New Agency Protections in Tern

Episode Overview:
In this episode, the Tern team shares major updates focused on agency control, smoother client booking experiences, and faster product delivery behind the scenes. Brad Turner hosts while David is out on parental leave, joined by Molly Johnson and CTO Brian. They cover centralized agency terms and conditions, agency-managed trips, a major unlock for Project Expedition optional add-ons, and progress on the host agency commission model. Plus, quality of life improvements, AI-powered engineering workflows, and two practical Tern tips you can use right away.

Episode Topics:
(00:01) Welcome Back and Team Check InBrad hosts solo while David is out, with Molly and Brian sharing recent work and rapid feature releases.

(03:52) Centralized Agency Terms and ConditionsAgencies can set central terms that automatically apply to shared trips, with optional agent add-ons.

(06:31) Project Expedition Optional Add OnsClients can select travelers, answer required questions, and see real-time pricing before booking.

(08:39) Agency Managed TripsTrips can be locked so agents cannot remove agency access or delete trips when agency credentials are used.

(12:03) Host Agency Model ProgressA milestone demo shows how the host model will reduce double entry and streamline commission workflows.

(13:03) Commission Reconciliation Deep DiveBrian breaks down commission flows, edge cases, and the foundation for flexible host hierarchies.

(19:04) Arch RoamRight Coverage AdjustmentAdvisors can customize insured trip amounts instead of covering the full trip total.

(20:21) Commission Reconciliation Language UpdatesUI wording is updated to support host and agency payouts with no functional changes.

(21:14) Trip Template and Package ImprovementsTemplate package editing now matches trip workflows, with a refined add-on experience.

(22:06) Large Agency Exports and Agent IDsBooking exports are more reliable at scale, and agent IDs can be added for CRM matching.

(23:01) Time Zone and Address StandardizationCalendars respect local time zones, and address fields now use standardized dropdowns.

(23:27) Duplicate Booking DetectionImproved tools make it easier to identify and merge duplicate bookings.

(25:14) Why Shipping Is FasterPaired engineering and standardized AI tooling accelerate delivery and improve quality.

(35:36) Tip: Save Option BlocksReuse common tour options with saved option blocks for faster planning.

(36:48) Tip: Reduce Duplicate ContactsRequire email only for the primary traveler while still matching related travelers.

(38:13) What’s NextMore host commission features, commission locks, and new group-level exports.

(39:44) Arch RoamRight BonusAn extra 4 percent commission on Arch policies booked through Tern, plus an upcoming webinar.

Show Highlights:Agency T&Cs now auto-apply with optional agent add-onsProject Expedition add-ons are client-selectable with live pricingAgency-managed trips lock access and prevent deletionFaster shipping powered by paired engineers and AI workflows