Anne Rose

Anne Rose is President of Cameron Park, California-based Celebrate-Travel, a boutique travel agency specializing in custom-designed leisure travel. She is passionate about travel and loves helping consumers experience the joys of travel. Prior to owning a travel agency, Anne served as Director of Communications for a multinational corporation, owned a marketing agency, hosted radio programs, and taught seminars on communications, publishing, and marketing.

Articles by Anne Rose

• Signs that your business may scream, ‘I’m cheap!’

  People assume that your public image matches the product or service you’re offering. How else could…

  Tuesday, November 24, 2020

• Changing suppliers: When it’s time to cut the ties

  After some time in business, you’ve likely developed strong relationships with a certain set of suppliers.…

  Friday, November 13, 2020

• How hard do you make your customers work to buy something from you?

  You’ve invested time, energy, and significant money to establish your business and promote it to the…

  Friday, October 23, 2020

• A ‘satisfaction guaranteed’ promise holds you hostage to another’s happiness

  We recently discussed the real hazards of stamping "lifetime warranty" on your products. A close corollary…

  Wednesday, October 14, 2020

• A massive no-no: Hiring to repay a favor, not because someone is the best candidate

  Hiring an employee or appointing someone to take charge of an important assignment is a serious endeavor.…

  Monday, September 28, 2020

• The hazards of a lifetime warranty: Whose lifetime are we talking about?

  Beware of stamping "lifetime warranty" on your products without considering all the ramifications. It’s…

  Monday, September 14, 2020

• How nice is nice enough to justify carrying the weakest link?

  An old TV show featured teams where the "weakest links" were kicked off until only one person was left…

  Thursday, August 27, 2020

• Saboteurs and whisperers can destroy your company. Here’s how to stop them

  You've met them. You've probably worked with them. You may have hired them. They're everyone's friend.…

  Thursday, August 13, 2020

• Decision crossroads: Restart your travel business or let it die and move on?

  The world is struggling with a pandemic that has had catastrophic effects on human life, our society,…

  Thursday, July 23, 2020

• You can’t step into the future with one foot tethered to the past

  When contemplating a major change in your life, have you tempered the risky future by offering yourself…

  Wednesday, July 15, 2020

• Dealing with the loss of interpersonal respect and repairing strained relationships in your career

  Trust is the foundation for all interpersonal relationships, personal and professional. Trusting and…

  Wednesday, July 08, 2020

• A crisis shatters your complacency — and that’s good

  Almost everyone has experienced some sort of personal crisis in life, some more cataclysmic than others.…

  Wednesday, June 24, 2020

• Finding the upside of ‘Groundhog Day’

  During our worldwide quarantine, I've heard numerous groans about every day being "Groundhog Day," a…

  Tuesday, June 02, 2020

• Fear of the unknown

  Fear of the unknown can be debilitating. In recent months, we've witnessed how irrational, intangible…

  Thursday, May 07, 2020

• Who’s in control?

  Who's in control? Not you. And certainly not me. Yet most of us seek to control every aspect of our lives:…

  Monday, April 20, 2020

• Letting go of costly mistakes

  Everyone makes mistakes. As long as humans are involved, mistakes are a part of life. We should try to…

  Wednesday, April 01, 2020

• Don’t get fooled by the manipulator

  All manipulators are the same. Just the circumstances and the victims change. You hire an employee who…

  Tuesday, March 10, 2020

• How do you recover from an upsetting interaction?

