EF Info & Questions Flashcards
How does EF handle private groups? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
Private groups can be customized and are made up of one group, instead of a combination of multiple. Pricing is based on the group’s size, with only paying travelers counting. Pricing is available for group sizes starting as low as 15-20, never lower than 10. Private groups still have travel windows, but are less variable.
Why it matters?
With EF, for groups traveling privately, how many travelers it takes to hit the pricing tiers can be very important, IF group size tends to vary. Less important if the group is always 35+, which is the tier needed to waive private group fees with EF.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to trip dates? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
EF uses, “Travel Windows”, which grant EF the flexibility to adjust the departure of the tour up to 2 days in the spring and up to 4 days in the summer.
Why it matters?
Groups don’t know exactly when they’ll be traveling until 60 days before departure, regardless of whether they are a private or consolidated group.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to price point? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
EF’s price point is typically within $100 of Explorica’s for similar tour itineraries.
Why it matters?
Some PLs might be looking for a significant cost savings when comparing companies. but what is significant depends on the individual. Conversations often start with price as a main motivator, but end up evolving into the personalized value of the features, benefits, and differentiatiors of each company.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to payment plans and fees? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
EF has 3 different payment plan options; Automated ACH/Debit Monthly, Manual, and Pay in Full. The Automated monthly ACH/Debit plan requires a $95 deposit and splits the remaining balance into equal monthly payments. The manual plan adds a $50 plan fee and a $95 deposit, then 30 days after enrollment a $500 deposit, and then another $500 payment at 90 days after enrollment. Final payment is due 110 days before departure.
Why it matters?
The monthly plan isn’t available for those looking to use credit cards and the manual plan adds a $50 fee and plus requires you to make $1,100 in payments toward the trip within 90 days of enrollment. Good for the company, not great for the parents and students.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to hotel location? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
EF has two tiers when it comes to hotel locations; standard and upgraded. EF’s standard hotels are spread out and can be found as close as 20 minutes from the city center or as far out as 90 minutes in major cities, especially in the summer, when costs are high. On average, most standard hotels are between 45-60 minutes from the city center. Upgraded hotels are typically located about 20 -30 minutes from the city center, but sometimes be located closer, depending on the demand and pricing of the hotels available.
Why it matters?
EF typically uses hotels which are located further from the city center, which equates into wasted time on tour. This is especially an issue when traveling large distances, as this means that you’ll spend most of the day traveling and then need to cut the day short to head back to the hotel. Bus drivers are also limited to driving 12 hours per day at a max, which starts the moment the group departs from their hotel in the morning and keeps rolling, regardless of breaks.
In places where public transportation is available, access isn’t guaranteed with EF, which means that your time in the city is will often be limited to the bus driver’s hours each day. Out of the hotel by 8AM, back by 8PM.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to hotel quality? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
EF offers both upgraded and standard hotel quality options. EF’s hotels are typically 2-3 star quality and on par with a Holiday Inn. Upgraded hotels are available to private tours and can be slightly higher quality, but still budget minded.
It’s also worth noting that EF is the only student travel company to offer an adults only division (Go Ahead), which offers better quality.
Why it matters?
Hotel quality is a major driver of price and EF’s quality is designed to help to keep the cost of the trips affordable, but EF doesn’t prescribe to the idea of set standards. EF explains it as, “Safe, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms will be waiting for you at your destination.” Note that EF is the only company not to clearly define these standards.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to meals? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to PL rooming? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to exclusive rooming? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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How does EF handle minimums to run optional activities and extensions? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to using points? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to conventions/training trips? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to college prep credits? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to financial assistance? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to travel insurance options? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to exclusive advantages? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might these be important to a prospect? Why not?
EF offers many things which a PL might portray as an advantage. Travel windows, physical market presence, worldwide reach, company longevity, rewards program, volume of travelers, rep regionalization. Every potential advantage could also be portrayed as a disadvantage to a certain type of PL.
Why might it matter?
Travel windows are meant to guarantee your choice of itinerary and grant the company the flexibility to match you with another group. Or the travel windows might be viewed as a disadvantage which doesn’t allow parents to know when the group will actually be traveling until 60 days before departure and are more about EF meeting their business needs, than trying to accommodate the needs of the group.
EF’s expansive physical market presence allows them to meet PLs where they are and address their needs in person. Or EF’s expansive physical market might be viewed as a disadvantage, as it could make EF feel out of touch and make PLs feel like they’re, “just a number”.
EF’s global offices are unmatched by other companies, which might be a comfort for a nervous PL. Or perhaps EF’s global offices might be viewed as a disadvantage when you realize that the majority are not affiliated with student travel, but rather one of their other businesses.
EF’s rewards program might also be considered an exclusive advantage, since the program creates the idea of rewarding PL loyalty to the company, when the PL doesn’t yet know or care about rewards. Or perhaps it’s a disadvantage when PLs realize that other companies provide more robust rewards packages and don’t require the same loyalty.
EF’s volume of travelers could be seen as an advantage, since someone could argue that this volume is what allows them access to a greater variety of vendors and better pricing for their contracts. Or perhaps EF’s volume is a disadvantage because it forces EF to constantly churn vendors, push for quantity over quality and experience, and makes it difficult to build long term relationships with vendors.
EF’s hyper regionalization allows reps to learn and understand the local needs of each community. Or perhaps regionalization makes rep turnover a major issue for both new and old PLs, as reps are promoted or leave and PLs are forced to explain themselves to new reps.
What kinds of options does EF have when it comes to free chaperone ratio? Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes. Why might this be important? Why not?
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How do Explorica and EF compare when it comes to price point? Why might this matter?
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How do Explorica and EF compare when it comes to consultants and territories? Why might this matter?
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How do Explorica and EF compare when it comes to payment plans and fees? Why might this matter?
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