We were lucky to catch up with Abigail Schimke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Abigail thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the toughest things about progressing in your career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

A very unexpected problem that our agency faced was one that arose the month of our Grand Opening in January 2020…the COVID pandemic. During a time that we anticipated to be planning many new exciting trips, we were instead cancelling them. It was heartbreaking to put a hold, or altogether cancel trips that had been in the works for months, even years, and not know if they were going to ever happen.

During this season of uncertainty, I took the opportunity to connect a little more with our clients. With clients, I would spend extra time on the phone or write handwritten notes to help them feel hopeful of what was to come. I also used this time to further my knowledge and do numerous training programs online, both independently and in virtual group settings.

When our clients felt comfortable traveling again, they were even more excited to work with us, and I felt more equipped than ever, to plan their special trip.

Abigail, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a Luxury Travel Advisor, my primary focus is to help travelers cultivate memories and worldwide experiences through valuing your time. I am a third generation Travel Advisor at Grand Traverse Travel. If you asked me when I was 16 what I was going to be when I grew up, I’d say an artist. But now, I am blessed to design trips!

The trips I create range from wine-focused River cruises along the Douro to fully staffed and stocked oceanfront villas for a multigenerational family to self-guided road trips through Ireland.

My job is to curate unique experiences for travelers, and guide them in the planning process to feel excited and comfortable about their trip. I also provide the security of my services during and after their trip, in the event that something unexpected happens and needs assistance.

I am very proud of our boutique agency, and its specialized services. Having a small, experience-focused travel agency gives us the opportunity to give the appropriate time and attention to each and every one of our clients to create memorable experiences.

To anyone considering hiring myself or our owner, John, know that when you call, one of two real people will answer your call, not an AI agent. You will have a real person to meet with you in a real office. You will have a real person who truly cares about your travel experience from the moment you reach out to us. We have fantastic connections worldwide and over 60 years of travel knowledge combined that equip us to plan the best trip for you.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

1.) It has been essential and successful to have a website that represents our high level of service and products. The “right clients” will inquire by what they see on our website. We also reinforce the importance of being real people, but not listing prices or too detailed information on our website and encouraging visitors to call/email for an in-person consultation. It has shown to be very successful.
2.) We limit our marketing to very occasional direct paper mailings, and remain a very “word of mouth” referral-style agency. This reinforces the exclusivity of the services/products that we offer.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Handwritten notes and phone call check-ins. There is something so special about receiving a letter in the mail, or getting a call from someone who really cares. It cultivates a relationship that is more than transactional, and lasts beyond one trip.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.grandtraversetravel.com
• Instagram: @grandtraversetravel
• Facebook: Grand Traverse Travel
• Linkedin: Abigail Schimke