  You just had an upsetting interaction with an employee that left you with a sour taste and unsettled…

  Friday, February 21, 2020

• Visionary vs. manager: Why both are necessary in business

  We bring our unique personalities into the workplace. Some of us enjoy creating new ideas, thinking about…

  Wednesday, February 12, 2020

• The cost of changing jobs

  What is the cost of changing jobs? Make no mistake, there is always a cost involved that has nothing…

  Thursday, January 30, 2020

• 6 clues your employee is considering quitting

  Sometimes when valued employees submit their resignation, it may seem like it came out of nowhere. You…

  Wednesday, January 15, 2020

• Credit where credit is due

  I recently heard an accurate assessment of lazy people: they are always sticking their names on someone…

  Thursday, January 02, 2020

• Knowing when the ruts of life have hit

  You start a new job. It's exciting to learn all the nuances of your responsibilities. Each day is a challenge.…

  Thursday, December 12, 2019

• Beware of chasing counterfeits

  Have you ever wanted something so badly that you overlook any possible negatives and focus solely on…

  Tuesday, December 03, 2019

• Don’t dig a deeper hole for yourself

  Here's the quandary: you've allowed an employee's unacceptable behavior to continue long term without…

  Wednesday, November 20, 2019

• The terrible nature of expedient principles

  ​The word "principles" is bandied about often, as in, "It’s against my principles to do XYZ," or,…

  Tuesday, November 05, 2019

• 6 signs that it’s time to call it quits

  When is it time to quit your job or sell your business? It’s not an exact science with a finite timeline.…

  Wednesday, October 02, 2019

• Loyalty is a 2-way street

  I often hear business owners and corporation executives bemoan the lack of loyalty among their underlings.…

  Friday, September 20, 2019

• The open door policy

  Now, I’m not talking about a literal or figurative open door to the boss’ office that purports to…

  Wednesday, September 11, 2019

• How do you help staff climb a career ladder when there isn’t one?

  One of the issues that concerns small retailers is staff turnover. Human resources is the largest expenditure…

  Wednesday, September 04, 2019

• The folly of ‘they’re going to buy from someone; it may as well be you’

  When I was first starting out in sales many years ago, I was advised to regard every person I encountered…

  Monday, August 26, 2019

• Compete on others’ weaknesses, not their strengths

  When your niche is responsible for your success, why would your company abandon that winning strategy…

  Wednesday, August 21, 2019

• How to thrive in a competitive market sector

  While certain retail sectors are struggling to cope in a competitive marketplace, Gold Country Ace Hardware…

  Tuesday, August 13, 2019

• When you’re too keen to make a sale at any cost

  It's happened to me, and maybe it's happened to you. You’re so keen to make a sale that you overrule…

  Wednesday, August 07, 2019

• How to role model good choices for your employees

  I am not advocating parenting your employees. But some of your employees may not have had the best role…

  Friday, August 02, 2019

• Making the best of days where it all goes wrong

  Have you ever had one of those days where nothing goes right and everything goes wrong? No matter what…

  Wednesday, July 17, 2019

• It’s not me; it’s you

  We are frequently encouraged to focus on our strengths and "work on," that is, tamp down, our less sterling…

  Wednesday, July 10, 2019

• How to doom your business in 7 easy steps

  Most businesses begin with a dream — a dream of offering a unique product or service to a hungry market.…

  Wednesday, July 03, 2019

• Can you really assess the value of a new customer?

  It would be profitable to know in advance who is going to be a "good" and "loyal" customer — one who…

  Wednesday, June 19, 2019

• Fixing those inevitable mistakes

  The issue isn’t whether we make mistakes. We all make mistakes, some more frequently than others, and…

  Friday, June 07, 2019

• The time to have fun is when you have no time

  We live in a fast-paced world, no doubt about it. We are constantly rushing here and there for appointments,…

  Wednesday, May 22, 2019

• You don’t bring me flowers anymore: When customers turn on you

  One day you’re walking on water, the best thing since sliced bread, you can do no wrong, and your customer…

  Monday, April 15, 2019

• The case for being uncomfortable

  You get comfortable with your comfortable furniture, comfortable house, comfortable job, comfort food.…

  Thursday, April 04, 2019

• How to correct negative misperceptions

  Negative misperceptions are easy to acquire and hard to erase. "She's a very rude and unfriendly person.…

  Monday, March 04, 2019

• Check that behavior at the door

  As a manager, how do you respond to behavior you don't approve of, whether it's because it violates company…

  Wednesday, February 20, 2019

• Pollyanna was right: Why you should always be grateful

  People who have only vaguely heard about Pollyanna often wrongly describe her as a naïve goody-two-shoes…

  Monday, February 11, 2019

• No thanks — I have enough customers

  A business has to walk a delicate line between serving existing customers and prospecting for new ones.…

  Monday, January 07, 2019

• What do your written words say about your brand?

