Hello from the Tern team! We're the faces behind the screens from places like Michigan, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, and even Uruguay. We're all about that remote life – which means no office watercooler chats or impromptu lunch outings. But who needs that when you've got an annual retreat to look forward to? This year, we hit up Playa Aventuras in Mexico's gorgeous Yucatan Peninsula.
Big shoutout to Scott from Rainbow Getaways for helping us plan this trip. Working with a travel advisor gave us a fresh perspective on how Tern can enhance group travel experiences. Let's dive into some cool stuff we learned along the way.
All the People That Make a Trip Tick
This trip was like opening a treasure chest of insights. Seeing all the gears turn behind the scenes – from local guides to advisors and service providers – was like watching a well-oiled machine. It got us thinking: How can we make Tern the platform that makes all that coordination easier for everyone involved.
Take my near-miss at O’Hare, for instance. My inbound flight got delayed. Fortunately instead of sprinting from F gates to C I was able to catch another flight leaving just 30 minutes later. In that rush, I realized how handy it would be to have Tern's app send a quick update to both the local contact and our travel advisor. Note to self: Let's make that happen!
Another insight - group travel? Yeah, it can be a bit of a juggling act. Scrolling through everyone's flights got a bit crazy. We're now super pumped to create a feature where you can see your itinerary and sneak a peek at your buddies' travel plans too. More coming with groups in 2024.
Also, ever wondered how much to tip or whether to drink the tap water while traveling? We've all been there. That's why we're dreaming of adding nifty tips right in our future app – because who wants to scroll through emails when you're out having fun?
Where Ideas Run Wild
Our trip wrapped up with our epic team hackathon – it's all about brainstorming and building cool stuff in a fun, no-pressure environment. This year, we split into teams and tackled some awesome projects:
These mini-projects were more than just a fun exercise; they planted seeds for some amazing features we can't wait to share with you.
Travel: Our Secret Sauce for Team Bonding
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: travel brings people together like nothing else. As we race forward at Tern, creating cool stuff for travel advisors, it's these shared adventures that keep our spirits high and our teamwork tight.
Stay tuned for our next adventures and updates as we make travel planning with Tern even more awesome!