About me—Jody Rookstool

Recently I have been approached by customers who are curious to know more about me. I thought about what details about who I am that I could give to make myself and my business seem more personal to my customers and thought I’d just start at the basics. If you’d want to know more, feel free to ask any questions.

Just in case anyone doesn’t already know, my name is Jody Rookstool and I come from the never-ending land (no joke) of Texas. Currently, I reside in beautiful Utah with a family of my own. I don’t know a stranger and I suppose my range of interest and topics I enjoy talking about are to thank for that.

I have always had big dreams and wanted to accomplish so much in life, such as travel, start my own blog, build my own business. If I were to summarize life in a few words, I’d say that life really is what you make of it. Life will give you what you put into it, but it will also give you what you deserve.

Travel Agents for Travel, Ralph Slaske for Homes

The internet has been around for multiple decades and since then, business as we know it has changed. Websites such as Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline make it more easy to book a flight, hotel, rental car than bobbing for apples and all it takes is just a few clicks of a mouse. Boom! Finished! Isn’t it interesting that even though we have these conveniences and technology to make it fast and easy, people are still hiring travel agents? They might not be as silly as  you think because working with a travel agent has some awesome benefits.

Why work with a travel agent? Probably the same reason you would call Ralph Slaske of Slaske Builders to have a home built. That one-on-one relation with someone can make all the difference in a clients experience. Travel agents are salespeople, not so much business owners, but they still are required to have an understanding of the services their agency provides and to be able to provide the best possible customer service. From travel dates to providing transportation, the travel agent is in charge of absolutely everything. The goal is to give you (the client) a stress-free traveling experience.

Travel agents are available at all times for any cause, so it doesn’t matter if you need to book travel plans for a large business trips or even just simply visiting a new area. You might be curious about those benefits I mentioned earlier. Working with a travel agent can get you some extra information. For example, there are those who are knowledgeable about geographical areas or might know your travel destination like the back of their hand. Also, travel agents work closely with vendors and if you happen to get lucky and get the right tagent, they can assist you in gett the best deals possible.

Travel and the Increasing Reliance on Technology

As someone who has spent many years traveling all over the world, I have long been accustomed to thoroughly planning trips well in advance. Preparing in this way has helped me determine how to maximize my time by prioritizing destinations and activities, and it has likewise been helpful in allowing me to recognize the obstacles I might encounter along the way. Since my friends all refer to me as “Jody Rookstool, World Conquerer,” I am often asked to help others plan out their travels as well. While I certainly enjoy offering my assistance, I find myself increasingly concerned over how technologically reliant travelers have become.

Obviously, technological advancements have made traveling so much easier for many, many reasons. This is true when traveling at home and abroad, and it is rarely the case that drivers are pulling over to unfold unwieldy maps or to ask for directions and advice. It is quite convenient to just pull out a phone, open an application and allow technology to do the work.

In most instances, relying on technology in this way is perfectly acceptable, but my concern stems from the lack of prior planning. We are not always able to count on technology to be available whenever we need it, and travelers who forgo planning in favor of just figuring it out along the way will likely find themselves wasting time while trying to decide where to go and what to do. It may seem silly or even antiquated to create a loose itinerary for a vacation, but a little planning can go a long way.