  Businesses frequently invest a lot of energy and many resources into ensuring that their brand identity…

  Thursday, December 13, 2018

• Little white lies can add up to destroy your credibility

  We tell little white lies to make our lives easier, to get ahead in business, to sell a product, to disguise…

  Wednesday, November 28, 2018

• Hello? Is anyone listening? The perils of not paying attention

  A lecturer spends 15 minutes detailing how their business is different from a competitor, and invariably,…

  Friday, November 16, 2018

• Are your expectations too great?

  It’s admirable to have great expectations — whether in your personal life or your professional career:…

  Monday, October 15, 2018

• When it’s time for an employee to go

  An old Buffy Sainte-Marie love song crooned about staying until it’s time to go. That applies to the…

  Tuesday, October 02, 2018

• Sacrificing service on the altar of efficiency

  Few companies like to see wasted effort, loss of productivity, and wasted resources. Efficiency is hailed…

  Wednesday, September 19, 2018

• The Ten Commandments for customers

  Much ado is made about delivering excellent customer service. You take care of your customers, give them…

  Tuesday, July 31, 2018

• Yes, you can be confrontational

  The word "confront" has acquired such a negative connotation. When someone is described as confrontational,…

  Monday, July 16, 2018

• Last impressions usually last, so don’t neglect them

  You know first impressions count. Your customer makes assumptions about the kind of company you have…

  Friday, June 08, 2018

• Pay your staff what they’re worth

  How do you calculate what to pay your staff? Anticipated revenues? Operating costs? What the market will…

  Wednesday, May 30, 2018

• When sympathy goes wrong

  Have you ever hired a person, not because you thought they would be an asset to your company, but simply…

  Monday, May 14, 2018

• 4 ways to help your staff cope with nasty customers

  ​You’ve hired cheerful and flexible staff to interact with your customers. But even the most cheerful…

  Monday, April 30, 2018

• 6 clues that a job applicant won’t be a good fit

  ​You're short-staffed and eagerly looking to hire new employees. Your goal is to vet the most qualified…

  Thursday, October 05, 2017

• The dangers of segmenting your customers

  ​Here is just a smattering of the marketing segments that are all the rage now in the business world:…

  Friday, September 22, 2017

• When a new hire quits before starting, it’s not all bad

  ​You've carefully interviewed all the candidates, finally deciding on the one applicant who seemed…

  Monday, June 26, 2017

• Toxic vs. healthy competition in the workplace

  Competition in the workplace isn't necessarily a good or bad quality. It all depends on the purpose of…

  Tuesday, June 13, 2017

• Have I delivered excellent customer service?

  Call a company's customer service department about a problem or issue, and invariably the service rep…

  Thursday, December 08, 2016

• When your co-worker forgets to work

  ​Have you ever worked in an office where it seems your co-workers have forgotten the word "work" is…

  Tuesday, May 24, 2016

• Leading people and managing processes

  Supervisory staff are frequently labeled "managers" with staff to "manage." But the most common synonyms…

  Wednesday, May 04, 2016

• When is good service too good?

