Most Monday mornings at our Kochi office start the same way: tea, a look at what came in over the weekend, and a few messages from people who want to know more about our service. This particular Monday, one message made us stop and read it twice.
It came on WhatsApp from a number we didn't know. No greeting, no company profile. Just this:
"Hi. I have just started a travel company in Kochi. Are your leads real? I have been cheated once already."
We have received many enquiries over time, but this was the most honest first message we had seen in a while. Most people circle around the question for three or four messages. He asked it straight away, and he told us why.
Why he was careful
We'll call him Sajid (name changed). When we spoke on the phone a little later, he told us what had happened. A few months earlier he had paid a small amount to someone online for "guaranteed travel leads." He got a spreadsheet of numbers. Most were switched off, some belonged to people who had never asked about travel, and a few answered with a polite but confused "who is this?"
"I'm not angry anymore," he said. "I'm just careful. So tell me straight."
That is a fair thing to ask a company in our line of work. New travel owners have often been burned before they even find us, and they have every reason to doubt us.
What we told him first
Before explaining anything, we told him what we do not do:
- We do not sell old phone number lists.
- We do not guarantee that an enquiry will become a booking.
- We do not promise a fixed number of customers by a fixed date.
There was a short silence on the line. Then he said, "Okay. That's not what the last person told me." We took that as the beginning of trust, not the end of the sale.
What an honest answer to "are your leads real?" looks like
We explained that at Travel Steps India the starting point is a traveller who has actually reached out or shown interest in a trip. Our job is to connect that interest with agencies, tour operators and tourism businesses that suit it. What an agency does after that decides whether it becomes a booking.
We also told him something that many providers avoid saying: some enquiries will not convert, no matter how good the agency is. People change plans, compare prices, postpone trips and sometimes enquire out of curiosity. Anyone who tells you every lead will close is selling you a story.
If you're curious about the kind of businesses on our platform, you can browse the travel agent listings or read how to become a vendor.
The questions we asked him back
Then we did something he didn't expect. We started asking him questions, because the right answer depends on his company and not only on our service.
- What do you sell best? He said honestly that he was still figuring it out, but he enjoyed designing Kerala trips and Munnar–Thekkady–Alleppey circuits.
- Who answers the phone? It was just him, plus a part-time friend who helped in the evenings.
- How quickly can you reply to an enquiry? He admitted that on some days, replies could take several hours because he was out meeting hotel owners.
- What do you do when someone doesn't reply after your first message? He had no system. He just waited.
- Can you handle the trips you sell? He had a few trusted drivers and two hotels he worked with, but nothing formal.
The part he didn't want to hear
We could have simply said "yes, we'll help you, let's get started." It would have been easier. But after those answers, we told him plainly what we thought.
The biggest gap we saw was response time. If an enquiry arrives and nobody answers for six hours, the traveller has often spoken to someone else by then. It didn't matter how good his packages were. We suggested he sort out a simple routine first: a quick acknowledgement within the hour, even if it was only "got your message, sending details this evening," and a basic note on every enquiry about dates, budget and preferences.
He was quiet for a moment, then laughed. "You're telling me to fix my side before buying yours."
That is exactly what we were telling him. A lead service can only help if the agency is ready to handle the conversation that follows.
How we look at every new enquiry from a travel company
That call made us put into words something we had been doing without naming. When a new travel company contacts us, we don't only ask whether we can supply enquiries. We ask whether we can be useful to them.
- Are they clear about what they offer? A focused agency gets better results than one that sells everything.
- Can they respond quickly? Speed matters more than polish.
- Are their expectations realistic? We would rather lose a sign-up than create a promise we can't keep.
- Will they treat travellers with respect? Every enquiry is a real person who is planning something that matters to them.
We look ahead, too. A new company with good habits today becomes a reliable partner in a year, and that is better for travellers and for us.
What to check before buying travel leads from anyone
Whether you work with us or someone else, these questions will protect you:
- Where does the enquiry come from? Ask for a clear, honest explanation, not just "our database."
- Are these people actively looking for a trip? Or are they cold contacts?
- Is anyone promising guaranteed bookings? If yes, be careful.
- Is the pricing clear? Ask for it in writing before you commit.
- Can they describe what happens if a lead doesn't work out? An honest provider will have a straight answer.
- Do they ask about your business? A provider who doesn't care who you are probably doesn't care how you do.
Where Sajid is now
We spoke to Sajid a few more times that week. He set up a basic reply routine, wrote down three standard messages for new enquiries and asked his part-time friend to help during the day. He didn't turn into a big agency overnight, and we won't pretend otherwise. But the last time he messaged, the tone had changed. Instead of "are your leads real?", it was "I think I'm ready now. What do I need to send you?"
That is how we would like every conversation with a new travel company to go: honest at the start, practical in the middle, and with trust that builds slowly.
Frequently asked questions
Are travel leads from Travel Steps India genuine?
Our focus is on connecting agencies with travellers who show real interest in trips, rather than selling old contact lists. We can't promise every enquiry will convert, because that depends on the traveller and on how the agency responds.
Do you guarantee bookings?
No. A lead is an opportunity, not a booking. Anyone who guarantees bookings is making a promise they cannot control.
Can a brand-new travel company take your service?
Yes, but we will ask about your speciality, how you handle enquiries and what you expect. If we think something needs fixing first, we will tell you honestly.
How do I get started?
Send us a message with your company name, location, what you specialise in and what you're hoping to achieve. Our Kochi team will reply and take it from there.
Thinking about it, but not sure yet?
That's completely fine. If you have just started a travel company and want an honest opinion before you spend anything, send us a message. Tell us what you offer, how you handle enquiries and what you're unsure about. We'll tell you straight whether we can help, and what to fix first if we can't yet.