northeast coast. At the very end of the season, southern Florida also faces significant hurricane risk.”

Well, there you have it from two authorities. Personally, I think hurricane prediction is an exercise in futility. You can never predict what a woman will do, and they don’t call her Mother Nature for nothing. Two things are for sure: There will be a number of storms, and there will be destruction. The important thing is to be prepared, and that’s not too difficult if you follow a few common-sense tips:

1. Listen to the news. I have already told you we are in hurricane season; now you have to do some snooping on your own. Know when a storm is coming. After last year’s devastation, there will be no shortage of news coverage, I assure you.

2. Stock up. Every household even remotely in the path of tropical weather should have the following on hand throughout the season: some dry food for people and pets, bottled water, a portable radio, flashlights and spare batteries, a first aid kit and a cell phone. And don’t wait until the storm is bearing down to head for Home Depot. Why not go out tomorrow and buy the plywood you may need to board up your windows?

3. Heed the advice of the authorities. When they tell you to leave, leave! Pack your valuables and head out of town; your life is simply not worth the risk of staying home. If you are unable to evacuate yourself, call for help. You will be told when it is safe to return. Don’t try to go earlier. There are many unseen dangers after a storm has passed through, and public safety crews need to do their work without having to deal with early returnees. Again, heed the advice of authorities.

Are you planning a trip to hurricane territory? Always, always purchase supplemental travel insurance and check with the insurer about its hurricane coverage. Some resorts offer a “hurricane guarantee,” but these guarantees are usually limited, so read the fine print. Keep in mind that if storm clouds are gathering, it might just make sense from a safety point of view to abandon the trip.

Staying safe during hurricane season is not difficult if you follow some very simple tips. Unfortunately, common sense tends to go out the window in an emergency. But if you make your plans before a storm starts brewing, you will be in a better position to come out unscathed.

Oh, and one more tip: Although the waves will be big, and the surf will be up, leave that surfboard in the garage!