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With the advent of e-commerce, the travel agent profession changed immensely, shifting from store-front operations to more home-office businesses. So it's fitting that Destination Ventures, a Bend, Ore.-based outfit that specializes in creating customized educational programs to inform travel agents about various locales and resorts (particularly those in Mexico), has harnessed the Internet to make its company so successful. Founded in 1991, this company has performed a variety of travel industry training and consultation functions, from presenting educational seminars and developing online learning modules, to staging tradeshows and coaching sales teams.

Challenge: Web-based Feedback to Match their Emerging E-business Model

Feedback on Destination Ventures' programs is crucial, but getting reliable comments was hard. Following their events, owner Greg Custer would manually review hundreds of handwritten post-event survey sheets. "We use the surveys for post-completion evaluation and it helps us (and our clients) see the value of the programs and where changes are needed," he says.

But in the late 1990s, the company began to transition their operations from events held in locations worldwide to online seminars that could be accessed anywhere in the world. "We had to change with the times and stop operating expensive "live" seminar, migrating our educational programs to a more 24/7 'on-demand' and measurable product," says Custer. And they needed an online survey solution that could also be rolled out across the globe.

Solution: Online Surveys Provide Near-Immediate Results

Since Destination Ventures teamed up with Constant Contact in 2007, they've used the Online Survey tool to gauge the success of their online course offerings and to tailor future programs to meet the needs of its hotel and tourism bureau customers. "It has allowed us to reduce expenses by not having to outsource our survey work," says Custer. "And the ease-of-use and compilation of replies is a Godsend."

This is also great news for Destination Ventures' clients because they are able to make immediate changes to their business or marketing plans. It has allowed us to reduce expenses by not having to outsource our survey work — and the easy-of-use and compilation of replies is a Godsend. "Now we can gauge our program success the day after an event and get more meaningful responses," says Custer.

For example, Destination Ventures recently surveyed their course graduates about whether the company should offer themed or generic familiarization trips in the future. "Over 600 agents helped us make this decision and justify the reason to our client," says Custer.

In another instance, the Mexico Tourism Board, a Destination Ventures client, was struggling to create and distribute an important market survey of travel agents. "We introduced them to the Constant Contact survey tool and they were astounded by both ease of use, 'real time' monitoring of surveys, and the amazing response," says Custer. Over 1,750 agents completed the survey, more than triple the number than when the tourism board had experienced when using other survey companies.

Results: A Small Business Runs Like a Big Company — And Keeps Its Customers Happy

As a result, Destination Ventures looks like a big, slick company, when in reality it is really just another hard-working, small business. "The Constant Contact survey function makes our company more efficient and more 'cutting edge' to our tourism board and hotel customers," says Custer.

Each year, Destination Ventures' clients have the option of renewing their contract, and Custer points his customers to the online survey results to retain their business. One such service Destination Ventures provides, a Cancun training program for one of their clients, is now in its fourth year.

In fact, Custer says, without such a comprehensive way to measure agent satisfaction, Destination Ventures might not be able to convince their clients of the program's benefit. "The Constant Contact Online Survey gives our business one more level of assurance that our programs are effective," Custer says.