This Tern Automation Fix Saves Hours Every Week

Episode Overview: In this episode, the Tern team introduces a fresh take on Flight Path with more guests and a new Tips and Tricks segment. David Shull and Molly Johnson welcome Ellen Longley from Customer Support to break down what shipped this week, including a major automation upgrade, mobile improvements, and a new commission report built for tax season. From smarter traveler messaging personalization to a quick masterclass on option blocks vs room options, it’s a fast-paced look at how Tern is evolving to save advisors time. Plus, a sneak peek at what’s coming next, including agency-wide terms and conditions and locking commission for agency leads.

Episode Topics:

(00:01) Flight Path Refresh and Today’s Agenda

David shares the community feedback driving the new format, including more guests and more tactical tips.

(01:08) Meet Ellen from Support Ellen introduces her background and why she’s excited to share support-driven best practices.

(03:11) Week in Review Molly recaps a packed week, including the first product update of 2026 and another feature shipped right before recording.

(05:42) Website Rebuild and AI Vibe Coding David shares a behind-the-scenes story of rebuilding Tern’s website faster than would have been possible pre-AI.

(09:17) New Automation: Message All Travelers Individually with First Name Personalization Molly announces a major upgrade that enables traveler-specific threads and working first name variables at scale.

(12:38) Mobile Infrastructure Upgrade and YouTube Embed Fix The team explains an important behind-the-scenes mobile update that unblocks smoother releases and fixes video embeds.

(13:50) New Commission Payout Report for Tax Season Tern ships a report that makes it easier for agencies and advisors to track payouts and earnings over a pay period.

(15:40) Rich Text Editing for Supplier Cancellation Policies Advisors can now format complex cancellation policies with proper structure so travelers actually understand them.

(17:09) Quality of Life: Departing Agents Can Still View Bookings They’re Owed Commission On Ellen explains a support-driven update that improves transparency after an agent leaves an agency.

(22:06) Quality of Life: Clearer “View Form” Button in Emails + Faster Photo Library Search Small polish updates that reduce traveler confusion and speed up advisor workflows.

(23:47) Tips and Tricks: When to Use Option Blocks vs Room Options Ellen walks through the difference and how using the right feature saves tons of time and back-and-forth.

(32:59) Week Ahead Teasers Molly previews three big agency-level questions the product team is actively exploring.

(33:50) Finn Improvements and Support Scaling Ellen shares how the support team is actively training Finn to reduce escalations and improve instant answers.

(38:45) Travel Insurance Integration Beta Tease David previews a soft launch of Tern’s first insurance integration and what to expect next week.

Show Highlights:

A major automation upgrade that finally enables first-name personalization at scale

A new commission payout report designed to make tax season less painful

A support-driven update that keeps departing agents informed on commissions they’re still owed

A practical walkthrough of option blocks vs room options that saves advisors time immediately