  If you're in the service industry, whether travel or retail, you might pride yourself in offering excellent…

  Thursday, February 11, 2016

• Top 5 staff-killing behaviors

  If your staff is underperforming and not meeting your expectations, maybe you should take a look at your…

  Tuesday, January 26, 2016

• 3 tips to become a people expert

  ​Angry people you can't seem to please. Unhappy clients who tell you on their return about a bad experience…

  Tuesday, January 19, 2016

• Sales 201: A quick refresher for travel agents

  ​You probably have been in sales for a while and think you're pretty good at it. But even the best…

  Friday, January 08, 2016

• You can’t just wave your magic wand

  Your client is mad at you because he wouldn't take your advice on buying trip insurance, and now he's…

  Tuesday, December 15, 2015

• Finding certainty in an uncertain world

  ​Fear of the unknown can be paralyzing and debilitating. What if this new job doesn't work out? What…

  Wednesday, December 02, 2015

• Sales 101: Back to basics for travel agents

  ​When sales are going well, it's easy to get sloppy or pick up some unhelpful habits that can cause…

  Thursday, June 11, 2015

• Don’t let desperation drive your decisions

  ​You're short-handed and desperately need to hire another employee, so you hire the first breathing…

  Friday, April 10, 2015

• Avoid these 5 job interview no-no’s

  Whether you're interviewing a prospective employee or you're the one interviewing for a new position,…

  Thursday, April 02, 2015

• 4 signs that it’s time to say goodbye to a bad employee

  You have a relatively new employee or independent contractor working for you. You've done training, enlisted…

  Thursday, March 19, 2015

• Why don’t things get done around here?

  "Why don’t things get done around here?" Is this a familiar lament in your office? These "things" can…

  Friday, March 13, 2015

• Make your customers happier by upselling and cross-selling

  ​Upselling and cross-selling have negative connotations to many travel professionals, because they…

  Thursday, February 19, 2015

• 4 tips to making a positive first impression

  Much has been written about executing amazing customer service, but let's focus today on one aspect that's…

  Thursday, February 12, 2015

• How to keep your fire burning

  You probably remember why you went into the travel business in the first place — your love of travel…

  Thursday, February 05, 2015

• Dealing reasonably with unreasonable people

  We've all had them — those difficult customers who are unreasonably angry and refuse to be placated.…

  Thursday, January 15, 2015

• What’s the big deal about motivation?

  ​Thousands of books have been written about motivation. It's a popular subject for seminar presenters,…

  Friday, November 07, 2014

• The art of using a story to sell

  A story makes the unfamiliar familiar. A story draws people into the experience, making them a participant,…

  Friday, October 10, 2014

• Can you make a vacation package into a widget?

  I have sold other things in my career besides travel: jewelry, cosmetics, hardware and widgets. And I…

  Thursday, September 25, 2014

• Manager or leader — which is best?

  There's an old expression: "Managers do things right, and leaders do the right things." It is true that…

  Wednesday, September 17, 2014

• The case for complexity

  Go easy. Take it easy. Easy does it. Nice and easy. We are constantly exhorted to do things the easy…

  Thursday, September 04, 2014

• FAMs can be profitable in many ways

  ​FAMs are not free trips or cheap vacations. They are a terrific opportunity for travel agents, but…

  Friday, August 29, 2014

• Do’s and don’ts for hotel site inspections

  Personal hotel site inspections are quite valuable in learning about a hotel's attributes and limitations…

  Monday, August 18, 2014

• How do you become an expert in a new destination?

  ​The biggest differences between online booking engines and professional travel consultants are our…

  Friday, July 18, 2014

• No, the customer is not always right

  ​We've all heard the adage, "the customer is always right." I disagree. In my travel business over…

  Friday, June 27, 2014

• Discussing travel budgets with prospective clients

  ​Are your clients always honest in their response to your question, "What kind of budget have you allocated…

  Friday, June 13, 2014

• Spot the losers and say ‘no thanks’

  Do you dread seeing a particular client's caller ID or email show up on your phone or inbox? I refuse…

  Friday, April 25, 2014

• Vet your travel agency’s vendors

  ​How do you decide which vendors you choose to work with? There are thousands of tour operators, hotels,…

  Wednesday, April 09, 2014