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About Nexion
What makes Nexion better than other host agencies?
Who can join Nexion?
Membership Costs/Requirements
What is the start-up cost to join Nexion?
What is my monthly expense?
Can I switch between plans, and is there a cost for doing so?
What if I still have a GDS/CRS contract in place?
What are my long-term contractual obligations?
Do you provide Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance?
What is the process for me to join Nexion and how long does it take?
Once I’ve joined, what support do you offer?
Nexion Services
How is ticketing and fulfillment handled?
What other fulfillment services do you provide to support your independent agents?
Commissions
When are my commissions paid?
How does Nexion know which bookings are mine when I book through a supplier directly?
Do I keep my identity with my local suppliers?
Can I book a non-preferred supplier, and how do I get paid?
Marketing
Can I keep my agency name when I become a Nexion agent?
Do you provide a consumer website customized for my agency, and if so, does it have a booking engine?
Does Nexion provide business cards, stationary and other materials?
Can I use the Nexion name in advertising and communications to consumers?
Benefits and Training
Do you have training?
What about training for new or beginning agents?
Will I receive IATAN and other travel benefits?
Will I receive information on FAM trips and supplier specials?
Technology/Computer Requirements
What types of computer requirements do you have?
What is WebView?
Do I need to know one of the CRS/GDS languages (i.e. Sabre)?
I use Client Base; does Nexion integrate with it and is it required?
What kind of Internet access should I have?
How fast does my Internet connection need to be?
Other
Nexion is a member of TRAMS Marketing Alliance (TMA), NACTA, OSSN and other groups. Does that mean I do not have to join independently?
Do you have information concerning Seller of Travel state requirements/legislation?
What makes Nexion better than other host agencies?
You can significantly increase your commissions while substantially lowering your cost of doing business since we provide access to sales reports and invoicing, and through our 7x24 automated ticket handling! Our support staff of 50 full-time employees is dedicated to your success. You have access to innovative and cutting-edge marketing campaigns at little or no cost. We offer top-notch training programs. You are a part of a company with more than 12 years’ experience as a host agency with the financial stability and resources of Sabre Holdings — a multi-billion dollar business.
Who can join Nexion?
Membership in Nexion is intended for experienced, U.S.-based, independent leisure travel agents, travel agencies looking to give up their ARC number and corporations with on-site travel agents. If you book any air travel via a GDS with our Standard or Deluxe GDS options, you should be well versed and have ticketing experience with one or more of the major GDS languages (Sabre, Apollo, Worldspan or Amadeus).
What is the start-up cost to join Nexion?
There is a one-time, non-refundable activation fee of $199 upon application approval. That's it. No other start-up fee and no annual renewal fees are required.
What is my monthly expense?
Nexion provides various pricing options, including a choice of two programs: Nexion 90 or 100. The 90% commission program has no monthly fee, and the 100% commission program has a $179 monthly fee. You decide which program is best for you and your business. Go to our Pricing section to learn more.
Can I switch between plans, and is there a cost for doing so?
Members may switch between plans at no cost. Requests must be made in writing. It takes between 30-60 days for changes to take effect.
What if I still have a GDS/CRS contract in place?
Check with your GDS account representative for options on how to proceed. Sabre, Apollo, Worldspan and Amadeus have programs in place to assist their customers in the best solution to address the pressures of the travel industry which, upon their review, may include an option to move to Nexion. Our sales representatives can give you assistance in this area based on your specific situation.
What are my long-term contractual obligations?
What’s great is that there’s no long-term contract to join Nexion. Membership is month-to-month and can be cancelled at anytime, with 30-days written notice.
Do you provide Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance?
While Nexion holds insurance to cover E&O issues, you are an independent contractor and should have your own coverage. Therefore we highly recommend our members to obtain Errors and Omissions insurance in their name for their personal protection. However, E&O insurance is not a requirement to join Nexion. Host travel agencies are not licensed by State Departments of Insurance to sell Errors and Omissions insurance (E&O) to their outside sales agents. Those hosts that tell you they provide Errors and Omissions insurance at a cost may be in violation of the law. In addition, the E&O policies that most host agencies hold only cover the host agency - not the individual agents. If you are told otherwise - request proof that their E&O policy lists you by name. Also, "if you are sharing one general and professional liability policy limit with a host agency with hundreds of Independent Contractors, even one claim can erode that limit of liability!"
What is the process for me to join Nexion and how long does it take?
Joining Nexion is easy! Either complete our Get Started form <link to form> or call us at 800-747-6813 to get started. Once we receive your online application and faxed forms, we will review them and, if appropriate, process your membership in about two business days.
Once I’ve joined, what support do you offer?
Once you’re a Nexion member, you’ll receive a welcome email with information to help you get started as soon as possible. Within a few days, you’ll also receive a personal call from a Nexion representative who will walk you through some of our tools and applications and answer any questions you may have. This rep will also assist you in registering for our agent pre-recorded training sessions, weekly webinars and boot camp. It’s in our mutual best interest to get you up and running quickly so that you can make the most of what Nexion has to offer. Of course, throughout your membership, our support team is there to help you with ongoing questions and is available by email, phone or via our online service center.
