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Olein Webster Diamond Travel
Farnborough, Hampshire Homeworker’s cabin gives ‘logging in’ a new meaning
When homeworker Olein Webster moved to a smaller house last year, her office had to move too. But instead of converting her dining room into an office – as she had done in her
previous family home – she moved into a log cabin in the garden. “Before, I just had to walk to the dining room. Now, I have got a longer walk – past
the bird feeders in the garden,” jokes Olein, who set up Diamond Travel almost 15 years ago as a member of the Global Travel Group after working mainly in sales and marketing roles outside the industry. “It is very cosy inside,” she adds. “I have a little radiator and it has been properly
insulated.” But it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Olein had to use a temporary office initially after
moving out of her family home, while seeking planning permission for the cabin. “We had to apply for permission, which involved the council putting a notice up in
case of any objections. The process took six weeks and we couldn’t order the cabin until we got the permission. It then took two to three weeks for the cabin to arrive. Then we had a few challenges getting the phone lines in.” The biggest benefit is being away from any distractions in the house. “Since I started
working in the cabin this month I’ve been more focused and I’m not distracted by domestic stuff,” she says. Working on her own full-time, Olein needs to be as focused as possible to service all her clients’ needs. “I started from scratch in 2001. I do a huge amount of networking to get new business, but work hard to keep customers’ loyalty too,” says Olein, who originally set up the agency in an office in Farnham. Starting the business in 2001, one of the most difficult years in travel as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Olein soon had to relocate to her home to cut costs. “I was on the phone taking an enquiry for San Francisco when the first plane hit the Twin Towers and my customer phoned back and said they didn’t want to do the trip
Olein’s CV
●2001 to date: manager, Diamond Travel, Farnborough, Hampshire
●1995-2001: career break to have her two children
because of it,” she recalls. “It was a steep learning curve, as the next six months were very tricky. I just had to keep going.” Now, settled in her log cabin, Olein is looking forward to working in the garden, especially in the summer. “It will be a nice sunny spot in summer and I could invite clients in,” she says. “And it will be a great summer house when I eventually retire!”
✪ Find the right consortium: This will give you the support you need. I have often phoned The Global Travel Group for advice – it has looked after me.
✪ Get your family’s support: If you want to work from home, make sure you have the backing of your family or partner. They need to understand that you may need to work unsocial hours at times. I had to change holiday dates for a booking at the last minute and work on a Sunday recently. But my husband did appreciate it when the
customer turned up on our doorstep with flowers and wine to say thank you.
OLEIN’S TIPS FOR BUILDING A BUSINESS
✪ Keep in touch with customers: I send regular newsletters and put posts on Facebook to make sure clients don’t forget me. I work hard to retain their loyalty.
Would you like to be profiled on Readers’ Lives? Tell us why it should be you! Email:
juliet.dennis@
travelweekly.co.uk
38 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 29 January 2015
READERS’ LIVES
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