p38-39 Know Feature mar27 24/3/09 17:20 Page 39
ttglive.com
generalist v specialist knowledge
NON-SPECIALIST GOING SPECIALIST
Eliott Cohen, owner Highworth Travel
ystal Cruises
(Advantage member)
iStockphoto & Cr
We sell everything from
corporate travel to pack-
age holidays, families
and cruises. Business is
tough at the moment but
the advantage of offering
everything is that we give customers choices
with our flexibility. The client has to come
first and we have to be able to offer them
what they want. In this climate we need to
keep hold of all the clients we have and keep
them interested.
However, the location of our agency and
the profile of our customers means high-end
SPECIALIS
T
luxury travel has always brought in good
bookings. We have therefore made a
conscious decision to go more down this
route because it’s not been hit by the credit
crunch as much as other segments.
We have recently signed up to Advantage’s too, which makes this specialism less risky.
SPECIALIST WHO GOES GENERAL
luxury specialist programme which provides The cost of UK weddings means that for a lot
Dorothy Woolnough, travel consultant,
us with local PR and marketing, product of couples it is unaffordable. However, the
Travel Counsellors
promotions and networking evenings. average price of a luxury all-inclusive wed-
Recently we ran an evening with Crystal ding in Mauritius, with 14 nights’ accommo- Although I am a cruise
Cruises at a boutique hotel and offered dation and flights for the couple, is £5,000. specialist, I don’t think
canapes and champagne while we As a result, we haven’t been affected by it’s a good idea to have
ran presentations; turnover was 10% the credit crunch. We’ve actually seen more all your eggs in one
higher in January and February compared enquiries coming through and we’re 75% up basket. As much as 85%
with last year. on last year. Our customers are upgrading of my bookings are cruise
from the basic package to a more enhanced bookings but if a client
SPECIALIST
one that offers photography, video footage wants a package holiday or something out of
Mark Bell, director, White Sand Weddings
and a candlelit dinner. the ordinary I won’t turn away the business
(Freedom member)
Another advantage of being a specialist – it would be foolish.
is the close business relationships we have There are real advantages to being a spe-
I had no background in with tour operators and hotel partners. Con- cialist: clients will come to me because they
travel when I set up the sequently they are flexible with us which know I can offer them in-depth knowledge
company. I got married enables us to offer exactly what our clients about the ship and can therefore offer them
in Florida and at the time want. The resorts are even more supportive advice about what will best suit their needs.
thought there was a in this current climate because they are It’s easier to focus on one area. During my
niche to offer a person- relying on wedding parties to boost business. eight years with Travel Counsellors I’ve built
alised service organising The only disadvantage is that we don’t up a loyal, regular customer base. I’ve also
weddings abroad. We started in Florida, New have a regular client base because what we got excellent relations with cruise lines who
York and Las Vegas but have since grown offer is for one-off occasions. We do get all give me a good service.
the business to offer worldwide packages clients from recommendations but we have However, if the market changes and the
which include the travel elements, as well as to invest heavily in our website, making sure cruise market takes a hit, I can adapt and
honeymoons too. we rank high in Google searches, which is a offer packages, so I don’t think I’m at a
We are niche but it’s all about knowledge key driver. We also attend several wedding disadvantage specialising as I do.
levels. When I started I only sold what I shows and advertise in magazines. For example, customers are more cautious
knew and was confident selling. I have since Despite that, last year we made £2.7 mil- and are leaving booking until much later.
recruited staff with travel backgrounds who lion in gross sales and next year we’re fore- I have adapted my marketing accordingly
can offer more product, destination and casting figures of £3.5 million. and have been sending out more emails,
selling skills. Our in-depth knowledge allows To be successful, however, you have to have alerting my clients to great cruise deals. And
us to spend longer with clients than if we good staff that are knowledgeable so it’s vital they are still booking: I always do more than
were non-specialists. to support them with training. Whether you £1 million sales every year and December
People are always going to get married specialise or not, having motivated staff is key. was my busiest December in eight years!
27.03.2009 39
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