How is ticketing and fulfillment handled?
All tickets are ticketed at Nexion's headquarters. You simply queue the record to a ticketing queue when ready and our 24x7 mid-office system quality controls the record and issues the ticket with confirmation back to you. Manual transactions such as ticket exchanges, MCOs and prepaid tickets are handled by Nexion's experienced ticketing department, relieving you from these time-consuming tasks.
What other fulfillment services do you provide to support your independent agents?
• We provide access to any of the four GDS systems for a monthly fee of $39 per agent. Our automated quality control system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and enables our members to work when they want to and minimizes risks to you and to us.
• If you do not regularly book airline tickets and do not need access to a GDS, our Full Service Ticketing Desk can manage the airline reservation process and issue the tickets for only $10 per reservation. Remember that you can charge service fees and make money selling air.
• We have a Group Air Desk that can help manage the process and management of airline groups.
• For group cruises, our Group Cruise Desk is available to support you with both personal groups and Nexion cruise block space where you can book individual cabins and take advantage of favorable rates and amenities for your travelers. Our best agents look there first and become heroes to their clients.
In addition, we offer standard hosting services such as commission processing, reporting and fax and document distribution.
When are my commissions paid?
Individual commissions are posted to your account daily so that you may view your sales activity online through Nexion's integrated reporting system. Individual commissions received in the calendar month will be paid to you by direct deposit into your bank account on the 15th and 30th of the month.
How does Nexion know which bookings are mine when I book through a supplier directly?
Nexion gives you a unique User ID that you will use for all of your bookings. For example if Joan Smith were given User ID 1234, she would tell the supplier "This is Joan 1234" when making the booking.
Do I keep my identity with my local suppliers?
When booking with suppliers and utilizing Nexion's ARC/IATA#, you do need to identify yourself as a Nexion member.
Can I book a non-preferred supplier, and how do I get paid?
You are able to book non-preferred suppliers; however, Nexion encourages support of our preferred suppliers. Our preferred suppliers support our business and typically provide our members with premium commission levels. If you do book a non-preferred supplier, you will be compensated in the same manner as you would if you book a preferred supplier, however at the non-preferred supplier’s standard commission level.
Can I keep my agency name when I become a Nexion agent?
YES! You keep your own business identity when joining Nexion. Think of Nexion as your "behind the scenes" back office support. Your clients will only deal with you directly and see your agency information on all invoices and bookings. In fact, you can upload your business logo onto our system and automatically display your logo, name and address on all of your invoices, itineraries and marketing promotions.
Do you provide a consumer website customized for my agency, and if so, does it have a booking engine?
Nexion provides its members with a free basic consumer website that allows our agents to create a consumer-facing travel marketing presence that is branded with their agency information. Each website displays preferred supplier promotions to your customers and drives travel demand back to you.
This website is built as a marketing tool for you and does not provide booking capability. Nexion’s philosophy is to use your website to market your capabilities so that your customers come to you. Through our association with Passport Online, we do offer website customization and other added functionalities that can be upgraded for a small fee.
Does Nexion provide business cards, stationary and other materials?
No, Nexion does not provide business cards or stationary.
Can I use the Nexion name in advertising and communications to consumers?
No. Nexion members may not use the Nexion logo or name in any consumer-directed marketing. As an independent business, each Nexion member will use and promote their own business name.
Do you have training?
Through Nexion you can select from several training programs to fit your needs. We offer virtual online training sessions with Nexion and our preferred travel suppliers. Nexion also offers an annual convention, regional meetings, three-day boot camps, seminars at sea, exclusive land fam trips, webinars and other interactive training programs designed to increase your sales.
What about training for new or beginning agents?
Nexion does offer training specific about working with Nexion, your whole host agency. We do not offer a formal travel agent training program for new/beginning agents. However, we will be happy to refer you to the Career Quest Training Center. They provide new/beginning agents with training at a $50 discount if you have been referred by Nexion.
Will I receive IATAN and other travel benefits?
Yes, you can earn an IATAN card, provided you meet IATAN eligibility requirements. Travel Services Intermediary (TSI) and CLIA ID cards are also available, subject to their requirements. Note that IATAN offers several different options to agencies with multiple agents in the office. Typically only the account owner qualifies for an IATAN card through Nexion but they do offer an ICB program where multiple agents can apply. Please contact our Member Services department for details.
Will I receive information on FAM trips and supplier specials?
Yes. Supplier specials and FAM trip offerings can be found on our member portal homepage.
What types of computer requirements do you have?
Because of advanced engineering, the system demands are low. This means that almost any Windows 95/98/NT/2000/ME/XP computer will do the job. Nexion's tools, including it’s intranet portal called WebView, can operate on any Pentium/Celeron-class computer with 32 MB of RAM, 40 MB available hard-drive space, 256-color monitor capable of 800x600 resolution and a CD-ROM drive. You can operate in a Mac environment running Virtual PC™ v4.0+. We do not support this environment and cannot ensure its stability.
