talking shop THE OFFICE 'It's about meeting expectations' Tailor Made Travel was founded 23
years ago by David and Louise Wild, who glimpsed a gap in the market for tailor- made itineraries to New Zealand. Operating above an antiques shop in
Evesham, the fledgling agency and tour operator quickly added Australia followed by Canada and South Africa, which gave Tailor Made Travel a good line-up of year- round destinations. In 2002, 51 per cent of the company
was sold to Titan, but Tailor Made Travel has fiercely retained its identity and its staff continue to specialise in bespoke, unique long haul holidays. This February the company consolidated all of its retail side into its Cheltenham shop – and celebrated with a grand re-opening. Laura Gelder speaks to manager Rachel Cooper.
What was behind the decision to move to Cheltenham? We had actually closed the Cheltenham branch as it was just physically too large and we often didn’t have the staff to make it look full. But after Evesham was hit by floods in 2007 slowly the street in which our shop was located went into decline. Small businesses closed and quality shops no longer opened due to issues with insurance. So we made the decision to head back to Cheltenham, and gave the shop a new look and feel, with a new experience for our customers.
What are the key things you’ve introduced and why? The idea was to make the Cheltenham branch less like a shop and more like a boutique hotel, with soft-leather couches, chandeliers, glossy coffee table books and classy nibbles laid on. We also updated our uniforms, with black suits, tank tops and white shirts, black-and-white striped ties for the boys and scarves for the girls. It’s all about looking the part and meeting our customers’ expectations.
How was the launch party and will you host other client events? The launch was a fantastic success! We had champagne and canapés and invited 60 of our high-spend clients – six of whom were chauffeured to the shop by Titan VIP Departure Service cars, which stayed parked outside to show clients what they could get if they booked with us.
66 June 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
As an official seller of the Rugby World
Cup in New Zealand we invited international rugby referee Chris White and Gloucester rugby star James ‘Sinbad’ Simpson-Daniel, who both chatted to customers about the event. We also invited a representative from
Air New Zealand and Tourism Australia's UK manager, Rodney Harrex. It was our first event and was primarily to show off our shiny new office, but it’s definitely something we want to do more often, and we will certainly host something similar each February, as an ‘anniversary’ of our re-opening.
What sort of a start have you made since opening ? We are getting a lot more walk-ins now. We’re right by a car park and people pass us on their way into the town centre. We have a giant Qantas model plane in the window, which seems to get the kids’ attention and they drag in their parents! There’s a real buzz about the place and it’s put our team in a good mood too. We had to split staff up over the move, which wasn’t great for morale, but now everyone is back together and we even have a lovely roof terrace for our lunch breaks!
Are you using new technology and social networking to promote your business? We always try to keep up to
“We can package European holidays, if asked, but Tailor Made Travel will always be a long haul specialist”
date with technology. We were one of the first agencies to supply our clients with colour quotes, meaning they got to see pictures of their proposed accommodation and the destination, rather than just reams of typed sheets. We are looking into social networking,
to see which tool suits our business best. And our brochures continue to win awards for their quality of design and unique content.
What sets you apart from other tour operators? We offer unique experiences and hand-picked boutique properties. For example, The Springs in Rotorua, New Zealand, looks like any normal bungalow when you approach it through suburban streets, but its rooms are beautifully decorated like a boutique hotel. The couple who own it will show guests personally to their room, provide home-cooked food and share their local knowledge of the town.
Clockwise from left, James 'Sinbad' Simpson- Daniel, guests at the opening night party and a Titan VIP Departure Service car
What does the immediate future hold for Tailor Made Travel? As a unit, we’re ahead with our sales this year and from this base we’re looking forward to more growth and hopefully recruitment next year. We have two new product managers starting soon who will be travelling to America and Australia and using their knowledge and contacts to seek out exciting new product. There are no plans to branch out just
yet, but rather we'll be concentrating our energy and resources on what we know and what we can do. We now offer holidays to destinations
like South America and Indochina and we can package European holidays if asked, but Tailor Made Travel will always be a long haul specialist.
Contact Details
TAILOR MADE TRAVEL 50 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham Gloucester GL52 2ND Tel: 0800 988 5887 Fax: 0845 456 8071 Email:
sales@tailor-made.co.uk
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