Shawn Power, Owner, Powerventures Travel Services based in Langley, B.C.

How many emails do you have in your inbox at the end of the day? Shawn Power has zero – and that’s just the way he likes it.

It’s not like Power has a shortage of emails coming in. As the owner of Powerventures Travel Services, an Independent Agency in the Avoya Travel Network, the B.C.-based advisor has a list of clients a mile long. But he works hard to clear his inbox every day, making sure no request slips through the cracks.

“It’s universally acceptable that a response to an email or call takes a person 3 – 4 days to respond to another person but if you want to be exemplarily at what you do and have clients remember you even if it’s 5 years down the road when they think of their next vacation and who they should reach out to for help, this is one simple way to ensure that happens,” says Power.

Making sure he actions every email on a daily basis gets results. “I know it works because over 90% of my business is repeat clients and referrals.”

Shawn and Nancy Power at the Taj Mahal

Power was recently recognized as a 2018 Pacesetter by American Express Travel. Avoya nominated Power from among more than 1,250 Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network, and this is the third time Power has been recognized as an American Express Travel Pacesetter. Avoya has worked with American Express Travel for more than 30 years, and is one of its largest sellers of cruises and tours.

Power’s agency has been part of the Avoya Network for more than seven years. In that time, Powerventures has received numerous accolades for sales excellence and customer service, including Avoya’s highest honour of Chairman’s Club and recognition as a top producer for AmaWaterways, Uniworld River Cruises, Avalon River Cruises, Azamara and Tauck River Cruises.

Power says: “I hear from clients constantly that they are both grateful and shocked that I take the time to respond back to their emails or calls as quickly as I do and resolve any issues that come up. I am constantly being thanked and acknowledged for it.”

One day, Power was boarding a plane and a client emailed him with a situation that needed to be handled – so Power called her from the plane. “She said, ‘I cannot believe that you are calling me from a plane – you are always there for me when I need you – you are amazing!’”

Another time a client emailed with a problem they were having onboard a cruise ship so Power made a call “and the next thing you know the Hotel Manager of the entire ship knocked on their stateroom door within the hour to resolve the problem, and then some.”

Power projects his vacation sales from new and repeat clients will be over $5 million in 2019.

“I feel very blessed to spend my working hours helping travelers plan their dream vacations, so it is a great honor be recognized with the American Express Travel Pacesetter award for the third time,” says Power.

Shawn and Nancy Power in Norway