What is WebView?
WebView is Nexion’s intranet portal and is specifically designed to provide our members with access to a variety of booking, training, reporting and administrative tools, as well as to supplier information, online services and an agent community. There is no software to download. There are no timeouts due to inactivity. And you can work anywhere, anytime as long as you have Internet access.
Do I need to know one of the CRS/GDS languages (i.e. Sabre)?
GDS knowledge is only necessary if you subscribe to one of the optional GDS packages. All Nexion members have access to our high cruise commissions, other leisure booking tools, ClientBase CRM software at special pricing, direct reporting features and credit card merchant services.
I use Client Base; does Nexion integrate with it and is it required?
Nexion highly recommends that individual members use ClientBase in order to fully benefit from the TRAMS Marketing Alliance (TMA) marketing programs, so you are already on the right track! ClientBase is the perfect tool for organizing your customer preferences and managing them, including tracking invoices, sales, customer contacts and more.
As a Nexion member, when you log into ClientBase, our WebView agent portal is integrated into the home page so that you can manage your customers, bookings and administration from a single desktop tool.
What kind of Internet access should I have?
Any basic ISP (Internet Service Provider) will work. There are several national, as well as local, Internet Service Providers to choose from. (We do not recommend AOL, MSN or any "free" Internet service provider. These providers include a proprietary browser that may conflict with Nexion WebView software.)
How fast does my Internet connection need to be?
Although Nexion WebView performs adequately with a standard 56Kbps dial-up modem, we recommend a high-speed Internet connection. Nexion WebView works with dial-up service, DSL, cable modem, ISDN and satellite Internet access.
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Nexion is a member of TRAMS Marketing Alliance (TMA), NACTA, OSSN and other groups. Does that mean I do not have to join independently?
Nexion holds memberships with TMA, NACTA, OSSN and other groups. Your membership with Nexion includes your membership in TMA at no additional cost. However, there are typically fees for our members to join the organizations noted above as well as other organizations. Please contact the organizations you wish to join for their pricing requirements, etc.
Do you have information concerning Seller of Travel state requirements/legislation?
The following grid was obtained from ASTA's Web site. It is a list of states that ASTA says regulate travel sales and/or travel sellers and the government office responsible for enforcement of the regulation. The List is maintained by ASTA and may not be the up to date list provided on the ASTA website and no effort has been made by Nexion to verify its accuracy or to keep it updated.
Please consult ASTA or your state, county, city or other local governmental or regulatory agency(ies) for any updates or additional information related to regulations of travel sales or travel sellers. This list does not include other permits or licenses that may be required by your state, county, city or local authorities. Nexion is registered in various states under these laws and regulations. However, that does not necessarily eliminate the need for each independent contractor doing business in a particular state to register or file for permits. It is each Nexion member's responsibility to understand and comply with the laws of the governing state(s), county, city or local governing body that impacts its business.
State |
Regulation Type |
Contact Information |
|---|---|---|
California |
Seller of Travel |
Seller of Travel Program, Dept. of Justice 213.897.8065 |
Delaware |
Professional Business License |
Division of Revenue 302.577.8200 |
Florida |
Seller of Travel |
Division of Consumer Services Seller of Travel Program 850.410.3805 |
Hawaii |
Seller of Travel |
Travel Agency Program Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs 808.586.3000 |
Illinois |
Special Disclosure & Refund Rules/No Registration |
Attorney General 217.782.1090 |
Iowa |
Seller of Travel |
Office of the Secretary of State 515.281.5204 |
Louisana |
Professional Business License |
Relevant Section of Louisiana State Statutes |
Massachusetts |
Special Disclosure & Refund Rules/No Registration |
Attorney General Antitrust and Consumer Protection Division 617.727.2200 |
Minnesota |
Travel Club/Membership Contract |
Relevant Section of Minnesota Statutes |
Nevada |
Seller of Travel |
Dept. of Business and Industry Consumer Affairs Division 702.486.7355 |
New York |
Special Disclosure & Refund Rules/No Registration |
Office of the Attorney General 518.474.2121 |
Pennsylvania |
Motor Coach Operators |
Public Utility Commission Bureau of Transportation & Safety 717.783.5895 |
Rhode Island |
Seller of Travel |
Dept. of Business Regulation State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantation 401.277.2246 |
Virginia |
Travel Club |
Consumer Affairs Office Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Service 804.786.2042 |
Washington |
Seller of Travel |
Sellers of Travel Licensing Program Dept. of Licensing 360.586.0396 |
This information is provided "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. Any reliance on this information shall be at the user's sole risk and expense. Material posted on ASTA's web site is believed to be accurate as of the date of its posting. ASTA assumes no responsibility for updating posted material. Material posted by ASTA does not constitute legal advice and is intended for informational purposes only. Persons interested in determining the applicability of state law to their individual activities are urged to contact the appropriate state agency or seek advice from an attorney licensed in their state.
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